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South African company wins iron-ore exploration rights in Liberia
Feb. 8,2008 by Ansu Konneh

South Africa-based Delta Mining Consolidated has been named the winning bidder for the right to operate old iron-ore mines in western Liberia.

"I am pleased to report that, after a vigorous and professional exercise involving seven government entities, Delta Mining Consolidated, of South Africa, has won the bid for the western cluster, [which has] an indicated potential investment of US$1,6-billion", President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf told Liberian Parliamentarians last week, when she delivered her State of the Nation address.

"The process now moves to the next stage of validation that will undertake due diligence of all the major bidders to determine their capacity to make the stated investment in full and on time", she said.

Liberia's 207,58-km2 western cluster consists of the former iron-ore mines of Liberia Mining Company (LMC), the National Iron Ore Company (NIOC) and the untapped Bee Mountains.

Mines belonging to LMC and the NIOC closed down in 1976 and 1985 respectively, and their acilities have been looted over the years.

"Operations at the western cluster deposits are expected to start this year. The same can be said for activities at Bong Mines, once the ongoing bidding process is concluded," the President revealed.

Liberia's Minister of Lands, Mines and Energy, Eugene Shannon, in a press statement given to the Mining Weekly in late January, said that five companies had been shortlisted after an international bidding process for the right to operate the former Bong Range iron-ore mines, in central Liberia.

The shortlisted companies are BSG Resources, China Union Investment, BELL Resources, Rio Doce, and Vedanta Resources.

He said: "The government of the Republic of Liberia is now pleased to invite the prequalified bidders to submit sealed bid proposals for the rehabilitation and development of the Bong Range mines."

The mines ceased operations in 1990 owing to the Liberian civil war, which has since ended.

Meanwhile, the CEO of ArcelorMittal Liberia, Joe Mathews, says that the company will ship the first consignment of iron-ore from northern Liberia's Nimba mines in April 2009.

"ArcelorMittal's operations in Liberia are well on schedule and getting the ore out by April 2009 is our set objective," Mathews says.

He says ArcelorMittal is currently conducting drilling and geological surveys, as well as the rehabilitation of the damaged railway line from northern Liberia to the southern coastal city of Buchanan, from where the ore would be exported.


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		South African company wins iron-ore exploration rights in Liberia Feb. 8,2008 by Ansu Konneh South Africa-based Delta Mining Consolidated has been named the winning bidder for the right to operate old iron-ore mines in western Liberia. "I am pleased to report that, after a vigorous and professional exercise involving seven government entities, Delta Mining Consolidated, of South Africa, has won the bid for the western cluster, [which has] an indicated potential investment of US$1,6-billion", President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf told Liberian Parliamentarians last week, when she delivered her State of the Nation address. "The process now moves to the next stage of validation that will undertake due diligence of all the major bidders to determine their capacity to make the stated investment in full and on time", she said. Liberia's 207,58-km2 western cluster consists of the former iron-ore mines of Liberia Mining Company (LMC), the National Iron Ore Company (NIOC) and the untapped Bee Mountains. Mines belonging to LMC and the NIOC closed down in 1976 and 1985 respectively, and their acilities have been looted over the years. "Operations at the western cluster deposits are expected to start this year. The same can be said for activities at Bong Mines, once the ongoing bidding process is concluded," the President revealed. Liberia's Minister of Lands, Mines and Energy, Eugene Shannon, in a press statement given to the Mining Weekly in late January, said that five companies had been shortlisted after an international bidding process for the right to operate the former Bong Range iron-ore mines, in central Liberia. The shortlisted companies are BSG Resources, China Union Investment, BELL Resources, Rio Doce, and Vedanta Resources. He said: "The government of the Republic of Liberia is now pleased to invite the prequalified bidders to submit sealed bid proposals for the rehabilitation and development of the Bong Range mines." The mines ceased operations in 1990 owing to the Liberian civil war, which has since ended. Meanwhile, the CEO of ArcelorMittal Liberia, Joe Mathews, says that the company will ship the first consignment of iron-ore from northern Liberia's Nimba mines in April 2009. "ArcelorMittal's operations in Liberia are well on schedule and getting the ore out by April 2009 is our set objective," Mathews says. He says ArcelorMittal is currently conducting drilling and geological surveys, as well as the rehabilitation of the damaged railway line from northern Liberia to the southern coastal city of Buchanan, from where the ore would be exported.