Jordan
A country with a 68-year record of mineral partnerships that last, published terms for new ones, and a stated goal of a sector three times its present size by 2033.
Why now
Six facts from the public record.
The Arab Potash Company's concession on the Dead Sea, ratified by law and honoured since; Albemarle has owned half of Jordan Bromine since 1999 and India's IPL and IFFCO hold 37% of the Jordan Phosphate Mines Company. Jordan's partnerships last.
APC; Albemarle filings; JPMCThe Government published its model executive agreement for minerals article by article: a royalty of 3 to 10% sliding with price, a windfall tax to 50% above a 40% margin, Jordanian law with ICC arbitration.
Ministry of Energy and Mineral ResourcesMining's contribution to GDP by 2033, from about JD 700m today, with exports from JD 1bn to JD 3.5bn and a sector workforce of about 27,500: the goals of the National Mining Strategy 2023–2033.
MEMR, April 2026; National Mining StrategyThe United States–Jordan Agreement on Reciprocal Trade commits Jordan to allow and facilitate US investment in critical minerals, with EXIM and the DFC named as possible financiers.
White House, 21 July 2026The Aqaba–Shidiya–Ma'an railway company formed in 2026, half-owned by Abu Dhabi's L'IMAD with JPMC, APC and the Social Security Investment Fund: shared infrastructure in a company of its own.
JPMC, 7 October 2026; PetraCopper in September 2026 against its 2020 average; gold 2.4×. Deposits that were uneconomic in 2020 may now be financeable.
World Bank commodity pricesWhat success would mean for the Kingdom
Success is measured in what stays in Jordan: jobs where they are needed most, value added at home, ownership by Jordanians and standards that bring the next partner.
Jobs where they are needed most
Most of Jordan's mineral sites lie in the south and the east. The ratified copper agreement requires at least 90% local labour, and a 30-year agreement is a working lifetime for a young engineer from Ma'an or Aqaba.
Value added at home
The Government's terms bar the export of unprocessed ore. In 2025 a tonne of Jordanian phosphate rock sold for about $126 and a tonne of fertiliser made from it for about $722.
Ownership by Jordanians
Through the Social Security Investment Fund, Jordanians' pension savings already hold about JD 1.8bn of mining assets, and the ratified copper agreement obliges the licensee to offer 49% of its shares to the public.
Standards that attract the next partner
Partners of standing bring anti-corruption law, audited reporting, the IFC Performance Standards and resources reported to international codes. The lenders who follow them rely on those standards, and each financed project makes the next easier to attract.
Sources: Jordan Phosphate Mines Company annual report 2025; Arab Potash Company; Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, 22 December 2025 and April 2026; National Mining Strategy 2023–2033; Hala/Petra, 9 May 2026; Khaberni, 15 April 2026; Madar Al-Saa, 20 June 2026; White House, 21 July 2026; JPMC, 7 October 2026; World Bank commodity price data, October 2026. Figures as published; this page is information, not advice.