Ivanhoe Atlantic secures Liberian govt approval for rail and port deal
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The news: ASX hopeful Ivanhoe Atlantic's rail and port access agreement with the Liberian government has been ratified in the country's senate, permitting the US miner to transport iron ore from its Kon Kweni project in Guinea to the Liberian port of Buchanan.
The context: The legislative milestone follows six years of negotiations between Ivanhoe Atlantic, which was founded by US billionaire Robert Friedland, and the Liberian government.
The company has pitched its so-called "Liberty Corridor" between Guinea and Liberia as a counterweight to China’s dominance over critical minerals in Guinea’s Simandou region.
Ivanhoe Atlantic plans to start constructing Kon Kweni in early 2026 and begin shipments the following year, initially aiming for annual output of up to 5 million tons of high-grade iron ore.
What they said: "The ratification of our agreement by the Liberian legislature is fully in line with President Boakai's policy to transition existing Liberian rail infrastructure to multi-user, independently operated system and marks a significant milestone, not just for Ivanhoe Atlantic but for Liberia," said Ivanhoe Atlantic's president and CEO Bronwyn Barnes.
"This opens up a valuable logistics chain to other users in Liberia and neighbouring countries, including US aligned companies looking to expand into the region. After more than twenty years, Liberia stands to fully benefit from its own infrastructure, laying the foundations for an expanded critical independently operated multi-user infrastructure corridor connecting West Africa to the Atlantic Ocean."
The source: Ivanhoe Atlantic media release
