A major iron ore project backed by billionaire Robert Friedland has secured a critical regulatory milestone in Liberia, strengthening U.S.-aligned access to strategic mineral supply in West Africa, according to Business Insider Africa.
The approval allows Ivanhoe Atlantic to utilise Liberia’s rail and port infrastructure to export high-grade iron ore from its Kon Kweni (Nimba) project in neighbouring Guinea, following acceptance of its environmental and social impact assessment by Liberian authorities .
Valued at around $1.8 billion, the project has faced delays for over a decade due to disputes over transport access, but the latest approval removes a key bottleneck, enabling development and eventual exports via what the company calls the “Liberty Corridor” .
The deposit is regarded as one of the highest-grade iron ore resources globally, with plans to scale production from an initial 2–5 million tonnes annually to as much as 30 million tonnes in later phases, positioning it as a major new supply source .
Financial Times says the breakthrough represents a strategic win for the United States and its allies, as the project is being positioned as a Western-backed alternative to Chinese-dominated mining investments in the region, highlighting intensifying geopolitical competition over critical minerals in Africa .
