2013 Minerals Yearbook TUNISIA U.S. Department of the Interior December 2016 U.S. Geological Survey THE MINERAL INDUSTRY OF TUNISIA By Mowafa Taib In 2013, Tunisia supplied phosphate rock, phosphate-based According to the Central Bank of Tunisia, 2,700 jobs were fertilizers, and modest quantities of fuel minerals to countries created in the energy and mining sectors in Tunisia in 2013 located mainly in Asia and Europe. The mineral industry of compared with 5,700 jobs in 2012. Although the percentage of Tunisia was focused on mineral fuel production, phosphate rock jobs added in the energy and mining sector decreased by 53% mining, and the manufacturing of phosphate and phosphate- in 2013 compared with that of 2012, the trend was positive and based fertilizers and chemicals. The list of mineral commodities represented a significant turnaround from the negative trend in produced in Tunisia in 2013 included aluminum fluoride, job creation in the sector during 2010 and 2011 when 1,700 jobs cement, crude oil, gypsum, iron and steel, iron ore, lime, and 1,500 jobs, respectively, were lost. The manufacturing natural gas, phosphate-based fertilizers, phosphate rock, refined industries also provided about 28,300 additional jobs in 2013 petroleum products, salt, and sulfuric acid (table 1). compared with 30,000 additional jobs in 2012 and a loss of In 2013, Tunisia was in its third year of political transition 25,500 jobs in 2011 (Central Bank of Tunisia, 2014, p. 31). following the “Jasmine Revolution,” which started as an Foreign direct investment (FDI) flows from the world into antigovernment protest in December 2010 that spread Tunisia decreased to about $1.1 billion in 2013 after rebounding throughout the country and ended with the fall of the to $1.6 billion in 2012 following a decline of $1.2 billion in Govenment. Tension between the political parties, which were 2011. The substantial decrease of FDI flows into Tunisia was represented in a coalition Government, reached a crisis point attributed to continued political unrest in the country during following the assassination of two prominent politicians, one 2013, which created a “wait-and-see” climate for potential of whom was a labor union leader, in February and July. The international investors. In 2013, 60% of FDI went to the country planned to hold parliamentary and presidential elections energy sector compared with 35% in 2012. The manufacturing in 2014 (Arieff and Humud, 2014, p. 3, 5). industries received 28% of the FDI in 2013, which was up from According to the World Bank’s Doing Business indicators, 21% in 2012 (Central Bank of Tunisia, 2014, p. 52; United Tunisia ranked 60th among 189 economies in the world in Nations Conference on Trade and Development, 2014, p. 205). terms of the ease of doing business. The country was the leading country in North Africa and the fifth in the Middle East Government Policies and Programs and North Africa region in the World Bank’s Doing Business rankings (World Bank, The, 2014). Tunisia’s mining code (law No. 2003–30 of April 28, 2003) regulated mining activity in the country, including prospecting, Minerals in the National Economy exploration, and production. Mines are state-owned properties in Tunisia, and they are regulated by the Office National des The gross domestic product (GDP) of Tunisia increased in Mines (OMN) [National Office of Mines], which also conducts real terms at a rate of 2.3% in 2013 compared with an increase geologic research, prepares geologic and geophysical maps, of 3.9% in 2012 and a decrease of 1.9% in 2011. Although the and promotes private operations of mines. The mining code economy recovered from the recession of 2011 that was caused sets a tax rate of 25% on profits from mining operations but by the political and civil unrest in late 2010 and most of 2011, includes a 5-year tax holiday that starts at the beginning of mine the growth rates of 2012 and 2013 (and the projected rate for production (National Office of Mines, 2014). 2014) were less than the annual rate of 5% that was reported Crude oil and natural gas production is governed by the for 2005 through 2010. The contribution of the manufacturing hydrocarbons code (law No. 99–93 of August 17, 1999) and industries (which included the building materials, ceramic, its supplement (law No. 2002–23 of February 2002). The chemical, electrical, mechanical, and textile industries) to hydrocarbons code allows 1 year for prospecting, a maximum the country’s economic growth was 0.3% in 2013 compared of 5 years for exploration, and 30 years for production. The law with 0.7% in 2012. The contribution of the chemical industries, reduces the tax rate to 50% from 75% if the state oil company which included fertilizer manufacturing, to the country’s of Tunisia—Entreprise Tunisienne