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COBCO Cathode Precursor Plant (Al Mada / CNGR Advanced Materials JV, Jorf Lasfar)

Country
Morocco
Sector
Manufacturing
Intelligence Type
Project
Status / Stage
Operational
Confidence
Capacity-expansion figures and full project cost not independently confirmed beyond available reporting

COBCO, a joint venture between Moroccan investment fund Al Mada and China’s CNGR Advanced Materials, inaugurated a cathode precursor plant at Jorf Lasfar in June 2025 with initial capacity of 40,000 tonnes/year of nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) precursor. The project has signed a supply agreement with Belgian materials group Umicore and plans to expand to 120,000 tonnes/year of NMC precursor plus 60,000 tonnes/year of LFP cathode material, alongside critical-mineral refining and battery-recycling (black mass) facilities — making it one of the more advanced pieces of Morocco’s emerging integrated battery-materials cluster.

Project Details

Project TypeCathode Precursor Manufacturing Plant
Project OwnerCOBCO (JV of Al Mada and CNGR Advanced Materials)
Project SponsorAl Mada; CNGR Advanced Materials
Project DeveloperCOBCO
Financing InstitutionAl Mada; CNGR Advanced Materials (corporate financing)
Actual Completion2025-06
Current PhaseOperational
Funding StatusFunded (Phase 1 operating)

Key Issues / Risks

Full capital cost and financing structure not disclosed in available reporting; expansion timeline to 120,000t/yr NMC + 60,000t/yr LFP not yet confirmed with firm dates

Latest Development (Detail)

Plant inaugurated and producing 40,000 t/yr of NMC cathode precursor as of June 2025, with a signed Umicore offtake agreement

What Happens Next

Watch for confirmed timeline on the planned expansion to 120,000t/yr NMC precursor, 60,000t/yr LFP cathode material, and mineral-refining/recycling capacity

Commercial Opportunity

Precursor materials trade, refining/recycling (black mass) capacity build-out, offtake agreements with additional battery makers

Stakeholder Intelligence

Key Organizations / Companies InvolvedAl Mada; CNGR Advanced Materials; Umicore (offtake); Government of Morocco

Capital & Financing Intelligence

Funding / Amount CommittedUSD
Funding SourceAl Mada / CNGR Advanced Materials corporate financing

Procurement & Contract Outlook

Expected Next MilestonePlant inauguration and start of NMC precursor production (2025-06)

Commercial Opportunity Intelligence

Financing / Capital OpportunityNot disclosed in available sources
Potential BeneficiariesAl Mada, CNGR Advanced Materials, Umicore, Moroccan state (jobs, FDI, industrial cluster development)
Opportunity SignalStrong -- directly linked to the Morocco FTZ/investment incentive policy record
Commercial ReadinessOperational (Phase 1)

Analyst Notes

Fewer independent sources available on COBCO versus Gotion; figures should be re-verified against Al Mada/CNGR primary disclosures before publishing

Source & Verification Trail

Last Verified2026-08-10
Source(s)https://www.ecofinagency.com/news-infrastructures/2807-57771-china-morocco-and-volkswagen-what-we-know-about-africas-first-integrated-battery-gigafactory
Source Date2026-07-28