The Chief of Staff to the Secretary of State to the Algerian Minister of Hydrocarbons and Mines, Djamel Eddine Choutri, highlighted the importance of exploiting the Gara Djebilet mine as a strategic step that will strengthen Algeria’s industrial sovereignty and give a strong boost to the national economy.
Speaking on National Radio Channel One, Choutri said that the Gara Djebilet mine has significant competitive advantages, primarily its massive reserves estimated at 3.5 billion tons of iron ore and high-grade ore quality, noting that the completion of the railway line will overcome geographical and logistical challenges by transporting minerals to processing plants in northern Algeria.
He added that securing raw materials locally will strengthen industrial sovereignty, especially since Algerian factories currently spend nearly one billion dollars annually on imported raw materials.
In this regard, he underscored plans to produce 4 million tons of iron ore at Gara Djebilet, which will be shipped to the Bechar processing plant to make the mineral usable.
In the first phase, the processed ore will be blended with imported materials used by Tosyali complex facilities, with operations expected to begin by next May.
According to Choutri, the Gara Djebilet primary processing plant will become operational by the end of May, allowing the supply of substantial quantities of raw materials to the Tosyali complex as part of efforts to boost national capacity in the iron and steel industry.
