The mining sector receives considerable attention from political leadership, as one of the most promising sectors of the economy that can play a major role in increasing GDP and creating jobs.

Over the past years, the sector has witnessed outstanding progress and comprehensive restructuring to create the right climate which attracts investment and exploits the mining wealth, resulting in the establishment of many projects and the launch of many bids that attracted major international companies.

In this convention CEBC & ECIC had the honor to host Staff Major General El Sayed Hussein Elbouse; Chairman The Egyptian Company of Mining, Management & Exploitation of Quarries & Salinas National Service Projects Organization moderated by Dr. Muhammad Zaher; Chairman of the Mining Committee – CEBC & ECIC discussing the topic “Mining Sector & Promising Opportunities to Support the Economy”. 

In the opening remarks Eng. Motaz Raslan; Chairman of CEBC & ECIC; He welcomed our dear distinguished members, guests, ambassadors and Staff Major General El Sayed Hussein Elbouse & Dr. Muhammad Zaher. Eng. Raslan said despite the circumstances left by the repercussions of the new Coronavirus, which cast a shadow over many countries of the world, and we hope that this disturbing nightmare will end and life will return to normal soon. I would like to point out that the issues of the mining sector are one of the most important topics dealt with by the Council during the past years, and its developments were of great interest in the agenda of our annual discussions, as well as a key element in our promotional missions meetings, whether in Canada or Eastern European countries, due to our strong belief in the promising opportunities in this sector and its role in Promote the economy if it is optimally exploited, especially since all parts of Egypt are rich in mineral wealth that can move Egypt to another distinguished place on the global mining industry map.

He started his words saying it is no secret to anyone that the mineral wealth sector has been for many years a neglected sector despite the enormous wealth that Egypt possesses, and this is evident in the volume of spending that was carried out on research and exploration operations in addition to the size of its contribution to the GDP, which did not exceed half a percent, as a result of challenges. And the problems that investors were suffering from and we dealt with them in detail in previous meetings. Therefore, it was difficult to continue the situation as it is, and urgent intervention was required to restructure this sector to enhance its role in development plans and push growth rates.

Therefore, in the past few years, Egypt has taken important steps to correct the path of this sector, as the political leadership has paid special attention to the mining sector and requested the development of a comprehensive strategic vision for its development and restructuring to maximize the benefit from it in attracting investments, increasing job opportunities and pushing growth rates so that this file will witness a radical transformation and special attention to investors’ problems. And the creation of an environment supportive of its launch, and in 2018 the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources has set an ambitious strategy to develop and modernize the sector in cooperation with international expertise houses to raise the level of its contribution to the gross domestic product to 5% as per the vision of Egypt 2030.

He added that there is no doubt that the most important transformation in this file is the amendment of the mining law and the development of a legislative framework that stimulates and attracts investments, as well as not linking the search and exploration process to the process of exploitation and production, which is the constant complaint of investors, which contributed to attracting international companies to the Egyptian mining sector. Perhaps the most prominent evidence of that is what a tender has witnessed. The latest gold, despite the Corona pandemic, which about 17 international companies are offering, is a great testimony to the attractiveness of the Egyptian market and its promising opportunities.

He ended his words saying; I think that the time is for the mining sector to take its place locally and globally. Egypt has a strategic geographic location and has vast and varied wealth that has not yet been disclosed. It has also put in place a legislative framework that regulates the exploitation of these resources and provides many incentives for investors. Therefore, I see that there is a promising future for this sector that is no less than the oil itself. Especially in light of the strong support of the political leadership.

And I expect that this sector will witness the creation of the machine, a breakthrough after the markets have recovered from the Corona pandemic, which we hope will end soon. Sorry for the prolongation and now

Giving the floor to Staff Major General El Sayed Hussein Elbouse; Chairman the Egyptian Company of Mining, Management & Exploitation of Quarries & Salinas National Service Projects Organization; thanked Eng. Motaz Raslan, CEBC & ECIC for inviting him & welcomed all respectable attendees then spoke about a historical brief about the Egyptian Company For Mining; as the approval of the General Secretariat of the ministry of the defense at 19/05/1987 work for the “National Service Project Organization” was started to exploit the Albite ore mine In Sharm Al-Sheikh in South Sinai. Since 1991, The Albite branch was established in order to exploit the Albite ore mine In Sharm Al-Sheikh (extraction – breaking – grinding – marketing) whilst the marketing for the produced ore to companies specialized in production of Ceramic, Glass and the Porcelain due to the growth and development of the Albite ore production and since 1992, we developed the Albite branch to be the Mining Sector then expanding its activates includes many production units and marble and granite factories.

