Weir Minerals has secured an £8.6m contract to supply pumps for a new 200km-long pipeline in Morocco that will transport phosphate rock from inland mines in Khouribga to the coastal port of Jorf Lasfar for processing and shipping.

The company was chosen by Turkey-based contractor Tekfen, which is carrying out the project for Office Chérifien des Phosphates (OCP), Morocco’s state-owned phosphates company.

Weir is to supply centrifugal high-pressure pumps that are specifically designed for use in series transporting applications. They will be deployed at three pumping stations along the pipeline’s route.

The pipeline — which is scheduled to begin operating in 2013 — will replace OCP’s current railway freight transportation method and is intended to significantly increase the mine’s output.

 
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