Overview
| Stage | Production |
| Mine Type | Open Pit |
| Commodities |
|
| Mining Method |
|
| Production Start | ...  |
| Mine Life | 31 years (as of Jan 1, 2022) |
Western Range Project includes the Mt. Tokadeh, Mt. Gangra, and Mt Yuelliton deposits and has been mining direct shipping ore ("DSO") from the Mt. Tokadeh and Mt. Gangra deposits in northern Nimba, Liberia.
On September 10, 2021, the Liberian Government and ArcelorMittal signed an amendment to the Mineral Development Agreement (MDA). The Phase 2 expansion includes the construction of a 15 million tonnes per annum concentrator plant project to treat oxidized and transitional ores to significantly ramp up production of premium iron ore.
First concentrate is expected during the fourth quarter of 2024.
Under the agreement the Company has further expansion opportunities up to 30 million tonnes per annum. |
Source:
p. 138
| Company | Interest | Ownership |
|
Government of Liberia
|
15 %
|
Indirect
|
|
ArcelorMittal SA
|
85 %
|
Indirect
|
ArcelorMittal’s ownership at ArcelorMittal Liberia Limited (AML) is 85%, with the remaining 15% owned by the Liberian Government.
Contractors
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Summary:
The ArcelorMittal iron ore deposit at Yekepa, also known as the Nimba No. 1 Mine and referred to above as Mount Tokadeh, is also located in Liberia, <5 km SW of the Guinea-Liberia-Core d'Voire border intersection and 5 km from the original Nimba mine in Liberia. Following the civil war and subsequent changes in control, ArcelorMittal commenced mining of the Mount Tokadeh deposit at Yekepa, in 2011. Mineralisation occurs as a siliceous goethite/hematite/magnetite ore, containing ~60% Fe, 10% SiO2, 2% Al2O3 and 0.1% P. It is derived from a banded iron formation on Mount Gangra in the Yekepa Range.
Three deposits within the MDA are grouped under the name “Western Range Project”, which includes the Mt. Tokadeh, Mt. Gangra and Mt Yuelliton deposits.
The Nimba Itabirites is a 250 to 450-meter-thick recrystallized iron formation. Although the iron deposits at Mt. Tokadeh, Mt. Gangra and Mt Yuelliton fit the general definition of Itabirite as laminated metamorphosed oxide-facies iron formation, they are of lower iron grade than the ore previously mined at Mount Nimba.
The Nimba deposits are hosted by the 1400 m thick Nimba Supergroup exposed as ridges bounded by lowlands of the older Yekepa Supergroup of quartzo-feldspathic gneisses and orthoamphibolites. The lower half of the Nimba Supergroup is comprises metamorphosed mafic volcanics of the Seka Valley Schists. The upper half of the supergroup is composed of metasediments subdivided into the:
• Gbahm Ridge Formation - 250 m of ........
Summary:
ArcelorMittal Liberia Limited (AML) is a production stage property and has been mining ‘direct shipping ore ("DSO") from the Mt. Tokadeh and Mt. Gangra deposits in northern Nimba, Liberia.
Tropical weather effects have caused the decomposition of the rock forming minerals resulting in enrichment in the iron content that is sufficient to support a DSO operation and accordingly, currently, only high grade ore reserves of oxidized iron ore are mined.
Mining.
There will be opencast mining of around 450 million tonnes of low grade iron ore (oxides and transition ores with Fe contents of 40 to 60 percent) from the ore bodies at Mounts Tokadeh, Gangra and Yuelliton in Nimba County.
Mining will be done by large excavators and the raw ore will be hauled to the crusher using big tipper trucks. Blasting will be needed at times, when pockets of hard ore are encountered. Crushed material will be stored in a stockpile prior to feeding the concentrator.
Source:
Summary:
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Production:
| Commodity | Units | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|
Iron Ore
|
Mt
| ...... | ...... | ...... | ...... | 4.6 | 2 | 2.1 |
All production numbers are expressed as fines.
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Operational Metrics:
| Metrics | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|
Ore tonnes mined
| ...... | ...... | 5.3 Mt | 4.3 Mt | 4.6 Mt | 1.9 Mt |
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Reserves at December 31, 2022:
Mineral reserves are estimated at a cut-off grade of 40% Fe and a mass recovery of 58.9% for the oxide and transitional material, and a 30% Fe cut-off grade and a mass recovery of 44.8% for the fresh material.
Mineral resource are estimated at a cut-off grade of 40% Fe and mass recovery of 58.9% for the oxide and transitional material and 30% Fe cut-off grade and mass recovery of 44.8% for the fresh material.
| Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade |
|
Proven
|
9.4 Mt
|
Iron
|
52.9 %
|
|
Probable
|
853 Mt
|
Iron
|
42.5 %
|
|
Proven & Probable
|
862.4 Mt
|
Iron
|
42.6 %
|
|
Indicated
|
1,065 Mt
|
Iron
|
38.2 %
|
|
Inferred
|
1,231 Mt
|
Iron
|
39.1 %
|
Corporate Filings & Presentations:
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