In Algiers, three agreements and contracts were signed relating to mining and mining projects in Gara Jbeilat (Tindouf), Thala Hamza Oued Amizour (Bejaia) and Bechar, between national companies and international partners.
The signing took place on the sidelines of a ceremony commemorating the 58th anniversary of the nationalization of mines and the 57th anniversary of the founding of the National Company for Research and Mining Exploitation (SONARAM), which was supervised by the Minister of Energy and Mines, Mohamed Arkab, at the International Convention Center, “Abdul Latif Rahal”, under the slogan “Inner Treasures for Strategic Ambitions.”
This relates to a contract between the National Iron and Steel Corporation “Feral” (Sonaram Complex branch) and the Chinese company “Sinosteel”, regarding the construction of the first iron ore pre-treatment unit at the Gara Jbeilat mine with a capacity estimated at 4 million tons.
The agreement was initialed by the President and General Manager of Viral, Ahmed Bin Abbas, and the General Manager of the Chinese company, Hua Guanglin.
The second agreement concerns the establishment of a mixed company between the Turkish “Tosyali” Corporation and “Feral” to establish a unit for the production of iron ore concentrates in the Tomiyat region in Bashar, with an annual production capacity estimated at 1 million tons.
The agreement was signed by the President and Director General of FERAL and the President and Director General of Tosyali, Alp Yukogli.
As for the third agreement signed on the same occasion, it relates to the completion of an underground mine at the level of the lead and zinc deposit in Oued Amizur, with an annual capacity estimated at 170 thousand tons of zinc and 30 thousand tons of lead, between the Algerian-Australian mixed company “West Mediterranean Zinc” WMA and the Chinese “Sinosteel”.
The agreement was signed by the President and General Manager of the Algerian-Australian company, Fatih Drifi, and the General Manager of the Chinese company, Hua Guanglin.
These agreements are dedicated to fruitful partnerships in the mining sector with the aim of enhancing the sector’s role in the national economy in the future, as was emphasized during the signing ceremony.
By the way, the President and General Director of the Mining Industrial Complex “SONARIM”, Mohamed Sakher Harami, highlighted the importance of the mining projects being implemented during the past few years in Algeria.
The official stated that the coming years will witness the development of new mining projects, such as the barite mine in Beni Abbas and the manganese mine in Béchar, which allows – as he said – the creation of new added value for the national economy to reach, by 2030, an expected turnover of $5 billion for the complex.
Mr. Harami refers to the Gara Jbeilat mine project, which will enable the supply of iron ore to national steel factories, saving about $2 billion, the zinc and lead mine in Bejaia, and the integrated phosphate project in the east of the country to convert 10 million tons of phosphate annually.
