LONDON/CONAKRY, April 18 (Reuters) – Liberia has signed an outline deal with a new venture set up to mine iron ore in Guinea to be shipped via Liberia, an export route the Guinean government has vetoed for the much larger Simandou project.
The Zogota iron ore project in Guinea is being developed by former Xstrata boss Mick Davis through his Niron Metals venture and marks a relaunch of his mining career.
Following a pledge on economic cooperation by the presidents of Guinea and Liberia at the start of the month in Dakar, an announcement on Thursday in London said the Liberian government and Niron Metals had signed a memorandum of understanding on the passage through Liberia of iron ore from the Zogota deposit.
Liberian National Investment Commission Chairman Molewuleh Gray said the government would begin talks with the railway and port operators relating to third-party access.
Davis, also chief executive of Britain’s ruling Conservative Party, said the agreement was a milestone in the development of Zogota. He said the aim was to complete a feasibility study within six months and bring it rapidly into production.
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