Mining by country

Mining in Algeria

What Algeria mines: phosphate rock (0.8% of world output, #16).

Mineral rents0%of GDP, 2021. Higher than 58% of countries.
Ores and metals0.5%of merchandise exports, 2024.
Biggest world rolePhosphate rock0.8% of world mine output, #16, 2025.
World top-3 producer of0minerals we track.
Governance, World Bank WGI 2025
  • Rule of law-0.65above 30% of countries
  • Political stability-0.66above 20% of countries
  • Regulatory quality-0.79above 21% of countries
  • Control of corruption-0.53above 34% of countries
Estimates from −2.5 to +2.5; the bar sits at the country's score.

Mining in Algeria at a glance

Mining jobs66,1512019. Employment in mining and quarrying in 2019, 0.6% of total employment. Women were 3.5%.Source: USGS
First recorded mining
1913 (Ouenza iron convention). A convention signed by the Governor-General of Algeria on 16 October 1913 set up the Société de l'Ouenza, capital 10 million francs, to work the Ouenza iron deposit; it… Source: Entreprises coloniales
Mining law
Mining Law (Law No. 14-05) (2014). Law No. 14-05 of 24 February 2014 replaced law No. Source: USGS
Key mining regions
Djebel Onk (phosphate); Ouenza (iron); Ghara Djebilet (iron); Sebket Oran (salt) Source: USGS
Main mines
Ouenza (iron ore), Ghara Djebilet (iron ore), Djebel Onk (phosphate), Djebel Kouif (phosphate), El Abed (zinc, lead), Karezas (tungsten, tin), Am'Rasma (mercury) Source: USGS
Signature minerals
helium, phosphate Source: USGS

Mining employment from the ILO usually counts all of mining and quarrying, often with oil and gas; national shares of GDP and exports are as each source defines them.

Share of world mine production

MineralWorld shareWorld rankYear
Phosphate rock0.8%162025

Phosphate rock mining in Algeria

Algeria mined 0.8% of the world's phosphate rock in 2025, ranking #16 (USGS). Every phosphate rock mine and project in Algeria.

History of mining in Algeria

What the ground holds. bentonite, celestite, gold, iron-ore, lead, phosphate, silver, uranium and zinc. Source: USGS

How prospectors changed the worldThe full mining timeline

By mineral

Phosphate rock mines

Mining elsewhere in Africa

South AfricaDR CongoMozambiqueGhanaMadagascarRwandaNigeriaGuineaMoroccoTanzania

World shares: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, latest year per mineral. Mineral rents, exports and governance: World Bank WDI and WGI. Trade: CEPII BACI. Projects: listed companies' announcements.

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Cover photos from Wikimedia Commons: The Big Hole by Rudolph Botha, CC BY-SA 3.0.