Guinea ships first iron ore from controversial simandou mines, raising environmental and economic questions

Guinea reached a long-awaited economic milestone on December 2, 2025, when the first shipment of iron ore from the massive Simandou deposits departed for China. The 200,000-tonne cargo left from the newly built port of Morebaya, marking the culmination of decades of planning to monetize what may be the world’s largest untapped iron ore reserves in the forested mountains of southeastern Guinea.

The shipment represents the realization of a dream that has captivated successive Guinean governments: transforming an estimated 3 billion tons of high-grade iron ore into desperately needed revenue for one of the world’s poorest countries. Interim President Mamady Doumbouya, who seized power in 2021, made the Simandou project a centerpiece of his administration’s economic promises, pushing mining consortiums to accelerate construction of the 650-kilometer railway and port infrastructure required to bring the ore to market.

The historic cargo symbolically contained ore from both operating consortiums: Simfer, a joint venture between mining giant Rio Tinto and Chinese companies including state-owned Chinalco; and Winning Consortium Simandou, dominated by Chinese interests including China Baowu Steel Group. Guinea’s government holds 15% stakes in both projects and the supporting infrastructure.

While the shipment signals potential economic transformation for Guinea, it also raises significant environmental concerns about mining operations in the biodiverse Simandou mountain range. The project’s success could provide crucial development funding, but environmentalists worry about the long-term ecological impact on the region’s forests and wildlife habitats.