The Liberian Environmental Protection Agency has given the green light to the Scoping Report and Terms of References for the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) concerning infrastructure developments for the Kon Kweni Iron Ore Project. This marks a significant step forward for Ivanhoe Atlantic Inc., which is now set to finalize the ESIA in Liberia, focusing on road, rail, and port infrastructure.
Negotiations between Ivanhoe and the Government of Liberia regarding the Infrastructure Concession and Access Agreement are nearing completion. This agreement will outline financial and technical guidelines for accessing the Tokadeh-Buchanan rail line and Buchanan Port. The government has assured that this rail line will be independently operated, available to multiple users, and managed by the National Rail Authority.
Ivanhoe Atlantic Inc., based in the United States, confirmed these key approvals from Liberia’s Environmental Protection Agency as part of its Phase 1 development of Kon Kweni. The approval is pivotal for advancing broader environmental and social clearances, setting out the scope, methodology, and critical issues to address during the ESIA process. Meanwhile, Ivanhoe is also wrapping up a similar assessment in Guinea, expected by late 2025.
Bronwyn Barnes, President and CEO of Ivanhoe Atlantic, expressed satisfaction with their collaboration with Liberia’s government: “We are very pleased that our working relationship with the Government of Liberia continues in a transparent and professional manner with key approvals of the Terms of Reference and Scoping Documents for the ESIA received in such a timely manner.”
Barnes emphasized their commitment to international best practices: “We remain committed to developing Kon Kweni to international best practice standards and are confident that the work we have completed to date demonstrates this commitment. We look forward to commencing construction activities at Kon Kweni later in 2025.”
Phase 1 development at Kon Kweni aims for an initial production capacity between 2-5 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of iron ore. This phase necessitates constructing roads, rails, and port facilities connecting to existing infrastructure like Tokadeh-Buchanan rail line for export via Buchanan Port.
The plan includes upgrading approximately 46 kilometers of road infrastructure for transporting iron ore from Guinea to Tokadeh’s rail line; building new rail siding at Tokadeh with stockpile facilities; utilizing existing Tokadeh-Buchanan rail; constructing new siding at Buchanan Port along with ship loading amenities.
Ivanhoe Atlantic plans to invest around US$50 million into Liberian infrastructure under Phase 1. This investment is expected to create approximately 470 jobs during construction and about 370 during operations.
The ongoing ESIA will evaluate all potential environmental impacts throughout both development phases while engaging extensively with local communities alongside stakeholders—led by Earthtime Inc., an EPA-certified firm supported by teams from Ivanhoe Liberia/Atlantic.