Algeria and Russia Reaffirm Alliance Targeting Energy & Mining Including Rare Earth Elements

Highlights

• Algerian Energy Minister Mohamed Arkab and Russian State Duma Vice-President Vladislav Davankov discuss expanding bilateral energy and mining partnerships.
• Algeria seeks Russian investment in:
  • Hydrocarbon exploration
  • Rare earth minerals
  • Renewable energy sectors
• Potential collaboration includes:
  • Knowledge transfer
  • Solar power projects
  • Nuclear technology applications in medical and desalination fields

Algeria and Russia announced an ongoing commitment to bolster their business ties in the energy and mining sectors.  As reported in AL News (opens in a new tab), the Algerian Minister of Energy and Mines Mohamed Arkab (opens in a new tab) and Vladislav Davankov, (opens in a new tab) Vice-President of the Russian State Duma got together in early-November to discuss ongoing collaboration and potential new partnerships between the two countries.

With a revision in its roadmap for Algeria’s energy and mining sectors, the nation has emphasized the need to be more open to greater opportunities for joint projects in hydrocarbon exploration, petrochemical development, and rare earth minerals.

MinisterArkab invited Russian companies to take part in knowledge transfer,exploration, and mineral processing. Discussions also extended to renewable energy cooperation, including solar power projects, and explored applications of nuclear technology in medical fields and seawater desalination initiatives.

Rare Earths

Algeria has rare earth element (REE) deposits, though they are not yet significantly exploited. Algeria’s mineral resources are mainly known for oil and natural gas, but it also has deposits of other minerals, including rare earths. Most notably:

1. Phosphate Deposits: Algeria has extensive phosphate rock deposits, particularly in regions like Djebel Onk in northeastern Algeria. Phosphate rocks can contain REEs, as REEs often occur as minor components in phosphate minerals. These REEs can be extracted as byproducts of phosphate mining and processing.
2. Carbonatite and Alkaline Intrusions: Some areas in Algeria contain carbonatite and alkaline rock formations, which are known globally as potential REE sources. While the specific rare earth potential of these formations in Algeria may not be fully assessed, they could contain REEs based on geological similarities with other regions that do contain REEs.
3. Mining Exploration and Interest: Algeria has shown interest in diversifying its mining sector, and rare earths are part of this focus, especially given the global demand for REEs in green technologies like electric vehicles and renewable energy infrastructure. However, the extent of rare earth extraction in Algeria remains minimal, with more investment and exploration required to determine the commercial viability of known deposits.

In short, Algeria does have geological formations that may contain REEs, particularly associated with phosphate deposits, but the development of these resources is still in its early stage.