He added that the law NO. ( 193 ) has been drawn at (2020) and includes in the first article that the Ministers of Petroleum and mineral wealth, Local Development, Population and Facilities have taken the license to deal with the Egyptian company for mining and exploitation of quarries and mines in the jurisdiction of the governorates and the Authority of new societies in the Arab Republic Of Egypt and the exploitation period will be 30 years and in accordance to the certified rulings from the Egyptian parliament
and MR President. 

He revealed the objectives of the Egyptian Company for Mining, Management, and Exploitation of Quarries and Salines; is to increase the added value for the mining wealth in the entire Republic & implementing the co-operation with all the science and research directions to exchange the expertise and develop the performance in the mining field. He additionally added; implement manufacturing activities with its different stages for mining ores to increase its income and achieve its added value, response to the needs of the local market for the mining and quarries ores, support the national economy in order to implement the national and strategic projects to create work opportunities for youth and to best use all the mining fortunes in all the Republic destinations, organize the research operations and exploit the mines, quarries and salt beds ores and supervise all related issues, technical supervision for the extraction of mining ores which achieve the best exploitation and make a Contract with all the competent authorities and also with the others to do the research operations about the mines, quarries and salt beds, and exploit it, and set the conditions and technical regulations about that matter.

He emphasized that there is Three Production Units and factories; Unit 1 is located at KM 40 Sharm El-Sheikh road / Dahab. Since 1991, The Albite branch was established in order to exploit the albite ore mine in Sharm El-Sheikh (extraction- breaking – grinding – marketing). He added the average of the annual amount of production in a range of 650 k ton yearly; manufacturing (glass and porcelain – ceramic, walls and floors – artificial marble and paintings – the sanitary tools – blue brick). In order to increase the margin profit from selling the albite ore a treatment unit is being purchased (magnet isolation in water) to enhance the quality of the chemical characteristics for the grinded feldspar ore which is produced from the unit.

He explained Then Unit 2; is located in Esna city in Aswan Governorate. In 2017 we have established the unit under command of the general manager of the NSPO for the production of the phosphate ore. He added that the amount of the annual production is 125 k ton; the phosphate ore is used in making (phosphate fertilizers – phosphoric acid).

He pointed out lastly Unit 3; is the production unit NO. (3) Includes Abu Ghoson seaport and Ilmenite mine in Abu Ghalka valley while the production unit is established at Abu Ghoson to supervise on the mining activities. The mine is located in Abu Ghalka valley on a distance of 20 KM seaport west of Abu Ghoson; Abu Ghoson Seaport is located at the Red Sea coast on a distance of 80 KM south Marsa Alam city. He explained that the capacity of the seaport wharf is 50 meters with a submersible of height 8 meters and a capacity for a 30 k ton ship. Ilmenite Ore is used in manufacturing of (plane bodies –rockets – steel – padding the electrical ovens – welding wires). He indicated that the future development of the capacity of Abu Ghoson seaport wharf is in process by increasing the length of the wharf and the submersible to increase the rate of the daily shipment for the different ores about 10 k ton. The preparation of research reports is in progress by the English company SRK in order to exploit the Ilmenite mine to produce iron and titanium.

He ended his words saying that there are three factories of marble and granite are affiliated to the company in (Ain El-sokhna – Ras Sedr – El-minia) plus one factory of granite in Aswan. The Factories are designed with the latest specialized global technology (Italian Breton company) with a total of (3) production lines of marble tiles and slabs in addition to (4) production lines of granite tiles and slabs. He added they also have treatment lines and workshops to produce atypical designs with total Capacity of Production about (3) million meters of marble – (2) million meters of granite; as many sectors in several governorates follows the company’s in the context of keenness to facilitate dealing with investors through an automatic control system according to the country’s direction in addition of the availability of an electronic portal on the web that enables the investors to obtain all the required information.