The National Industrial and Mining Company (SNIM) has signed an agreement with the United Arab Emirates Iron Company (Emirates steel). This is a memorandum to set up a joint venture for the production and processing of iron oxide.
As a result of the memorandum, both companies will examine possible cooperation and joint plans for iron production. Planned to last 18 months, this cooperation with SNIM is in line with the national strategic objectives for the industry and a 300 billion project as well as the achievement of self-sufficiency. For both countries, this agreement is of great importance. It will support industry and local communities in general in the Emirates and Mauritania. This kind of project will boost the pace of development of regional steel industry in the Middle East and North Africa. The latter will be able to strengthen its competitive capacity in regional and global markets.
SNIM focused on ore beneficiation in Mauritania.
SNIM ( National Industrial and Mining Company) is involved in the research, exploitation, processing and marketing of iron ore. It manages its entire production chain, including a railway of over 700 km and a deep-water mineral port in Nouadhibou. This company accompanies the socio-economic development of Mauritania and is a real driving force in terms of sales volume, contribution to GDP and number of employees. It has also left its mark on the national industrial fabric with several subsidiaries active in fields ranging from tourism to mechanical engineering, including foundry, transit, consignment, ornamental stones, oil installations, etc.
In recent years, SNIM, in partnership with the Australian company, has been working to launch an iron processing project in “Al Awja” area. Unfortunately, this project was abandoned due to water scarcity and the high energy requirements. It should be noted that Mauritania has the largest reserve of raw iron ore in the Arab world and in Africa, estimated at 1.5 billion tonnes, and the National Industrial and Mining Company is also the largest employer after the State.
The National Industrial and Mining Company has set a target of selling 13.5 million tonnes of iron ore by 2022. If this target is met, a new sales record can be achieved, surpassing the record of 13.274 tonnes achieved in 2016. In 2021, SNIM’s ore sales were 12 million tonnes with the last mining vessel leaving for world markets on 31 December.
