The first desert heavy-duty railway in Africa, the Western Algeria Railway Mining Line, has officially opened for operation. The route has a total length of 950 kilometers, running through the heart of the Sahara Desert and connecting the Besar Province with the Galajebilet iron mine area in the Tindouf Province; Among them, 575 kilometers of newly built trunk lines are jointly constructed by China Railway Construction and local enterprises, which is the largest single infrastructure project implemented by Chinese enterprises in Algeria. The opening of the project marks a landmark breakthrough in China Africa transportation infrastructure cooperation, providing solid support for resource development and regional connectivity in Africa.

The southwestern part of Algeria is rich in iron ore resources, with proven reserves exceeding 3 billion tons. Due to long-term limitations in desert transportation conditions, the transportation of ore relies on road transportation, which is costly, inefficient, and limited in scale. The resource advantages are difficult to transform into development momentum. Previously, several engineering companies in Europe conducted surveys and gave up due to high construction risks, technical difficulties, and economic constraints. At the invitation of the Algerian government, China Railway Construction has formed a team to undertake this national strategic project with mature desert engineering technology and efficient organizational capabilities.

The project is located in the core area of the Sahara, and the construction environment is extremely harsh: the highest surface temperature exceeds 50 ℃, the temperature difference between day and night is large, the mobile sand dunes frequently invade, the roadbed is buried by wind and sand, equipment is eroded, and measurement is interfered with, which is a globally recognized engineering problem. The Chinese team, together with about 8000 builders from Algeria, completed 575 kilometers of construction in just 24 months, creating the "Chinese speed" for desert heavy-duty railways.

In response to the hazards of sandstorms, the project introduces mature sand control technologies from China, using a system of grass square grid sand barriers, high vertical sand barriers, and sand blocking fences to fix quicksand and and protect the line, forming long-term protection. To adapt to extreme temperature differences, the team uses customized high-temperature resistant special steel rails and elastic fastening systems to ensure the stability of track geometry dimensions; The construction equipment has been fully upgraded with heat dissipation and anti sand sealing to ensure continuous operation in high-temperature environments. Relying on Beidou high-precision positioning and 3D laser scanning technology, centimeter level measurement and control are achieved, and precise alignment is achieved in the sand sea without reference objects. The highest daily track laying and welding distance is 4.5 kilometers, breaking the local record.

The railway is designed according to heavy load standards, with a maximum carrying capacity of 17000 tons for trains and a single vehicle carrying capacity of 100 tons. It can transport up to 50 million tons of iron ore annually and also transport finished and semi-finished materials in industrial areas, providing strong comprehensive transportation capacity. After the opening of the railway, the transportation cost of iron ore has significantly decreased, and mining development has been comprehensively accelerated, which has helped Algeria develop its steel industry, reduce import dependence, enhance economic independence, and promote the country's transformation from oil and gas dependence to diversified industries.

During the construction period, the project adhered to localized development, prioritized hiring local employees, conducted systematic technical and management training, and a group of Afghan personnel grew into technical backbones; Engineering procurement and services are tilted towards the local market, driving the development of building materials, logistics, and service industries. The synchronous opening of passenger services by railways greatly improves the travel conditions of people along the line, activates the economic belt along the line, and enhances people's well-being.

Algerian President Teben attended the opening ceremony and announced the commissioning of the line, highly praising the achievements of pragmatic cooperation between China and Algeria. According to the industry evaluation, this steel dragon crossing the Sahara is not only a resource transportation channel, but also a demonstration project of China Africa joint construction of the "the Belt and Road", providing replicable solutions for large-scale transportation infrastructure construction in desert areas, and injecting new impetus into Africa's industrialization and regional integration.Editor/Bian Wenjun