OPEC member Iraq, which controls more than half the world’s sulphur deposits, is considering inviting investors for a project to rebuild its sulphur plant and mines that were devastated during the war, the official Alsabah daily said on Thursday. 

The plant and mines are located in the Northern Nineveh Governorate, home to around 354 million tonnes of deposits, nearly 59 percent of the world’s total sulphur reserves of  600 million tonnes, the paper said, quoting Abdul Monem Jabouri, Director General of the state-owned Mishraq Sulfur Company. 

Jabouri said the Company’s sulphur facilities, which started production in early 1970s, were set on fire during the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. 

Production was restored in the following years, but the facilities were again destroyed when the Governorate was occupied by Daesh a few years ago, he added. 

“The Company prepared a plan last year for the re-commissioning of production lines and has requested funds from the Industry and Minerals Ministry, “ he said. 

“We are planning to reach a production capacity of one million tonnes per year…in case we could not obtain the needed funds, then we will announce the project as an investment opportunity and invite foreign firms to execute the project.” 

(Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon@refinitiv.com)

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