TITLE:
Toward Sustainable Phosphate Mining in Jordan: A Case Study on Eshidiya Mine, Southeast Jordan
AUTHORS:
Awwad Titi, Khaled Tarawneh
KEYWORDS:
Phosphate Mining, Beneficiation, Mine Waste Valorization, Circular Economy, Sustainability, Jordan
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Minerals and Materials Characterization and Engineering,
Vol.14 No.2,
March
5,
2026
ABSTRACT: Phosphate rock is a strategically critical non-renewable resource, underpinning global food security and numerous industrial sectors. Jordan ranks among the world’s leading phosphate producers, with Eshidiya Mine representing one of its most important operations of Jordan Phosphate Company (JPMC). Current beneficiation practices at Eshidiya generate substantial volumes of coarse reject phosphate (>12.5 mm) and fine slime, which are largely stockpiled or disposed of despite containing significant residual phosphate values. This study provides a comprehensive mineralogical, chemical, and beneficiation assessment of these waste streams derived from the A1, A2, and A3 phosphate layers and slime. Representative samples of reject material and slime were subjected to crushing, wet sieving, washing tests, petrographic studies, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results demonstrate that reject materials from the A1 and A2 layers retain high tricalcium phosphate (TCP) contents (68% - 74%), comparable to saleable concentrate, while A3 rejects respond positively to multistage washing, retain of 57.9%. Slime from the A1 circuit contains approximately 46% TCP, indicating a significant recoverable resource. To facilitate implementation, it is recommended that JPMC adopt a phased integration strategy, beginning with pilot-scale trials for A1-A2 reject reintegration, followed by modular washing units for A3 material and controlled slime blending programs. These findings indicate that reprocessing of reject phosphate and selective utilization of slime can significantly enhance overall phosphate recovery, reduce waste generation, and contribute to extending the operational life of the Eshidiya Mine through conversion of waste streams into secondary resources. Adoption of a circular-economy-based waste valorization strategy is therefore strongly recommended to improve the long-term environmental and economic sustainability of phosphate mining in Jordan.