TINDOUF – Thursday, 30 November 2023 (APS) – President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, laid on Thursday in Tindouf the foundation stone for the Gara Djebilet primary iron ore processing plant project, during his working and inspection visit to this province.
This plant is part of the programme to develop and exploit the mine, one of the largest in the world in terms of reserves, with almost 3.5 billion tonnes of iron ore and an initial production capacity of 2 to 3 million tonnes/year (2022-2025).
On this occasion, President Tebboune listened to two presentations on the iron ore processing structures and the primary processing project to be built at the same site, in which the decision of the President of the Republic taken by the Council of Ministers in May 2022, approving the launch of the first phase of exploitation of this mine, was welcomed.
The President of the Republic kicked off the project for this processing plant, in the presence of Chief of Staff of the People’s National Army (ANP), Army General Saïd Chanegriha and members of the government.
The primary processing of iron ore involves crushing and refining the raw material, dry separation, then storage and transport. Studies relating to this project have led to the development of an innovative process for producing an ore concentrate that can be “marketed both locally and internationally,”according to the explanations given.
The techniques used in the processing will enable an 85% iron ore recovery rate to be achieved, thanks to dry magnetic separation operations that increase the iron recovery rate and reduce the phosphorus rate to 0.68%.
The development and exploitation activities of this strategic and structuring mining project will create a major economic dynamic, not only in the south-western region of the country but throughout the country as a whole, helping to develop the national mining sector and accelerate the process of diversifying the economy and promoting non-hydrocarbon exports.
By 2026 and 2040, the mining capacity should reach between 40 and 50 million tonnes/year, with the commissioning of the 950 km Gara Djebilet-Béchar railway line.
The exploitation of this deposit, which is part of the State’s policy to revive the mining sector in order to diversify national economy and promote industrialisation, will be supervised by the National Company for Iron and Steel (FERAAL), part of the National Company for Mining Research and Exploitation (SONAREM), in partnership with the Chinese consortium (CMH).
The development and exploitation of the mine, which was launched over a year ago, is taking place in the western region of the deposit, which contains reserves estimated at 1.7 billion tonnes, or more than half the total reserves.