Winning Consortium Halts Guinea Simandou Mine After Fatal Accident Killing Three Foreign Workers

Winning Consortium Simandou (WCS), which is developing Blocks 1 and 2 of the large Simandou iron ore deposit in Guinea, suspended operations at its Kerouane mine after a fatal accident killed three foreign workers. The company activated emergency procedures and local medical teams attempted to save the victims, but details about the cause of the accident have not been disclosed. WCS stated that operations will resume only after a full safety review and once safety conditions are fully guaranteed. This incident follows a previous fatality-related suspension at Rio Tinto's site in the same project area, highlighting ongoing safety concerns in the region. The Simandou project, jointly developed by WCS and a Rio Tinto-Chinalco venture, is one of the world's largest untapped high-grade iron ore deposits, with production expected to start soon and eventually reach 120 million tons annually. Guinea’s government sees the project as a key economic boost but is also pushing for strict oversight and timely progress despite these setbacks.