Track construction on the Western Mining Railway in Algeria is complete. The involved Chinese construction company says that it is Africa’s first heavy-haul desert railway, built to link mines, industrial zones, and ports in the country.
The Western Mining Railway is jointly built by China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) and the Algerian state-owned company Cosider Travaux Publics. The construction of the 575-kilometer railway, the most extensive single infrastructure project in Algeria with Chinese involvement, was completed three months ahead of schedule, say Chinese media.
While not yet operational, the finalisation of the track-laying process marks a significant milestone towards completion of the railway. Preparations for its inauguration are underway.
The railway will connect the Gara Djebilet iron mine in southwestern Algeria with the national rail network and Mediterranean ports. The mine hosts one of the world’s largest iron ore reserves, with an expected 1.7 billion tonnes of exploitable deposits. China likely eyes access to these resources, allowing it to diversify away from existing suppliers. Algeria, for its part, will be able to diversify away from oil and gas exports.
Success despite geographic adversity
Despite facing harsh desert conditions, construction teams from both nations finished the track-laying in just over 24 months. That was made possible by careful planning and close bilateral coordination, Chinese media write. The project involved the production of 1.1 million concrete sleepers and the laying and welding of over 580 kilometres of rail. CRCC opened an Algerian sleeper factory to support the rail project.
CRCC said that it designed prestressed concrete sleepers suitable for 32.5-tonne axle-load freight trains. The project also saw the first-ever operations of Algeria’s CPG500 track-laying machine and its first automated rail-welding line.
