Mineral exploration in Morocco is a crucial activity in the country’s mining sector, which has a diversity of mineral resources such as phosphates, base metals (“Pb”, “Zn”, “Cu”), precious metals (“Ag”, “Au”), as well as other metallic and non-metallic minerals. The key aspects of this exploration include the search for new deposits, the evaluation of existing reserves, and the use of advanced geological techniques such as geological mapping, geochemistry, geophysics, and topographic surveys.
The state strictly regulates mining exploration to ensure responsible exploitation of resources and minimize environmental impacts. The country is striving to integrate innovative
technologies, including remote sensing and computer modeling, into the exploration process.
Mining exploration makes a significant contribution to the national economy, providing essential raw materials for various industrial sectors. It also plays a crucial role in job creation and the development of the regions where these activities are carried out.

Mining exploration in the Ourika region, located in the sub-Atlas zone of the Central High Atlas, approximately 30 km from Marrakech in the Marrakech-Safi region of Morocco, has revealed promising indications of the presence of copper. During the preliminary study of this permit, realized by GeoAnalysis, a combination of geographic information system (GIS) analysis and remote sensing techniques were employed to gain a better understanding of the geological conditions and to detect altered zones that may be associated with any potential mineralization. These efforts were complemented by exploration missions aimed at studying the potential mineral resources of the region.

The comprehensive analysis of samples collected in the field has allowed for the identification of characteristic minerals such as malachite and azurite, which are copper carbonates and significant indicators of the presence of copper deposits.

These results show significant traces suggesting the possibility of copper mineral deposits in the Ourika region, which necessitate further analysis. This could have significant implications for the local mining industry and the regional economy. The presence of malachite and azurite in the collected samples further enhances the interest in conducting in-depth studies of the geology and mineralization of this region. It is important to note that the project is still in the study phase.