Conakry, 19 February 2025 – From 3 to 6 February, Winning Consortium Simandou (WCS) took part in the Mining Indaba conference in South Africa. The CEO of Winning Consortium Holding (WCH), Prof. Sophie Lv, and the Vice-President of Baowu Resources, Jiang Gongyang, showcased the progress of the Simandou project and Guinea’s broader mining potential.

Throughout the conference, WCS hosted a prominent stand that not only spotlighted recent advances on the Simandou project but also marked the first joint exhibition by WCS and Baowu Resources, a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Baowu, the world’s largest steel producer. The booth provided an interactive platform for visitors to discover the company’s contributions to Simandou—Africa’s largest mining project. WCS underlined how Simandou, with its integrated infrastructure—600 kilometres of railway running across Guinea and a port at Morebaya—will sustainably stimulate the country’s economic growth.

Since work resumed in March 2023, major milestones have been achieved:  preparatory works for 28 km of tunnels are complete, foundations for 206 bridges have been laid, and 50 % of the beams have been installed. Moreover, 65 % of project financing is secured, and the first iron-ore exports are targeted for the end of 2025.

During the Guinea Country Showcase, ,WCS reaffirmed its commitment to ,developing local talent. Prof. Sophie Lv ,stated: “At WCS, we know our greatest asset is our people. That’s why we continually invest in their professional development. We provide tailor-made training programmes that enable our staff to reach their full potential. Many of these programmes are delivered in both Guinea and China. For example, since 2023 WCS has offered Guinean managers training in China on best-practice management techniques.”

She also praised the Guinean Government’s efforts to promote the mining sector and underscored the importance of partnerships for the success of the Simandou project.

Jiang Gongyang, Vice-President of Baowu Resources, added: “Beyond its immense potential—already attracting strong interest from global iron-and-steel players—the Simandou project will make a significant contribution to the steel industry’s green, low-carbon transition. Thanks to the combined efforts of all partners, we are fully confident that we will meet the goal of bringing the project into production by year-end.”

Over the four-day event, WCS held extensive discussions with the Guinean delegation, industry stakeholders, and international partners, exploring the future of Africa’s mining sector and the strategic role that Simandou will play.