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October 9, 2025 | 5 hours ago
After a 12-year hiatus, The Tirek and Amesmessa gold mines are back in business!
The state-owned mining group Sonarem is preparing to restart operations at the Tirek and Amesmessa gold mines located in the southwestern part of the Tamanrasset province in 2026, after a hiatus of more than 12 years. A strategic decision that is part of the national mining development plan aimed at developing the significant gold resources of southern Algeria and diversifying the national economy beyond hydrocarbons.
Sonarem CEO Belkacem Soltani has presented an ambitious project aimed at reviving gold production in Algeria, particularly in the Saharan regions. The project involves reactivating the Tirek and Amesmessa gold mines, which have been closed since 2013, covering an area of 148,100 hectares. The goal is to stimulate the local economy, create jobs, and strengthen national gold production capacity.
The deposits, most of which are located at a depth of 400 meters, contain estimated reserves of 60 tons of gold, valued at over $4 billion. To bring this project to fruition, Sonarem has launched a call for expressions of interest to create a joint-stock company with national or foreign partners, in accordance with the new mining law.
The project also includes exploring new deposits, treating mining waste using a circular economy approach, and exploiting the intermediate zone known as Zita. The region offers significant potential thanks to mining waste that is still rich in gold and can be exploited using modern secondary extraction techniques.
At the same time, Sonarem plans to expand its gold mining activities with the opening of new mines in Aïn Abegui and Tekouiat, creating processing centres in In Guezzam, Tamanrasset, and Djanet to supervise artisanal activity and combat illegal mining. Domestic gold production, which exceeded 400 kg between 2022 and September 2025, is expected to grow significantly in the coming years.
October 9, 2025 | 
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