Algeria is pushing ahead with a landmark project to have its first minerals map which is expected to trigger several new mining projects, an official has said.

The map, which covers most of the North African Arab country, will be completed at the end of 2024, said Fathi Oubrahim, project manager in the state-owned National Company for Research and Mines (Sonarem).

Oubrahim told the Algeria Radio on Monday that the map includes sites of main mineral deposits in Algeria such as gold, zinc, lead, copper and other metals.

“This map will be ready at the end of this year…it was launched nearly two years ago with the aim of locating mineral deposits,” he said.

“The map covers 35 provinces and it involved investment of around 4.3 billion dinars ($32 million)…this map will result in the launching of several projects to exploit the country’s minerals,” he added.