Field notes: Simandou Iron Ore Project

Simandou is the world's largest known deposit of high-grade iron ore, located in the Simandou mountain range in southeastern Guinea. The project is divided into two concessions: Blocks 1 and 2 are held by the Winning Consortium Simandou (WCS), a joint venture led by Singapore-based Winning International Group and China's Weiqiao Aluminium; Blocks 3 and 4 are held by a Rio Tinto-led joint venture with Chalco Iron Ore Holdings and the Guinean government. The combined resource exceeds 2 billion tonnes at grades above 65% iron. A 670 km trans-Guinean railway and a deepwater port at Morebaya are being built to support exports.

The world's largest untapped high-grade iron ore deposit, poised to transform Guinea's economy.

What the project is trying to do

1. 1Develop the world's largest greenfield iron ore mine with initial capacity of 60 Mtpa
2. 2Construct a 670 km trans-Guinean standard-gauge railway from the mine to the coast
3. 3Build a deepwater port at Morebaya capable of handling Capesize bulk carriers
4. 4Produce premium high-grade iron ore (65%+ Fe) to support steelmaking decarbonization
5. 5Generate transformative economic growth and infrastructure development for Guinea
6. 6Establish a co-development framework between WCS and Rio Tinto for shared infrastructure

What it means for people nearby

Simandou is expected to generate over $15 billion in total investment and add an estimated 15-20% to Guinea's GDP once in full production. The project will create tens of thousands of construction and operational jobs and drive massive infrastructure development including roads, rail, ports, and power. It will position Guinea as a major global iron ore supplier and provide premium-grade ore critical to reducing steel industry carbon emissions.

Where it stands

2026: Target First Ore. First iron ore shipment is targeted from the Simandou project. Current status: Planned.