Algeria Enacts New Mining Law

The piece was prepared in collaboration with Loucif + Co.

On 3 August 2025, Algeria enacted Law No. 25-12 regulating mining activities, published in Official Journal No. 52 on 7 August 2025. The new law replaces the 2014 mining framework, with the stated aim of opening the sector to capital and technology, reducing administrative barriers, and providing a more attractive, transparent regime for both domestic and foreign investors.

We look briefly at some of the key changes.

Strategic Substances

Under the former Mining Law (Law No. 14-05 of 24 February 2014), the exploration and exploitation of deposits designated "strategic" were reserved for public economic enterprises whose share capital was directly or indirectly state-held (by the State or a public institution); mining titles for such deposits were granted exclusively to those entities. The new law abolishes the "strategic substances" category and the associated exclusivity, opening access to private