Rio Tinto SimFer Provides Update on the Progress of the Simandou Project During the First Quarter of 2026
SimFer, the joint venture between the Government of the Republic of Guinea, Rio Tinto, and the CIOH consortium led by Chinalco, has provided an update on progress achieved during the first quarter of 2026. The SimFer project continues to advance steadily, with significant milestones achieved, including the successful shipment of iron ore to China and further progress across all infrastructure components.
A key highlight of the quarter is that Simandou is now exporting product to global markets. The first iron ore left Guinea in December 2025, followed by a full cargo in early February 2026, with the shipment arriving in China on 25 March 2026.
These milestones reflect the project’s growing operational readiness and reinforce market confidence as SimFer continues its ramp-up phase.
Construction across the SimFer scope is progressing at pace. The SimFer mine is now 73% complete, reflecting steady advancement of critical mine infrastructure.
The SimFer rail spur is mechanically complete and operational, while the SimFer port has reached 75% overall completion, progressing ahead of plan.
Together, these achievements reaffirm the project’s readiness as SimFer prepares for the 30 month ramp up toward an annual capacity of 60 million tonnes.
