Algeria to increase refining capacity by 5 mln T

ALGIERS, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Algeria's refinery output

capacity is now 25 million tonnes per year, and ongoing

maintenance and improvement works will help increase production

to 30 million tonnes, Energy and Mines Minister Youcef Yousfi

said on Thursday.

Yousfi told state radio the government was planning to

build new refineries to meet increasing long-term demand.

He also said the ministry would later this month sign a

deal with "the world's largest firm" to set up an aluminium

plant with a capacity of 1 million tonnes per year. He did not

name the company.

(Reporting By Hamid Ould Ahmed; Editing by Alison Birrane)