The Algerian government has officially launched the 950-km Bechar-Tindouf-Gara Djebilet mining railway, a major infrastructure project designed to support the development of the Gara Djebilet iron ore mine.
The railway was inaugurated by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and was built primarily by Algerian contractors in cooperation with China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC).
According to local media reports, the first shipment of raw iron ore from the Gara Djebilet mine, around 1,450 tons, has already been transported to Bechar province for initial processing. The ore will then be shipped to the Tosyali steel complex. The Bechar processing facility is focused on reducing the ore’s high phosphorus content, a key step in upgrading the material for steelmaking.
In its initial phase, the unit is expected to process 2 mln tons of ore annually, producing about 1 mln tons of concentrate. Capacity is planned to rise to 4 mln tons per year by 2027 and further expand to 10 mln tons per year by 2032, targeting higher-grade, low-phosphorus concentrate. The project is being developed by Feraal, a subsidiary of state-owned miner Sonarem, in partnership with Tosyali.
Located around 180 km southeast of Tindouf in western Algeria, the Gara Djebilet mine is a large open-pit project launched in 2022. It is estimated to hold more than 3 bln tons of iron ore reserves, positioning it as one of the country’s most strategic mining assets.
