Algeria will complete a mega freight rail project that will transport most of its iron production in 2026 after it was approved by the cabinet, a local newspaper said on Tuesday.

The rail line will stretch nearly 950 kilometres (km) from ‘Gâra Djebilet’ mine in the western Tindouf province to Bechar province in Northwest Algeria, Elkhbar Arabic language daily said.

It quoted officials as saying the cabinet reviewed the project on Monday and decided to push ahead with the plan.

The paper said the project would allow Algeria to fully exploit the mine and export surplus production, adding that it could produce nearly 3.5 million tonnes per year.

“The project is expected to be completed in 2026 and it will enable Algeria to fully utilise Gâra Djebilet mine,” the paper added.

Gâra Djebilet, which was commissioned in mid-2022, is one of the world’s largest iron ore reservoirs, with estimated reserves of nearly 3.5 billion tonnes, of which around 1.7 billion tonnes are exploitable. 

(Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon@lseg.com)

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