Arkab supervises a workshop on developing the lithium division in Algeria. – New Algeria

The Minister of State, Minister of Energy, Mines and Renewable Energies, Mr. Mohamed Arkab, supervised today, Sunday, at the level of the Mohamed Gidani Hall, at the Sonelgaz Management Training School in Ben Aknoun, the opening of the activities of a workshop on the development of the lithium division in Algeria..

The opening took place in the presence of the secretaries of state to the Minister of Energy, those in charge of mines and renewable energies, and the presidents and general managers of the Sonatrach, Sonarem, and Sonelgaz complexes, in addition to ladies and gentlemen, heads of sector agencies and bodies. In addition, the workshop witnessed the participation of Professor Dr. Karim Zogheib, And Professor Dr. Kamal Youssef Toumi, and prominent actors from official institutions, companies, research and development institutes, investors and researchers, with the aim of contributing to the formulation of a road map. Comprehensive development of the lithium division in Algeria.
The workshop also witnessed a detailed presentation, presented by Professor Karim Zgheib, an international expert in battery technologies, especially in developing technologies for manufacturing lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries. This presentation addressed the issue of electricity and its impact on society by focusing on lithium-ion batteries, where he highlighted Dr. Zogheib highlighted the importance of innovation in battery technology to achieve sustainability and reduce the carbon footprint, from raw material extraction to recycling. The presentation included several main points: the most important of which was electrochemistry, where Dr. Zogheib gave an idea about the components of the battery (anode, cathode, electrolyte) and the importance of choosing the appropriate materials. Then he touched on the types of energy storage and the comparison between different batteries and their characteristics such as energy density and safety, as well as The metal conversion process, especially how to convert lithium ores into materials ready for use in batteries, with a case study analyzing energy storage from kilowatts to megawatts, with a focus on technologies such as LFP and NMC, and others. Points related to the development of the Lithium Division across the entire value chain.
In his opening speech, the Minister of State, Minister of Energy, Mines and Renewable Energies, stressed the importance of rare metals such as lithium, which has become a vital element in achieving the global energy transition. He added, “Algeria has very significant capabilities in this field, as preliminary studies have shown the presence of lithium in strategic areas in the south of the country, and areas that have ideal geological characteristics for extracting this metal.”
The Minister of State, Minister of Energy, Mines and Renewable Energies, indicated that this workshop comes within the framework of implementing the directives of the President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, regarding the exploitation of strategic minerals to enhance national economic diversification, and the development of the lithium division reflects Algeria’s commitment to developing renewable energies as a strategic sector. It contributes to the diversification of the national economy and ensures energy security in the medium and long term.
The Minister of State also highlighted that lithium is one of the most important minerals that enhance global trends towards renewable energies, noting that exploiting this strategic resource will be an important step towards achieving sustainable development and creating new economic opportunities. The Minister added: “The development of this industry can only be achieved by fully utilizing our local resources, whether in metals or other value-added materials, which contributes to strengthening Algeria’s position on the global level.”
On the other hand, the Minister of State stressed that the Algerian government has initiated several strategic projects to develop the mining sector, including projects to explore and exploit lithium, iron, zinc and phosphate minerals, in addition to investing in modern technologies that enhance production capabilities. “The development of the lithium sector will enhance Algeria’s industrial competitiveness, as it will lead to a qualitative shift in the battery industry and renewable energy.”
At the conclusion of his speech, the Minister of State called on all concerned parties, including companies, investors and experts, to cooperate and work together in order to ensure the success of these initiatives, considering that achieving national goals in this field depends on concerted efforts and the effective participation of all concerned parties, to come up with recommendations that would contribute In optimal exploitation of our natural resources and implementation of the national program for developing renewable energies, as well as enhancing communication between us and our elites residing abroad.