Gara Djebilet mine: Joint venture agreement between Feraal, Chinese group to be inked
BY- Hana Saada
ALGIERS- The CEO of the National Iron and Steel Company (Feraal), Ahmed Benabbas, voiced, Monday, on the project to exploit the Gara Djebilet iron mine in the wilaya of Tindouf.
Guest of the channel 1 radio forum, M Benabbas recalled the agreement concluded, last Thursday, with the Tosyali steel complex of Bethioua in Oran, relating to the launch of an iron ore concentrate production unit in the wilaya of Bechar .
The agreement sets out the measures to be taken for the creation of a Ferral-Tosyali joint venture in September, while guaranteeing the conditions for the company to directly begin the construction of the first factory which will be in the wilaya of Béchar.
A joint venture between “Ferral” and a Chinese group by the end of 2023
The CEO of Feraal announced that a 2nd partnership will be inked with a Chinese group for the creation of a joint venture, dedicated to the realization of a project for export to China.
He also revealed that discussions are also underway with Algerian Qatari Steem “AQS”, located in Bellara (wilaya of Jijel), to supply this company with steel raw material.
Regarding the Gara Djebilet mine, Mr. Benabbas said that many Arab and European countries, as well as Japan, China and Turkey, have expressed their willingness to establish a partnership.
Integrated phosphate project
With regard to major structuring projects, in particular the strategic integrated phosphate project, the same official specified that a company was created in partnership between the industrial mining group Manadjim El Djazaïr (Manal) and the Industrial Group Fertilizers and Phytosanitary Products ( ASMIDAL) on the Algerian side, and two Chinese companies for the Chinese partner.
This company is currently working to finalize all the feasibility and technical studies to actually start the project, before presenting it to the Council of State Participations (CPE) to take the final decision on the investment, he said.
With regard to the Oued Amizour Lead Zinc mining project, the manager reported the completion of several phases and the feasibility study, indicating that “the group intends to carry out a plant to recover Zinc in order to meet local demand and export surplus production”.
