ALGIERS- Discussions with a group of Chinese companies for the exploitation of the iron deposit of Gara-Djebilet (160 km south-east of Tindouf) are at the “final stage”, said, Thursday, the Ministry of Mines.
“Discussions with a group of Chinese companies are at the final stage and the signing will take place very soon,” the same source told APS.
The Minister of Mines, Mohamed Arkab, announced at the beginning of January that this major project would be launched during the current month, specifying that negotiations “are underway with a foreign partner for the construction of a complex that will produce 12 million tonnes / year “.
During a recent meeting with the Chinese Ambassador to Algeria Mr. LI Lianhe, Mr. Arkab praised the quality of relations with Chinese companies. The Chinese diplomat, for his part, affirmed the willingness of his country’s companies to contribute to the development of the Algerian mining sector.
The Gara-Djebilet iron ore deposits, with an appreciable iron content (over 50%), are easy to mine (open pit), with reserves estimated at 3.5 billion tonnes.
The Gara Djebilet deposits are made up of three sites namely Western Gara , Central Gara and Eastern Gara , spreading over a total of 40,000 hectares.
This mega project is expected to generate more than 3,000 jobs, including a thousand to launch its first phase of operation.
During the current Council of Ministers of January 3, the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, stressed the need to continue efforts to develop the mineral resources in the country, emphasizing the importance to start, as soon as possible, the effective operation of the Gara-Djebilet iron mine.
APS
