Name of the Project
Simandou iron-ore project.

Location
Guinea.

Project Owner/s
Simandou’s mining concession is divided into four blocks.

The project is a partnership between Rio Tinto, Chalco Iron Ore Holdings (CIOH), and a Chinalco-led consortium, Winning Consortium Simandou (WCS), Baowu and the Guinea government.

SimFer Jersey Limited is a joint venture (JV) between the Rio Tinto Group (53%) and CIOH (47%). CIOH is a Chinalco-led JV of leading Chinese State-owned enterprises: Chinalco (75%), Baowu (20%), China Rail Construction Corporation (2.5%) and China Harbour Engineering Company (2.5%).

SimFer is the holder of the mining concession covering Simandou blocks 3 and 4, and is owned by the Guinean State (15%) and SimFer Jersey Limited (85%). SimFer Infraco Guinée will deliver SimFer’s scope of the co-developed rail and port infrastructure, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of SimFer Jersey Limited, but will be co-owned by the Guinean State (15%) after closing of the co-development arrangements.
 
WCS is a consortium of Singaporean company Winning International Group (50%), Weiqiao Aluminium (50%, part of the China Hongqiao Group) and United Mining Supply Group (nominal shareholding). WCS is the holder of Simandou North blocks 1 and 2 (with the government of Guinea holding a 15% interest in the mining vehicle and WCS holding 85%) and associated infrastructure. Baowu Resources has entered into an agreement to acquire a 49% share of WCS mine and infrastructure projects through a Baowu-led consortium, subject to conditions, including regulatory approvals. In the case of the mine, Baowu has an option to increase its shareholding  to 51% during operations.

Project Description
The Simandou mine will be the biggest integrated mine-and-infrastructure project ever developed in Africa. It comprises three core elements: a mine, railway and port, as well as associated infrastructure.

The SimFer JV’s mine concession holds an estimated 2.8-billion-tonne mineral resource, of which 1.5-billion tonnes were converted to ore reserves that support a mine life of 26 years, with an average grade of 65.3%.

There will be an openpit iron-ore operation in the Simandou range, in south-eastern Guinea, with an expected peak production of between 95-million and 100-million tonnes a year.

WCS’s blocks 1 and 2 are expected to produce 40-million tonnes a year, and Rio's blocks 3 and 4 about 60-million tonnes a year.

WCS will built the project's estimated 536 km shared dual-track main line, a 16 km spur connecting its mine to the mainline and the WCS barge port, while SimFer will build the estimated 70 km spur line, connecting its mining concession to the main rail line and the transshipment vessel port.

Associated developments to provide utilities and supporting infrastructure for the project include construction facilities, and access to materials, power generation, water, access roads and accommodation.

New infrastructure will become State property upon completion.

Construction of the project will be undertaken in two stages.

During the first stage, the southern Ouelaba mine site will be developed, which will include the construction of the railway and port to a capacity of about 60-million tonnes a year.

The second stage will result in the northern Pic de Fon mine site being brought on line and the capacity of rail and port facilities being expanded, increasing production to between 95-million and 100-million tonnes a year.

Potential Job Creation
Rio Tinto reported in October 2025 that the workforce across the SimFer scope of mine, rail and port had reached 25 200 with 82% Guinean participation.

Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
Not stated.

Capital Expenditure
SimFer's capital funding requirement for the Simandou project is estimated at $11.6-billion, of which Rio Tinto's share is $6.2-billion.

Planned Start/End Date
First production from the SimFer mine is expected in 2025.

The Simandou project will be completed and put into operation in 2026.

Latest Developments
Rio Tinto has reported in its third-quarter production report, released on October 14, that SimFer – one of the two mines at Simandou – had amassed 1.5-million tons of ore, with first ore loaded on rail in October.

Rio expects to start loading a vessel in about November for transport down the rail and to the port. Ore will be railed from the SimFer mine to the main rail line using the SimFer rail spur and, initially, shipping through the WCS port while construction of the SimFer port is finalised. This marks the start of commissioning tests of the full system infrastructure (mine to rail to port). 

Rio Tinto has said commissioning will be a complex process, which is expected to continue over several months, ramping up to full capacity over 30 months as planned. 

Meanwhile, Rio's partners have confirmed that construction on nonmanaged infrastructure is progressing well and is on track. 

SimFer mine is also progressing to plan – bulk earthworks and permanent process facilities construction are continuing. First ore is expected through the permanent crushing facilities in the second half of 2026, on schedule and aligned with plan. Ore continues to be crushed and stockpiled through the temporary crushers. 

In addition, the SimFer rail spur is progressing well – tunnel works were completed in August 2025 and the rail spur is now ready to deliver first ore. 

SimFer port is also continuing to advance ahead of plan – fabrication of the transhipment vessels is continuing at a shipyard, in China. 

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
Fluor (construction contractor); NRW Holdings (earthworks contract); Komatsu and its regional distributor BIA Group (critical heavy mobile equipment, or HME, parts and maintenance services for the Simandou project, including five large production excavators, four production loaders and more than 30 ancillary HME vehicles, including dozers, water trucks and small excavators).

Contact Details for Project Information
Rio Tinto, tel +44 20 7781 2000 or email media.enquiries@riotinto.com.
SimFer media enquiries, email Abdourahama.Diallo@riotinto.com.
Chalco, tel +86 10 8229 8103.
WCS,  tel +224 613 55 55 55 or email info@winningafrica.net.