Jordan Phosphate Mines Co. signed a memorandum of understanding on?September 15?with China's Chongqing Minmetal and Machinery Import and Export Co. Ltd. to build a factory for producing fertilizers in Aqaba in south of Jordan, the state-run Petra news agency reported.

The development of the factory will initially cost 350 million U.S. dollars. The factory will focus on producing high added value products from raw phosphate available in Jordan, it said.

Jordan's Minister of Industry and Trade Hatem Halawani said the factory will help boost trade ties between Jordan and China. He also underlined the important of cooperation in the mining sector.