(Ecofin Agency) - Four projects have been identified as part of the creation of a phosphate processing industry in Algeria and will be undertaken in partnership with foreign companies.

The projects are "currently under discussion with foreigners to produce phoshoric acid and different types of fertilisers", Mohamed Taher Bouarroudj, General Manager of Mines at the Ministry of Industry and Mines, confided in APS.

Algeria has phosphate reserves estimated at 2 billion tons and produces per year approximately 1.5 million tons out of which 98% are for export.

Until now, the remainder of the production, being 25,000 tons, was intended for the fertiliser company Fertial located in Annaba. "After the future processing plants start operations, we will be able to process our entire phosphate production and meet the demand of the national market", Mohamed Taher Bouarroudj explained.

The global production would thus reach 10 million tons by 2019/2020; an apparently sizeable volume which would be used to supply the future processing plant in raw materials.