LIBERIA’s government has ratified a key rail and port agreement that grants Ivanhoe Atlantic development rights and guaranteed access to the country’s rail and port infrastructure, a move expected to support cross-border mineral transport and broader economic activity along the Liberty Corridor.
Under the Concession and Access Agreement, the US-based mining company will transport ultra-high grade iron ore from its Kon Kweni project in Guinea to the Liberian port of Buchanan using the state-owned Yekepa - Buchanan railway.
The Kon Kweni project, which is partly owned by the government of Guinea, involves iron ore with a grade exceeding 67% iron content and is projected to generate an estimated $US 16.7bn in revenues for Guinea over its lifetime through royalties, taxes and development fund contributions.
Ratification of the agreement follows several years of negotiations between Ivanhoe Atlantic and the Liberian authorities and builds on a 2019 implementation agreement between the governments of Guinea and Liberia. That earlier agreement established the legal and institutional framework for the cross-border transport of minerals between the two countries.
The decision is aligned with Liberian president, Joseph Boakai’s, policy to transition the country’s rail infrastructure to a multi-user, independently operated system. This open-access approach is intended to create opportunities for mining companies, agricultural and industrial freight operators to use the corridor.
With the agreement now approved, Ivanhoe Atlantic says it will move ahead with the next phase of development. Environmental impact assessments have already been submitted in both Guinea and Liberia and are currently under regulatory review. Subject to approvals, construction work on the project is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2026.
Further steps include supporting the establishment of Liberia’s proposed National Rail Authority, finalising access arrangements with existing rail users, and beginning recruitment and engagement with local service providers. The company says these measures are intended to ensure a smooth transition towards independent rail operations from 2030 and to promote local economic participation as the project progresses.
“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,” says Bronwyn Barnes, president & CEO of Ivanhoe Atlantic. “After more than 20 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.”
