SimFer plans first shipment of iron ore from Simandou in November

The joint venture highlighted the progress made in the project's implementation

SimFer, a joint venture between the Guinean government, Rio Tinto, and Chalco Iron Ore Holdings, which brings together leading Chinese companies, has confirmed the first shipment of iron ore from the Simandou project in November this year. This was reported by Mysteel Global.

SimFer highlighted the progress made in the project’s implementation during the third quarter of 2025 despite a particularly difficult rainy season. Specifically, this includes the completion of the construction of a 72-kilometer railway branch line, rapid progress in construction work at the port, and ongoing infrastructure development.

In July, Rio Tinto noted in its quarterly report that the first shipment of ore from Simandou had been brought forward to November. The mining company expected to ship 0.5-1 million tons from SimFer during the year.

However, a fatal accident at the SimFer mine in August raised concerns about meeting the schedule, as operations there were suspended.

However, the latest statement confirms the progress of the project. The mine is on track to reach full capacity of 60 million tons per year within 30 months. The raw materials will initially be shipped through the Winning Consortium Simandou (WCS) port. WCS owns blocks 1 and 2 in the north of the deposit, while SimFer has a mining concession for blocks 3 and 4 in the south.

It should be noted that the Simandou project will bring 60 million tons of iron ore per year to the market, with Rio Tinto’s share amounting to 27 million tons per year. Only 6% of the world’s seaborne trade in this raw material will be mined at the deposit, so Rio Tinto has indicated that there is room for such volumes.