It Will Contribute to Building the Modern Algerian State: Algeria Reaps the First Fruits of the Strategic Mega Mining Project Gara Djebilet–Tindouf–Béchar

It Will Contribute to Building the Modern Algerian State: Algeria Reaps the First Fruits of the Strategic Mega Mining Project Gara Djebilet–Tindouf–Béchar

 

✍️ BY: Dr. Hana Saada

Delivered on schedule, the 135-km rail link connecting Gara Djebilet to Tindouf unlocks the country’s vast iron reserves, reinforces Algeria’s infrastructure renaissance, and signals its strategic intent to dominate mineral-based industrial development.

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Algiers, Algeria | July 8th, 2025 — Algeria has officially completed one of its most strategically consequential infrastructure projects: the railway line connecting the remote iron-rich region of Gara Djebilet to the border city of Tindouf, a key junction in the southwestern development corridor. Stretching 135 kilometers, this segment forms the first completed section of the 950-kilometer Western Mining Rail Project, which will eventually connect Gara Djebilet, Tindouf, and Béchar, feeding into the northern industrial hubs and export terminals such as the Port of Oran.

 

The project was completed within the targeted 30-month timeframe, a deadline originally set by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune during his November 30, 2023 visit to Tindouf, where he laid the foundation stone and emphasized the strategic importance of the mine for Algeria’s future. The completion of the project coincided symbolically with the 63rd anniversary of Independence and Youth Day on July 5, 2025—a potent reminder that true sovereignty today requires full mastery over national resources and strategic infrastructure.

A Backbone of Economic Diversification and Industrial Security

Gara Djebilet, one of the largest untapped iron ore reserves in the world, holds an estimated 3.5 billion tonnes of high-grade ore. The project is expected to significantly reduce Algeria’s dependency on iron imports—estimated at $3 billion annually—while positioning the country as a regional leader in mineral exports.

The completion of the first 135-kilometer segment enables the immediate transport of raw ore to the country’s northern conversion and transformation units, while also laying the logistical foundation for international export. The railway will soon extend 575 kilometers further, linking Tindouf to Hammaguir via Oum El Assel, with robust logistical and human reinforcement already being mobilized to accelerate this second phase.

Engineering Marvel: 1,431 Technical Structures and Africa’s Longest Railway Bridge

The construction, managed by the National Agency for the Studies and Follow-up of Railway Investments (ANESRIF), involved a staggering 1,431 engineering structures, including:

• 45 railway bridges,

• 48 road bridges, and

• 1,338 hydraulic structures along the entire stretch.

Among these is the Oued Doura Viaduct, a signature engineering achievement and Africa’s longest railway bridge, extending over 4 kilometers in length with a height ranging between 9 and 12 meters. The viaduct is scheduled for completion by October 2025 and will enable the safe transit of both freight and passengers.

The mega-structure is being executed by China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) under direct technical supervision from Algerian institutions—symbolizing Algeria’s model of strategic international collaboration rooted in national control.

From Infrastructure to Transformation: Building Algeria’s Heavy Industry Ecosystem

The long-term vision for the Western Mining Rail Project extends beyond logistics. Algeria is laying the groundwork for a self-sustaining industrial sovereignty, with the construction of a $1 billion steel and metallurgical complex in Béchar, set to be delivered in 2026. This complex, a joint venture between China Metallurgical Group (CMH) and Algeria’s FERAAL, will produce steel billets, railway tracks, and structural steel components—generating up to 15,000 direct and indirect jobs.

The industrial ecosystem will also include:

• Multiple iron processing and transformation units

• A rolling stock assembly plant to manufacture wagons for ore transport

• Integrated logistical chains to connect Béchar with Oran’s steel complex.

 

This integrated approach reinforces Algeria’s ambition to diversify beyond hydrocarbons, increase local value chains, and stimulate growth in historically marginalized southern regions.

Industrial Sovereignty Through Strategic Planning

The project is being implemented in phased stages from 2022 to 2040, with the first operational phase (2022–2025) targeting extraction of 2–3 million tonnes of ore per year. Full-scale production is projected to reach 40–50 million tonnes annually post-2026, once all transport and processing infrastructures are in place.

Notably, the railway line now complements the 100-kilometer Béchar–Abadla segment, already commissioned, with a state-of-the-art Abadla Station covering 1,783 square meters of modern administrative and commercial space. The broader Western Mining Line includes over:

• 1.4 million cubic meters of excavation

• 8 million cubic meters of embankment

• Installation of 14,653 tons of rails

• Placement of 102,031 concrete sleepers

• Construction of 181 crossings, 58 culverts, 12 site-cast drains, and 494 ancillary structures

• 5 bridges and 12 underpasses

This unparalleled effort forms the backbone of a new industrial geography, integrating Algeria’s southwest into the national economic matrix.

The Algeria of Tomorrow, Forged Today

President Tebboune has consistently affirmed that Algeria’s future lies in its ability to transform natural endowments into national strength. The Gara Djebilet-Tindouf railway is not merely a transport line; it is a symbol of strategic foresight—a steel artery cutting across the Sahara, channeling prosperity, stability, and sovereignty into the heart of the Algerian state.

 

 

 

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