Originally published in RFI
In Guinea, the NGO Climate Rights International is raising the alarm about the human and environmental consequences of iron ore mining in the Nimba Mountains. While the authorities have just launched the Simandou mine, considered the world’s largest iron ore deposit, with great fanfare, the American company Ivanhoe Atlantic hopes to begin its operations in the Nimba Mountains, further south, at the start of this year. The problem: iron ore mining would cause irreparable damage in this area, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
At the borders of Liberia, Ivory Coast, and Guinea , the Nimba Mountains wind their way through the landscape. A true treasure trove of biodiversity, home to endemic species such as the viviparous toad, the chimpanzee, and the bat; a natural barrier essential to climate balance; the only site in Guinea listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but labeled “in danger” since the authorities declassified a thousand hectares for mining…
A project on the verge of completion with disastrous consequences for the environment, according to the impact study revealed by Climate Rights International , of which Fabien Offner is a member: “We are talking about a cycle of the Nimba mountains that captures rain, which is the source of many watercourses. So, it’s a whole system. It’s not just the forest, the animals or the humans. It’s an exceptional site with potentially multiple, serious and irreversible consequences.“
And this study only covers the very first phase of the project. Mining activity also risks increasing pressure on land and resources, making life more difficult for local residents. “At what price will we exploit the iron ore in the Nimba Mountains ?” asks Fabien Offner. “What stands to gain and what stands to lose? And if the Guinean government still wants to move forward, it must ensure that the recommendations of this study are implemented very rigorously.“
The choice now rests with the Guinean government, which holds 10% of the project’s shares.