A highly significant national moment, reflecting the major transformations underway in the new Algeria, took place today with the launch of the transport of the first shipment of iron ore from the Gara Djebilet mine in the province of Tindouf by railway. This step effectively marks the country’s entry into a new phase of full control over the mining value chain, moving from the production of raw resources to the development of a leading processing industry with a long-term strategic dimension.
This historic event took place in the presence of an important ministerial delegation composed of:
The Minister of the Interior, Local Authorities and Transport,
The Minister of Public Works,
The Governor of Tindouf Province,
The Secretary of State to the Minister of Hydrocarbons and Mines in charge of Mines.
On this occasion, Mr. Reda Belhadj, CEO of the Sonarem Mining Industrial Group, delivered a comprehensive presentation highlighting the economic dimensions of this strategic project, which represents one of the key pillars of the strategic vision adopted in the President of the Republic’s program aimed at diversifying the national economy beyond the hydrocarbons sector.
The railway transport operation is centered on the South-West mining railway line, which extends over more than 950 km, linking Gara Djebilet in Tindouf to the Toumiat industrial zone in the province of Béchar, before continuing its industrial route toward Bethioua in the province of Oran. This integrated system embodies the connection between extraction, valorization, and industrial processing.
This event goes far beyond a simple transport operation; it represents a strategic decision by the public authorities to consolidate the country’s national industrial sovereignty.