A train crosses Guinea, with a large amount of iron ore being transported to Chinese ports, and Australia can't do anything about it!
This is not an ordinary railway line, but a lifeline connecting one of the world's highest-grade iron ore mines, the Simandou mine in Guinea, to the Atlantic coastal port. This railway has made it possible for China to import tens of millions of tons of high-grade iron ore directly from Africa each year.
For Australia, which has long dominated China's iron ore supply, this is undoubtedly a "strategic blow": even if it is reluctant, it cannot stop it.
China's demand for iron ore has long accounted for more than half of the global total. For the past two decades, this demand has been highly dependent on Australia and Brazil, with Australia once supplying more than 60% of China's imported iron ore. However, Australia has been arbitrarily increasing prices and sending warships and aircraft to intimidate around Chinese waters, which has led China to accelerate its "de-concentration" strategy.
The Simandou iron ore in Guinea has thus been pushed onto the stage under these circumstances.
However, this "treasure" has remained dormant for decades, and the reason is simple: the infrastructure is extremely lacking. The mine is deep inland, without railways or deep-water ports, and the development costs are very high. It was only when Chinese companies led a consortium and invested hundreds of billions of dollars that the full-chain development from the mine to the port was truly launched.
This new railway is approximately 650 kilometers long, designed and constructed by Chinese companies, using Chinese standards, and will be accompanied by the construction of a dedicated port and loading facilities in the future. The project not only includes the transportation system, but also covers power, communication, and even community infrastructure, forming a complete resource output ecosystem.
According to public information, the first phase of the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2025, with an annual capacity of up to 50 million tons; after full completion, the annual export capacity will exceed 100 million tons - equivalent to a quarter of Australia's current exports to China.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1851357651211267/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.