Rio Tinto and partners Winning Consortium Simandou (WCS), Baowu and Chinalco have officially started operations at Simandou, which Rio Tinto said is Africa's largest greenfield integrated mine and infrastructure project.
Rio Tinto said the project will deliver more than 600 kilometres of new multi-use trans-Guinean rail together with barge and transshipment vessel port facilities.
Following commissioning and ramp up, this infrastructure will support the export of a combined total of up to 120 million tonnes per year of mined iron ore by SimFer and WCS from their respective Simandou mining concessions in the southeast of the country.
Testing and commissioning of the mine, rail and barge port system infrastructure is underway, with both WCS and SimFer having commenced the transport of iron ore from mine gate to the port via the trans-Guinean rail line.
The project is being co-developed by the Government of the Republic of Guinea, SimFer and WCS.
Once commissioned, all co-developed infrastructure and rolling stock will be transferred to and operated by the Compagnie du TransGuinéen, in which Simfer and WCS each hold a 42.5 per cent equity stake, with the Government of Guinea holding the remaining 15 per cent.
