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Marrakech – The recent discovery of high-grade gold veins in Guelmim marks a significant development in Morocco’s mining sector. Fieldwork by qualified mining professionals has uncovered 34 quartz veins with exceptional gold content, following a northwest-southeast orientation throughout the permit area.
These veins demonstrate depth potential exceeding 100 meters, with surface widths varying from 40 centimeters to 1.5 meters.
According to specialist website Discovery Alert, the quality of these discoveries is exceptional. Assay results from sampling activities in shafts and trenches have yielded gold concentrations ranging from 6 grams per tonne to an extraordinary 300 grams per tonne.
Such high grades position this discovery among the most promising gold finds in North Africa in recent years.
The significance of the Guelmim discovery extends beyond impressive grade numbers. Morocco’s total gold production was approximately 6.8 tonnes in 2022, a figure that could increase substantially with successful development of these newly discovered veins.
High-grade veins place Guelmim on global map
In global mining, grades above 10 g/t are considered high-grade deposits, placing Guelmim’s gold in the upper echelon of worldwide deposits.
These gold-bearing quartz veins represent classic hydrothermal deposits formed through complex geological processes.
Located approximately 200 kilometers south of Agadir in the Anti-Atlas geological province, they developed when mineral-rich fluids circulated through fractures in Precambrian basement rocks. The northwest-southeast trending pattern indicates formation along regional fault systems that provided pathways for mineralizing fluids.
Adding to the geological significance, the concession area sits on what was once the bed of the historic Dara’a River system. This ancient waterway, which historically flowed from Algeria through Mauritania, was known to be gold-bearing.
The newly discovered primary gold deposits provide evidence that alluvial gold once found in the river originated from these bedrock sources.
The veins exhibit classic textures associated with epithermal to mesothermal gold deposits, including banded quartz textures, brecciation features, and alteration halos.
The gold appears to occur both as free gold within the quartz matrix and in association with sulfide minerals, allowing for potentially straightforward metallurgical recovery processes.
Copper, lithium, titanium, REEs strengthen future
This discovery adds significant value to Morocco’s already diverse mineral portfolio. Beyond gold, the country hosts substantial deposits of copper, lithium, titanium, and rare earth elements (REEs) – all critical commodities for electrification, renewable energy technologies, and advanced manufacturing.
Morocco’s position as the world’s second-largest phosphate producer is well established, with approximately 37 million tonnes produced in 2022.
Morocco’s unique position, bridging Africa and Europe, provides exceptional logistical advantages for mineral development and export.
The country’s proximity to European markets, combined with well-developed port infrastructure, creates favorable conditions for mineral trade. The 2015 update to Morocco’s Mining Code has further enhanced the country’s attractiveness to foreign investment.
OLAH Palace Trading has established a comprehensive approach to mineral development across its Moroccan concessions. While the current focus highlights the gold potential in Guelmim, the company pursues a broader strategy that also involves copper, lithium, titanium, and REEs.
Discoveries validate Morocco’s vast untapped mineral potential
Based in Tan-Tan, OLAH Palace holds a diversified mining portfolio across southern Morocco – including lithium projects near Es-Semara, titanium resources in the sands of Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra, and a cluster of gold, copper, and polymetallic licenses in Guelmim covering approximately 6,400 hectares.
Historical work in the Guelmim concessions uncovered 34 veins, each between 30 and 100 centimeters thick, stretching 4 kilometers along the banks of the Oued Drâa at depths of less than 100 meters.
Previous drilling campaigns totaled 12,900 meters, with samples showing grades up to 8.47 g/t of gold. These high-grade vein deposits could support earlier production from the richest zones while systematic exploration continues in parallel.
Current preliminary resource estimates point to a potential of 3-5 million ounces of gold, a figure that would significantly exceed Morocco’s current output of just over 100 kilograms annually, produced at the Tiouit mine in Tinghir province.
“These discoveries validate what we’ve long believed about Morocco’s untapped resources,” says Odai Nabut, Head of Business Development at OLAH Palace Trading. The company stresses building long-term value through responsible development practices and strategic partnerships.
The discovery comes amid accelerating global competition for mineral concessions. The International Energy Agency projects that global demand for critical minerals will increase 3-6 times by 2030 under current climate policies, driving unprecedented competition for mineral resources.
Systematic drilling will define Guelmim’s golden future
Following these initial discoveries, the next steps include systematic drilling programs to define the three-dimensional extent of the gold-bearing structures and establish mineral resource estimates. Given the exceptional grades already identified, even relatively modest tonnages could represent economically significant gold resources.
Understanding the metallurgical characteristics of the gold mineralization will be crucial for developing efficient extraction processes. Preliminary testing will likely focus on determining gold recovery rates through conventional processing methods and identifying any potential processing challenges.
Responsible development of these gold resources could provide significant economic benefits to local communities through employment opportunities, skills development, and business opportunities in the supply chain.
The timeline from initial discovery to production typically ranges from 5-10 years, though high-grade deposits like those in Guelmim may benefit from accelerated development timelines.
As international competition for mineral resources intensifies, Morocco’s strategic location, stable investment environment, and diverse mineral endowment position it favorably to benefit from growing demand for both precious metals and critical minerals essential for technological advancement.
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