Your account has been succesfully created.

EN FR

Spotlight | Guinea
Robert Friedland's Nimba iron ore dilemma

By Pierre-Elie de Rohan Chabot

Published on 29.02.2024 at 05:40 GMT Reading time 4 minutes

Robert Friedland at the World Materials Forum in Nancy, France, on 18 June 2022. © Alexandre Marchi//L'Est républicain/MaxPPP

This article is part of this Running Story

Simandou, Nimba and Zogota: the long and difficult road to the start of iron ore production All articles

The US-Canadian financier bought the vast iron project four years ago, but Guinea's ruling junta is showing little interest in developing it, and UNESCO has yet to give its essential green light.

This article may be accessed by subscribers

In order to ensure high-quality and independent journalism, Africa Intelligence relies solely on subscriptions from its readers, with no advertising, no events and no consulting work.

Several offers are available depending on your particular reading needs

Consult our offers

Do you want a free trial before subscribing?

Create your free account

Discover our work by making use of the following possibilities: daily newsletters, a selection of free articles, keyword alerts.

Do you want a free trial before subscribing?

create a free account

This article is part of this Running Story

Simandou, Nimba and Zogota: the long and difficult road to the start of iron ore production All articles

Guinea, Liberia
Robert Friedland loses Ivanhoe Atlantic boss

The Australian Bronwyn Barnes has left the mining company owned by the US-Canadian magnate. After securing fragile concessions from Monrovia for the Nimba iron project, she met resistance from Guinea, whose approval is also required to begin extraction.

Subscribers only Mining 28.01.2026

Photomontage, from left: Robert Friedland, founder of Ivanhoe Atlantic; Bronwyn Barnes, former CEO of Ivanhoe Atlantic.

Guinea
Robert Friedland's Nimba project still stalling in Conakry

The American-Canadian billionaire has managed to wrest significant concessions from Liberian President Joseph Boakai to ship the iron ore he plans to extract from one of his deposits. But his teams have not yet managed to persuade the Guinean authorities to authorise production.

Subscribers only Mining 13.01.2026

Starting point of the existing railway network in Yekepa, Liberia, in June 2021.

Guinea
Conakry sets foundation for big plans with Washington

Guinean diplomacy is working on several large-scale economic projects involving American firms. In addition to opening an air route between the two countries, it is seeking to attract investors to Guinea, particularly in the agricultural sector.

Subscribers only Commodity Traders, Diplomacy 13.06.2025

Guinea
Guinea wants Fouta Djallon highlands added to UNESCO heritage list

The ministries of culture and the environment are taking the lead on having this area, which stretches from the city of Kindia to the Senegalese border, listed by UNESCO.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 13.02.2025

Cape Verde
Portuguese-speaking Africa backs Tarrafal prison camp bid for UNESCO World Heritage listing

Cabo Verde, backed by Angola, Guinea-Bissau and Portugal, is again seeking to have a concentration camp set up by the Portuguese dictator António Salazar in 1936 to "re-educate" political opponents listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 04.06.2024

The entrance to the Tarrafal camp, June 2022.

In Focus | Guinea
Behind the scenes of Mamadi Doumbouya's offensive on Russian miner Nordgold

The Guinean junta is keeping up pressure on the gold group owned by Russian oligarch Alexey Mordashov to get payment of a $200m debt. But the billionaire still has strong connections within the local mining sector, enabling Nordgold to continue to export gold to Dubai in breach of Western sanctions.

Subscribers only Mining 08.04.2024

Guinea
China and US groups battle for Trans-Guinean contract

A Chinese and a US firm have both positioned themselves respectively on a major contract for the signalling and supply of locomotives for the future Trans-Guinean railway. The French giant Alstom is also taking a quiet interest in the project.

Subscribers only Infrastructure 04.03.2024

Guinea, Liberia
Billionaire Robert Friedland in Monrovia to talk railway access with Joseph Boakai

The US-Canadian mining magnate is to meet with Liberia's new president. The main topic of discussion will be access to the railway linking the Nimba mining area to the port of Buchanan. But ArcelorMittal remains eager to retain the monopoly it has on that strategic route.

Subscribers only Mining, Diplomacy 09.02.2024

Joseph Boakai addresses the joint chambers of the National Legislature in Monrovia, Liberia, on 29 January 2024.

Liberia
Mining magnates and lobbyists jockey for position ahead of presidential handover

With George Weah due to make way for Joseph Boakai, ArcelorMittal and Robert Friedland are busy. Both have a major interest in the rail corridor between the Nimba mining area and the port of Buchanan.

Subscribers only Mining, Diplomacy 04.01.2024

Liberia
US banks on Boakai to let miners use railway monopolised by ArcelorMittal

President George Weah failed to break ArcelorMittal's monopoly on the rail line linking Liberia's mining region to the port of Buchanan. A US consultancy is now hoping to carry out a study on the state of the strategic railway, which is destined to become "multi-user".

Subscribers only Mining 19.12.2023

The newly elected Liberian president, Joseph Boakai.

Palace Intrigues
Robert Friedland, Mamadi Doumbouya, Modeste Bahati Lukwebo, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Mamadou Sangafowa Coulibaly

Intrigues big and small... Every Thursday, Africa Intelligence takes a peek into the corridors of power in Africa and beyond.

