US miner Ivanhoe Atlantic has announced that Liberia’s legislature has ratified a key concession and access agreement granting the company access to the Yekepa–Buchanan rail line and port infrastructure to transport high-grade iron ore from its Kon Kweni iron ore project in Guinea to the Liberian Port of Buchanan. The approval marks a major milestone in the long-running development of the cross-border export corridor.
Under the terms, Ivanhoe Atlantic will use the 243-kilometre rail corridor, owned by the Liberian government, to move ultra-high-grade iron ore (>67 % Fe) to international markets, particularly targeting supply chains aligned with Western steel demand.
The project is seen as significant for both the Liberian and Guinean economies, offering a new export route that could generate substantial long-term revenues through rail user fees and associated taxes over the concession’s lifespan.
Ivanhoe Atlantic aims to commence construction of the Kon Kweni mine in early 2026, with initial export volumes expected the following year, and production targets including up to five million mt annually in the first phase. The access arrangement is viewed as critical to unlocking the project’s export logistics and accelerating its development timeline.
The ratification also positions Liberia as a strategic logistics hub for mineral exports in West Africa, reducing transport distances compared with alternative routes and enhancing regional infrastructure utilization.
