Kérouané, Republic of Guinea – Today, SimFer, the joint venture between the Government of Guinea, Rio Tinto, and China Iron Ore Holdings (CIOH), and its construction partners CR18 celebrated the completion of a key piece of the Simandou railway infrastructure, inaugurating the 275-metre-long bridge spanning the Milo River. The bridge forms an essential part of the 78km SimFer rail spur, which will connect the southern section of the Simandou mine to the TransGuinéen mainline rail, allowing iron ore to be shipped from the SimFer mining concession onto the global market.
The ceremony was held in Kérouané, and was attended by the Minister of Mines and Geology, Bouna Sylla, local community leaders, executives from Rio Tinto and Chinalco and construction partners. Rio Tinto Global Chief Technical Officer, Mark Davies, joined the team in Guinea to mark the milestone and to witness the wider progress being made on the mine and rail infrastructure.
In his opening remarks, Mr Davies thanked the Government of Guinea and commended the efficiency of the construction teams, who have managed to complete the 275-metre bridge ahead of schedule. Dedicating a total of 117,440 manhours, the teams poured a total of 4,300 cubic metres of concrete and constructed 47 bridge piles totalling 807 metres in length. Put into perspective, the length of the bridge piles is just short of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which as the tallest building in the world stands at 828 metres tall.
The rail spur will facilitate the transportation of high-grade Simandou iron ore from blocks 3 and 4 of the mine site in Beyla, to the main line of the TransGuinéen railway which will carry the ore to the Port of Morebaya. The new rail infrastructure will have a transformative impact on Guinea’s socio-economic development, increasing mobility while boosting connectivity and trade across the country’s four regions. Once completed, the TransGuinéen railway will enable up to 120 million tonnes of iron ore (from both SimFer and WCS mining concessions) to be exported from Guinea each year.
The milestone celebrated today follows months of rapid progress on the rail spur infrastructure, with recent achievements including commencing track laying at the connection point to the TransGuinéen railway, completing 100% of bridge piles for all five bridges, and over 600 metres of tunnel excavation.
Rio Tinto Chief Technical Officer Mark Davies said:
“Completing construction of this bridge for the rail spur is a testament to the dedication and efficiency of our teams. Following an acute rainy season, the teams delivered the 275-metre bridge with remarkable speed and alongside several other key construction milestones.”
“Our teams and partners will continue to be guided by the spirit of Wontanara, working together to ensure that we meet and, sometimes, exceed expectations in delivering this transformational project.”
