Alex Puisais
Advisor Environmental and Social Assessment
Following our advice on the TOR and scoping in 2024, AGEE asked the NCEA to conduct a technical review of the ESIA for the Phase 1 of the Mount Nimba iron ore project of SMFG (Kon Kweni Project), located in Lola Prefecture, Nzérékoré Region, Guinea.
The Kon Kwéni project, led by SMFG, is located in Guinea, within the Nimba Mountain range, near the border with Liberia. This high-relief area, rising to over 1,700?m, is characterized by dense forests and a network of watercourses, including tributaries of the Cavally River, which has significant transboundary importance.
The project involves the development of iron ore deposits in several phases; only Phase?1 is considered here, consisting of an open-pit operation and the road transport of ore to Liberia, onward to the deep-water port of Buchanan.
Mount Nimba is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (listed as endangered). It hosts remarkable biodiversity, including endemic species such as the viviparous toad (Nimbaphrynoides occidentalis) and threatened species such as the West African chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus). This context implies a particularly demanding environmental, social, and regulatory framework for any development.