• Abdelmalek Ghannem, general director of Soib brickmakers, with soil collected from a disused iron mine, in Bizerte, northern Tunisia. All photos: Reuters
    Abdelmalek Ghannem, general director of Soib brickmakers, with soil collected from a disused iron mine, in Bizerte, northern Tunisia. All photos: Reuters
  • A worker shoveling soil from the mine, which closed 20 years ago, to make bricks
    A worker shoveling soil from the mine, which closed 20 years ago, to make bricks
  • The bricks are made by compressing the mining waste soil
    The bricks are made by compressing the mining waste soil
  • A worker lays the bricks in rows
    A worker lays the bricks in rows
  • Former university professor Abdelmalek Ghannem says his company does not create waste, but values waste
    Former university professor Abdelmalek Ghannem says his company does not create waste, but values waste
  • Soib says its bricks reduce energy and building costs, create jobs and reduce gas emissions
    Soib says its bricks reduce energy and building costs, create jobs and reduce gas emissions
  • The interior of a guest house built with compressed soil bricks in Bizerte. Established in 2011, Soib has had more than 600 clients
    The interior of a guest house built with compressed soil bricks in Bizerte. Established in 2011, Soib has had more than 600 clients

MENA

Tunisian professor turns mining waste into bricks — in pictures

Abdelmalek Ghannem left teaching job for project turning soil waste from an iron mine into ecological building bricks

The National

December 13, 2022

  • English
  • Arabic
Updated: December 13, 2022, 7:57 AM
TunisiaSustainability

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