CAPE TOWN– Liberia is bracing for a historic surge in iron ore manufacturing, with output anticipated to triple to round 30 million metric tons this yr.
By Jaheim T. Tumu, [email protected]
The growth is pushed by ArcelorMittal Liberia’s ramp‑up and a wave of recent entrants, Mines Minister Matenokay Tingban disclosed on the African Mining Indaba convention.
Final yr, the nation produced about 10 million tons, virtually totally from ArcelorMittal, its dominant operator.
Now, Luxembourg‑based mostly ArcelorMittal is investing in a brand new concentrator and sweeping rail and port upgrades. The corporate introduced it plans to ship 20 million tons of iron ore from Liberia in 2026, a dramatic rise from historic ranges of round 5 million tons every year.
“The railway is being expanded towards 30 million tons every year capability for AML underneath a brand new, lengthy‑time period settlement that additionally pays the federal government $200 million in charges,” Tingban stated, underscoring the infrastructure spine of the growth to Reuters information.
New Entrants Bolster the Sector
Iron ore costs spiked in 2025 as China’s file imports tightened the worldwide market. Liberia is positioning itself to experience that wave.
“This yr, ArcelorMittal ought to be hitting 20 million tons,” Tingban stated. “We anticipate Liberia to achieve between 25 and 30 million tons as soon as all producers come on-line.”
Amongst these producers are Cavalla Assets, Westcrest and Zodiac, all slated to start out operations this yr, whereas Bao Chico resumes manufacturing. The minister added that gold output can be set to rise, with Mansa Assets’ Dugbe mine ramping up.
In parallel, the Liberia Geological Survey has been tasked to catalogue new crucial‑mineral targets. Chinese language geochemical research have already detected indicators of lithium and different strategic components, opening the door to diversification past iron ore.
Mining Code Overhaul
The manufacturing surge comes as Liberia prepares to rewrite its mining legislation. Tingban stated a brand new mining code is anticipated inside three months, introducing adjustments to licensing and making a framework for a nationwide mining firm to take fairness stakes.
“The core fiscal shift introduces free‑carried state fairness of 10%–15% per venture, with a protracted‑time period goal of 25%,” he defined. “We’re shifting from a royalty‑solely strategy to fairness participation to maximise returns, fund infrastructure and create jobs.”
Royalty charges will stay at 4.5% for iron ore and three% for gold, whereas heavy mineral sands will probably be set at 8%. Whether or not the brand new fairness phrases apply to present tasks will probably be decided by the Ministry of Justice. The reforms and new entrants converging, Tingban projected a pointy rise in mining’s contribution to nationwide output.
“With all this, we anticipate general mining output to extend from 15% (in 2024) to as excessive as 50% relying on how briskly new producers come on-line,” he stated.
ArcelorMittal’s funding underscores the arrogance of main worldwide operators in Liberia’s potential. The corporate’s rail and port upgrades aren’t solely crucial for its personal operations but additionally for different producers who might depend on shared infrastructure.
Trying Forward
The approaching months will take a look at Liberia’s skill to ship on its formidable targets. The ramp‑up of ArcelorMittal’s concentrator, the onboarding of recent producers, and the implementation of a revised mining code will all form the trajectory of the sector. Success might imply a dramatic transformation of Liberia’s financial panorama, with mining output rising from modest ranges to a dominant share of nationwide revenues.
