The former president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the CEO of Vale, Roger Agnelli, and the president of Guinea, Alpha Condé, at the foundation stone laying ceremony.
Credit: Agência Vale.
On February 22, Vale began work on rebuilding the Conakry-Kankan railroad. As part of an agreement with the government of Guinea, Vale is investing to refurbish the railroad, which transports passengers and general freight between capital city Conakry and Kankan in the east of the country. By rebuilding the railroad, Vale is contributing to the social and economic development of the African country, potentially creating thousands of jobs.
The Conakry-Kankan railroad, administered by the Office National des Chemins de Fer de Guinée, has not operated since 1983. The government’s intention is to restore the line in cooperation with Vale. The railroad was built between 1900 and 1914 and had 45 stations. It once played a fundamental role in the country, serving many towns.
Vale’s presence in Guinea
In April 2010, Vale announced its investment in Simandou, Guinea, which will be the largest integrated iron ore mining and infrastructure project ever developed in Africa. The rebuilding of the Conakry-Kankan railroad is part of Vale’s commitment to the development of Simandou and economic growth in Guinea.
The first phase of the Simandou project involves developing a mine and dry processing plant in Zogota, a railroad of approximately 100 km linking the mine to the border with Liberia, and a dedicated railroad and port in Liberia. This phase is scheduled to start production in 2012, with capacity to produce 15 million tons per year.
The project’s second phase will involve raising capacity to 50 million tons per year in 2020, by developing blocks 1 and 2 and building an additional rail spur connecting them to Zogota.