National Mining Research and Exploitation Company

SONAREM (National Mining Research and Exploitation Company; French: Société nationale de recherches et d'exploitation minières) is Algeria's state-owned mining group, created on 11 May 1967, one year after the nationalization of Algeria's mines. Headquartered in Algiers, the company operates across the entire mining value chain: geological exploration and resource assessment, mining operations, mineral valorization and processing, and marketing of mining products. Its activities supply the metallurgical, steel, petroleum and hydraulic, construction materials, chemical processing, and precious and semi-precious metals industries. SONAREM was originally established to rehabilitate depleted mines, then to increase reserves and undertake prospecting and discovery of new deposits. It developed research and exploitation of national mines and quarries and distributed and sold mining products both in Algeria and abroad. It worked in harmony with the national steel company, notably through the El Ouenza mines, before the sector entered a crisis that led to restructuring in the 1980s. A 1983 restructuring gave birth to six companies: FERPHOS, ENAMARBRE, ENASEL, ENOF, EDEMINES, and EREM, which later became the Office of Geological and Mining Research (ORGM) after merging with ONIG. After about twenty years and numerous regroupings within participation funds and holdings, SONAREM was recreated in 2002. It gained new momentum from the 2020s with the will to relaunch the mining sector. Today SONAREM Group reports more than 10,000 employees, 13 subsidiaries, and 130 units. Its portfolio covers exploration, operation, valorization, and marketing. Recent news includes the CEO giving the go-ahead for development works at the entrance of the zinc and lead mine (10 March), the unloading of the first shipment of Gara Djebilet iron ore at the Tosyali Algeria complex (3 February), and a message on rising to the challenge and achieving the dream (25 January). In October 2025, Reda Belhadj was installed as interim President and CEO, replacing Belkacem Soltani.

SONAREM was created on 11 May 1967, one year after the nationalization of Algeria's mines. Its initial purpose was the rehabilitation of depleted mines, then increasing reserves, before moving into prospecting and discovery of new deposits. It developed research and exploitation of national mines and quarries to distribute and sell mining products both in Algeria and abroad. It worked in harmony with the national steel company, notably through the El Ouenza mines, before the sector entered a crisis that caused the company's restructuring in the 1980s. The 1983 restructuring gave birth to six companies: FERPHOS, ENAMARBRE, ENASEL, ENOF, EDEMINES, and EREM, which was later elevated to the Office of Geological and Mining Research (ORGM) after merging with ONIG. After about twenty years and numerous regroupings within participation funds and holdings, SONAREM was recreated in 2002. It gained new momentum from the 2020s with the will to relaunch the mining sector. In October 2025, Reda Belhadj was installed as interim President and CEO, replacing Belkacem Soltani.

• SONAREM created one year after the nationalization of Algeria's mines.

• Restructuring of SONAREM gives birth to six companies: FERPHOS, ENAMARBRE, ENASEL, ENOF, EDEMINES, and EREM.

• SONAREM recreated after about twenty years and numerous regroupings within participation funds and holdings.

• New momentum with the will to relaunch the mining sector.

• Reda Belhadj installed as interim President and CEO, replacing Belkacem Soltani.

Algeria's national mining champion, integrating exploration, extraction, processing, and marketing to supply domestic industry and export markets.

• Iron ore

• Zinc

• Lead

• Precious and semi-precious metals

• Construction materials

• Chemical processing minerals

1. 1SONAREM official website – Our Groupsonarem.dz
2. 2Wikidata – National Mining Research and Exploitation Companywikidata.org
3. 3Wikipedia (French) – Sonaremfr.wikipedia.org