Egypt's efforts to expand its mining sector face numerous structural and logistical challenges, including nascent infrastructure and reliance on imported materials for fertilizer manufacturing, which will constrain growth in raw material extraction and processing in the coming years. On Sept. 28-29, Egypt is set to host an "exceptional" edition of the Egyptian International Mining Forum in the New Administrative Capital to seek international mining investment. The forum comes after Egypt's Mineral Resources and Mining Industries Authority (MRMIA) signed an agreement in May with Spain's Xcalibur Smart Mapping to conduct an aerial mineral survey of the country, the first of its kind in 42 years, aimed at identifying mineral resources and generating higher-quality geological data while reducing exploration risk for prospective investors.