China's Power: Iron Ore Export Volume from Guinea's Simandou Project Surges Six Months After Commissioning

¬ The iron ore shipment volume from Simandou reached a record 2.2 million tons in May, significantly higher than the average monthly output of about 600,000 tons during the first quarter of 2026.

¬ The project continues to ramp up production, moving steadily toward its planned annual capacity of 120 million tons across four mining blocks.

Guinea views the Simandou iron ore project as the cornerstone of its economic transformation strategy and a vital source of funding for infrastructure, agriculture, education, and industrial development.

¬ After months of phased commissioning, the large-scale Simandou project in Guinea has accelerated exports, highlighting its growing strategic importance. After more than two decades of preparation, the project is scheduled to officially commence operations in November 2025.

According to a report by Bloomberg on Wednesday, June 3rd, cargo throughput at the Morébaya Port reached 2.2 million tons in May—compared to an average of approximately 600,000 tons per month during the first three months of this year.

The mining complex, developed through a joint venture between Rio Tinto Simfer and the Winning Consortium Simandou, is built around four distinct blocks with a total designed annual capacity of 120 million tons.

However, the project is still in its capacity expansion phase. It is expected to begin full operations in November 2025 and ship its first cargo in January 2026. The May throughput set a new all-time high for the project, surpassing the previous record of 1.3 million tons set in April.

Several factors are driving the accelerated growth in throughput, including the gradual expansion of port infrastructure and efforts by Guinean authorities to strengthen operational coordination between the two consortiums.

"At the beginning of the year, we anticipated a slow and constrained market environment due to challenges in rail transportation […] The data from May indicates improvement, likely driven by increased loading efficiency at the Morébaya Port as its infrastructure continues to develop," said Alexander Claude, CEO of DBX Commodities, which monitors global commodity supply chains.

For Guinea, which has waited over two decades for this project’s completion, the latest progress sends a positive signal toward achieving national growth objectives.

Guinean authorities have positioned the Simandou project as a central instrument for economic transformation. The government plans to channel part of the project’s revenue into infrastructure, agriculture, education, and industrial development.

In addition, this strategy forms part of a broader "Simandou-2040" initiative, which also encompasses other mining sectors, including bauxite.

Given the project’s strategic significance for Guinea’s economy and its primary Chinese investors, maintaining the current growth momentum in the coming months will be crucial.

These investors aim to position the Simandou mine as a key tool for diversifying China’s iron ore supply sources. Currently, China imports about 80% of its iron ore, primarily from Australia and Brazil.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1867089565689856/

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