AtkinsRéalis, a fully integrated professional services and project management company with offices around the world, has been appointed as the integrated delivery partner by Rio Tinto for the Simandou mining project in the Republic of Guinea.
In the role of integrated delivery partner, AtkinsRéalis’ global and multi-disciplinary Minerals & Metals team will provide project and construction management, engineering and technical compliance, plus contract management services as part of the multi-year contract.
This represents AtkinsRéalis’ largest mining project in the last decade, and the first mining project the company will deliver under the role of integrated delivery partner.
The Simandou site is home to the last-known, largest and richest untapped high-grade iron ore deposit in the world, AtkinsRéalis says.
The Simfer joint venture’s mine concession held an estimated total mineral resource as at December 31, 2022, of 2,800 Mt, of which Rio Tinto recently reported the conversion of an estimated 1,500 Mt to ore reserves that support a mine life of 26 years, with an average grade of 65.3% Fe and low impurities.
“Decarbonising future infrastructure projects means looking at end-to-end construction and engineering processes, including steel production,” César Inostroza, CEO, Minerals & Metals, AtkinsRéalis, says. “New infrastructure builds are only increasing in frequency and scale, as public and private-sector clients look to decarbonise, manage climate risk and build climate resiliency. Simandou’s first-class iron ore deposit will be a vital ally to the world’s Net Zero transition, producing the lower-carbon intensity steel needed for these sustainable infrastructure new builds.
“Throughout our mandate at Simandou, a top priority is to deploy the full breadth of our Engineering Net Zero capabilities, to ensure sustainable mining solutions are prioritised at all stages. Not only will we be responsible stewards of the land, but we look forward to providing social value and economic opportunities for current and future generations of Guineans.”
Oversight of the rail line and port components of the project will involve a joint collaboration between AtkinsRéalis’ Transportation and Minerals & Metals teams. This includes bringing together expertise from project teams in Montreal, London, Conakry and Belo Horizonte.
Simfer Jersey Limited is a joint venture between the Rio Tinto Group (53%) and Chalco Iron Ore Holdings Ltd (CIOH) (47%), a Chinalco-led joint venture of leading Chinese SOEs (Chinalco (75%), Baowu (20%), China Rail Construction Corporation (2.5%) and China Harbour Engineering Company (2.5%)). Simfer S.A. is the holder of the mining concession covering Simandou Blocks 3 & 4, and is owned by the Guinean State (15%) and Simfer Jersey Limited (85%). Simfer Infraco Guinée S.A.U. will deliver Simfer’s scope of the co-developed rail and port infrastructure, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Simfer Jersey Limited, but will be co-owned by the Guinean State (15%) after closing of the co-development arrangements.
