At the base of the Simandou mountains, nestled within the lush tropical forests of southeast Guinea, a massive mining operation is underway. Thousands of workers, trucks, and excavators are actively engaged in digging through the hills, transforming this once-pristine landscape into a hub for one of the world’s most significant iron ore projects. This initiative has the potential to elevate Guinea, one of West Africa’s poorest nations, to the status of a major global iron exporter. While this development brings economic hope, it also raises concerns among local communities.
In just a few weeks, Guinea will begin exporting its first shipments of iron ore from the Simandou site, marking the official start of production after decades of exploration and planning. Chris Aitchison, managing director of SimFer, one of the companies operating the site, described the effort as a “monumental task” that has involved multiple levels of coordination and execution.
The project is expected to generate substantial revenue for the country, with industrial partners having already invested approximately $20 billion in constructing over 650 kilometers of railway and a large port. These developments could potentially diversify Guinea’s economy, offering new opportunities beyond traditional sectors.
Logistical Challenges
The logistical challenges associated with building the mines were immense, but so is the potential reward from the site, which holds several billion tonnes of high-quality iron ore. The price of iron ore has surged since the early 2000s, driven by increased demand from China’s construction boom. Since Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto confirmed the Simandou deposits in the mid-1990s, the site has been at the center of legal disputes, political upheaval, and corruption scandals.
Guinea’s junta government, led by strongman Mamady Doumbouya, who seized power in a 2021 coup, claims to have finally brought the project to fruition. Two of the four Simandou mining deposits are being developed by the Chinese-Singaporean group Winning Consortium Simandou (WCS), while the other two are under the control of SimFer, a consortium comprising Rio Tinto and Chinese firm Chinalco.
An AFP team visited the SimFer site on the southern end of the Simandou range a few weeks before the scheduled production start on November 11. On the slopes of Mount Oueleba, excavators were actively removing the mountain, creating piles of black ore. Thousands of workers operate around the clock at the site, which spans 55 kilometers in length. Although mining activities have begun, it will take an additional 2.5 years for infrastructure to be fully completed, allowing SimFer to reach its annual production target of 60 million tonnes.
Environmental Concerns
SimFer claims to be implementing measures to minimize its environmental impact, adhering to international standards. Initiatives include a training center for students, a seed bank for local flora, and gradual land rehabilitation. Additionally, the company relocated its operations to the east side of the mountain to protect a chimpanzee population, incurring significant costs in the process.
Despite these efforts, the mine has affected local communities. According to a report by Advocates for Community Alternatives (ACA), construction activities have led to soil and water pollution near the mines, along the railway, and near the port. Sediment runoff from construction was the primary form of pollution observed.
Water pollution remains a critical issue, according to Aitchison, who mentioned that the company is spending considerable time building sediment traps. Ore will be transported on a 36-hour journey from Simandou to the Morebaya port complex, where SimFer and Winning will export 120 million tonnes of ore annually when production reaches its peak.
Community Impacts
In the estuary area, SimFer’s port terminal is a bustling hub of activity, with thousands of employees working ahead of its scheduled completion in September 2026. A few kilometers away, the village of Touguiyire contrasts sharply with the prosperity of the port. Here, a pirogue canoe returns from fishing with a meager haul. Women sort through small fish on the pier, while men mend their nets.
Since the arrival of dredging boats for the port, the fish have disappeared, threatening the livelihood of local fishermen. “Before, the pirogues would return with 10 buckets of fish,” said Aissata Cisse, a 54-year-old vendor. “Now they come back with only two.” Fishermen must now venture farther out into open waters in pirogues that are not always seaworthy. According to local representative Bissiry Camara, three men recently died while fishing on the high seas.
The small village, once home to about 60 pirogues and approximately 3,000 inhabitants, now has only three operational pirogues. “The lives of the fishermen are completely threatened,” said Alkaly Bangoura, a member of a monitoring committee for the Simandou project in the Forecariah prefecture.
To address the situation, Winning and SimFer have distributed food and fishing equipment, such as motors, to help fishermen venture further out. However, due to a lack of income, the fishermen can no longer maintain their pirogues and remain stranded on shore. “We hoped for a better future with Simandou, but now it’s disillusionment,” Bangoura said.
Economic Promises and Transparency Issues
Authorities promote the mine as a significant boost for the economy, with the country’s economic development plan even named Simandou 2040. Billboards in the capital Conakry promoting Simandou were widely used during the junta’s recent campaign for a new constitution that would allow its leader to stay in power.
The state, which holds a 15-percent stake in the railway line, expects it to open up entire areas and believes it should aid in developing agriculture in remote but highly fertile regions. Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah stated, “A new economy will emerge,” highlighting the train’s potential to diversify the country’s output.
Despite Guinea’s considerable natural resources, including vast bauxite reserves used to make aluminum, the economy struggles, and the population benefits very little from the mining industry. Oumar Totiya Barry, executive director of the Guinean Observatory of Mines and Metals, noted that previous mining projects have raised hopes but delivered limited results. He questioned the project’s ability to open up the country, stating that the Simandou railway route passes far from major cities.
One major unknown is the content of the 2022 agreement between the state and the companies, despite the Guinean mining code requiring such contracts to be published. Traditionally, miners receive tax breaks in exchange for their investments, but neither the government, SimFer, nor Winning would comment on the matter. However, Prime Minister Bah promised transparency, stating, “Once production begins, there is no reason why things should not be made available to the public.”
