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Egypt will host the first sodium cyanide production plant in the Middle East with an annual production capacity of 50,000 tonnes and investments of $200 million in the first phase, according to a government official.
DrasChem Specialty Chemicals, a private free zone company, will establish the project in the Northern Mediterranean port of Alexandria, according to a statement issued by the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI).
The production facility for the chemical, a key input in gold extraction, will be built in three phases.
The first phase is expected to begin production in 2028; the second phase will focus on either doubling production capacity or manufacturing additional sodium cyanide derivatives, while a third phase will target the production of sodium-ion battery components.
GAFI CEO Mohamed el-Gawsaky said the project aligns with the country’s developmental priorities, particularly those related to increasing exports, transferring and localising advanced technology, deepening local manufacturing and creating sustainable job opportunities.
(Writing by N Saeed; Editing by Anoop Menon)
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