Text size

Once registered, you will be notified by a short message on your computer or mobile phone as soon as a new edition of our publication or an alert is published. Stay informed anytime, anywhere!

Spotlight | Guinea
Robert Friedland's Nimba iron ore dilemma

This article is part of this Running Story

The US-Canadian financier bought the vast iron project four years ago, but Guinea's ruling junta is showing little interest in developing it, and UNESCO has yet to give its essential green light.

This article may be accessed by subscribers

Do you want a free trial before subscribing?

Create your free account

create a free account

This article is part of this Running Story

Related topics to this article

Read also

Guinea, Liberia
Robert Friedland loses Ivanhoe Atlantic boss

Guinea
Robert Friedland's Nimba project still stalling in Conakry

Guinea
Conakry sets foundation for big plans with Washington

Guinea
Guinea wants Fouta Djallon highlands added to UNESCO heritage list

Cape Verde
Portuguese-speaking Africa backs Tarrafal prison camp bid for UNESCO World Heritage listing

In Focus | Guinea
Behind the scenes of Mamadi Doumbouya's offensive on Russian miner Nordgold

Guinea
China and US groups battle for Trans-Guinean contract

Guinea, Liberia
Billionaire Robert Friedland in Monrovia to talk railway access with Joseph Boakai

Liberia
Mining magnates and lobbyists jockey for position ahead of presidential handover

Liberia
US banks on Boakai to let miners use railway monopolised by ArcelorMittal

Palace Intrigues
Robert Friedland, Mamadi Doumbouya, Modeste Bahati Lukwebo, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Mamadou Sangafowa Coulibaly

GuineaDoumbouya snubs Friedland in NYC

DRCModeste Bahati Lukwebo acquires luxury Bukavu hotel

EgyptSisi lays on elite judo training for grandson

Ivory CoastOnly first class will do for Mamadou Sangafowa Coulibaly

About Africa Intelligence

Subscription

Africa Intelligence on social media

Indigo Publications' websites

About Africa Intelligence

Subscription

Indigo Publications' websites

Ibrahim Traoré

Virtus Minerals

Paul Kagame

Savannah Energy

Denis Sassou-Nguesso

Spotlight | Guinea Robert Friedland's Nimba iron ore dilemma

This article is part of this Running Story

The US-Canadian financier bought the vast iron project four years ago, but Guinea's ruling junta is showing little interest in developing it, and UNESCO has yet to give its essential green light.

This article may be accessed by subscribers

Do you want a free trial before subscribing?

Create your free account

create a free account

This article is part of this Running Story

Related topics to this article

Read also

Guinea, Liberia Robert Friedland loses Ivanhoe Atlantic boss

Guinea Robert Friedland's Nimba project still stalling in Conakry

Guinea Conakry sets foundation for big plans with Washington

Guinea Guinea wants Fouta Djallon highlands added to UNESCO heritage list

Cape Verde Portuguese-speaking Africa backs Tarrafal prison camp bid for UNESCO World Heritage listing

In Focus | Guinea Behind the scenes of Mamadi Doumbouya's offensive on Russian miner Nordgold

Guinea China and US groups battle for Trans-Guinean contract

Guinea, Liberia Billionaire Robert Friedland in Monrovia to talk railway access with Joseph Boakai

Liberia Mining magnates and lobbyists jockey for position ahead of presidential handover

Liberia US banks on Boakai to let miners use railway monopolised by ArcelorMittal

Palace Intrigues Robert Friedland, Mamadi Doumbouya, Modeste Bahati Lukwebo, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Mamadou Sangafowa Coulibaly

GuineaDoumbouya snubs Friedland in NYC

DRCModeste Bahati Lukwebo acquires luxury Bukavu hotel

EgyptSisi lays on elite judo training for grandson

Ivory CoastOnly first class will do for Mamadou Sangafowa Coulibaly

About Africa Intelligence

Subscription

Africa Intelligence on social media

Indigo Publications' websites

Spotlight | Guinea
Robert Friedland's Nimba iron ore dilemma

Guinea, Liberia
Robert Friedland loses Ivanhoe Atlantic boss

Guinea
Robert Friedland's Nimba project still stalling in Conakry

Guinea
Conakry sets foundation for big plans with Washington

Guinea
Guinea wants Fouta Djallon highlands added to UNESCO heritage list

Cape Verde
Portuguese-speaking Africa backs Tarrafal prison camp bid for UNESCO World Heritage listing

In Focus | Guinea
Behind the scenes of Mamadi Doumbouya's offensive on Russian miner Nordgold

Guinea
China and US groups battle for Trans-Guinean contract

Guinea, Liberia
Billionaire Robert Friedland in Monrovia to talk railway access with Joseph Boakai

Liberia
Mining magnates and lobbyists jockey for position ahead of presidential handover

Liberia
US banks on Boakai to let miners use railway monopolised by ArcelorMittal

Palace Intrigues
Robert Friedland, Mamadi Doumbouya, Modeste Bahati Lukwebo, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Mamadou Sangafowa Coulibaly