The first shipment of iron ore from the Simandou project was shipped to China, marking the completion of the entire industrial chain. At 5:30 PM local time on December 2nd (1:30 AM Beijing time on December 3rd), the port of Marebaya, Guinea, witnessed a historic moment. A massive ocean-going vessel fully loaded with 200,000 tons of high-grade iron ore slowly weighed anchor and set sail for China. This signifies the successful shipment of the first ore from the Simandou world-class iron ore mine, which had been dormant for nearly 30 years, officially opening up the entire industrial chain from “mine-railway-port-sea transport” and entering a new stage of commercial operation.

Main Voyage: A New Force in the Global Mining Landscape

With a long blast of its horn, the giant ship carried not only high-quality ore, but also a major breakthrough in the history of resource development in Guinea. The Simandou iron ore mine, located in Beira Province in southeastern Guinea, is a world-class high-quality open-pit hematite mine with resources exceeding 4 billion tons and an average total iron content of over 65%. The project is divided into North and South blocks and is jointly developed by giants such as Chinalco, Rio Tinto, Baowu Steel, and the Winning Consortium. The successful maiden voyage marks a solid step forward for Chinalco and its partners in implementing the Belt and Road Initiative, and also writes a significant chapter in the win-win cooperation between China and Africa in the global iron ore trade landscape.

Efficient Breakthrough: Multi-dimensional Collaboration Unlocks Core Arteries

To ensure this historic milestone was achieved on schedule, Chinalco established a leading working group for the first ore production in March 2025, constructing a multi-dimensional working structure involving domestic and international collaboration, and cross-departmental and cross-company cooperation. Various subsidiaries formed specialized teams, successively overcoming more than a dozen key milestones in the three core links of mines, railways, and ports, efficiently completing all construction tasks, and ultimately turning the first shipment from blueprint to reality.

Creating the Future Together: Shaping the Supply Chain and Showcasing Chinese Strength

Following the strategy of “phased implementation and gradual production,” the Simandou project will have an annual production capacity of 120 million tons upon full operation. This is expected to propel Guinea to become the world’s third-largest iron ore supplier after Australia and Brazil, significantly reshaping the global supply chain. This project is also a model of collaboration between Chinese and foreign enterprises and the “going global together” strategy of Chinese strength. Chinalco Group has been committed to the project for 15 years, with a large number of Chinese companies, including Chinalco International, Sinosteel International, China Railway Construction Corporation, CRRC, and XCMG, providing comprehensive support. Looking ahead, Chinalco Group stated that it will advance the project to even higher standards, striving to make it a world-class model of resource development cooperation.

Note: Reprinted from Steel.com