d’Activités Pétrolières economic growth increased to 0.1% in 2013 from –0.1% in (ETAP)—holds a 40% share of the concession (Entreprise 2012. The building materials sector’s contribution to economic Tunisienne d’Activités Pétrolières, 2014). growth decreased to 0% in 2013 from 1.0% in 2012. The contribution of the nonmanufacturing industry, which included Production hydrocarbon extraction and mining, to economic growth in real terms, was –0.3% in 2013 compared with 0.1% in 2012, of In 2013, phosphate rock production increased by 19%; which the mining sector’s contribution to economic growth in white cement, by 18%; and iron ore, by 9%. Gypsum output 2013 decreased to 0% from 0.1% in 2012, and the hydrocarbon decreased by 19%; lime, by 14%; and crude oil, by 10%. sector’s contribution decreased to –0.3% in 2013 from 0.1% in The performance of the fertilizer manufacturing sector was 2012 (Central Bank of Tunisia, 2014, p. 24, 26–27). mixed, with production increasing for diammonium phosphate TUNISIA—2013 45.1 and hyperphosphate and decreasing for ammonium nitrate, value by 33.4% compared with those of 2011 (Central Bank of compound fertilizers, and dicalcium sulfate. Data on mineral Tunisia, 2014, p. 45–46). production are in table 1. Commodity Review Structure of the Mineral Industry Metals Government-owned Compagnie des Phosphates de Gafsa (CPG) carried out all phosphate mining and fertilizer Lead and Zinc.—A 50–50 joint venture of Celamin Holdings manufacturing activities in Tunisia. CPG had the capacity to N.L. of Australia and Tunisian Mining Services S.A. (TMS) produce phosphate rock from eight open-cast mines, most was created to remediate four old lead and zinc mines, produce of which are located in Gafsa Governorate. CPG operated lead and zinc from dumps and tailings at the sites, and perform 11 phosphate rock washing plants, including 4 at Al-Mitlawi, an environmental cleanup for those sites. Celamin, which was 3 at M’dhilla, and 1 each at Kef Eddour, Oum El Araies, and conducting a feasibility study for the project in 2013, expected Redeyef. Group Chimique Tunisien (GCT), which had merged that the project would have the potential to produce between with CPG in 1996, produced phosphate-based fertilizers. 2.5 and 3.0 million metric tons (Mt) grading between 2.4% and GCT owned four industrial sites, which are located at Gabes, 2.8% lead and between 2.6% and 3.0% zinc. The joint venture M’dhilla, Sfax, and Skhira. was also awarded three exploration permits in northern Tunisia Tunisian Indian Fertilizers S.A. (TIFERT) was a joint in areas with existing lead and zinc mineralization with the venture of CPG and GCT (35% interest each) and Coromandel purpose of developing lead and zinc mines. Celamin reported International Ltd. (CFL) and Gujarat State Fertilisers and that it was finalizing a program for the project’s development Chemicals Ltd. (GSFC) (both of India; 15% interest each). (Celamin Holdings N.L., 2014c, d). Much of Tunisia’s cement production was carried out by private companies, which included domestic as well as Italian, Industrial Minerals Portuguese, and Spanish companies. State-owned Société Tunisienne de Sidérurgie [Tunisian Steel Manufacturing Co.], Cement.—Carthage Cement was a publicly listed company which was also known as El-Fouladh, was the sole steel billet that owned and operated the Carthage cement plant, which producer in the country. Privately owned steel mills produced commenced production in October following a year-long delay rebar (table 2) (Arab Fertilizers Association, 2014, p. 42–43). owing to financial problems and a change of ownership. The Carthage cement plant was a greenfield plant built at Djebel Mineral Trade Ressas, which is located 40 kilometers (km) southwest of the capital city of Tunis. Carthage Cement had been established In 2013, Tunisian trade increased in value by about 4.3% for by Bina Holding and Global Investment House of Kuwait exports and 3.5% for imports compared with those of 2012. (50.24% interest). The $510 million plant had the capacity to Hydrocarbon exports accounted for 15% of the total exports, produce 2.2 million metric tons per year (Mt/yr) of cement. and mineral commodity exports, including phosphate rock and The Government sold its minority share in the plant through the phosphate-based products, accounted for 6% of the country’s alternative investment market of the Tunisia Stock Exchange total exports. The value of the mining exports, including to Riahi Group (9.20%), Naifer Group (6.75%), and individual phosphate rock, phosphate-based fertilizers, and chemicals, in investors (33.80%) (table 2; Carthage Cement, 2014). 2013, was similar to that of 2012 but remained 23.2% less than Fluorspar.—Industries Chimiques du Fluor S.A. (ICF) the value of mining products exports in 2010.