A new iron ore opportunity
The Belinga Iron Ore Project is a new, potentially globally significant, iron ore opportunity for Ivindo Iron and the people ofGabon.
Situated in the Belinga range in the northeast of Gabon, the project sits within the province of Ogooué-Ivindo which is home to around 25,000 people.
In partnership, the Gabonese Government, Fortescue and Ivindo are working to safely and responsibly develop the Belinga high-grade, hematite iron ore deposit. The project has the potential to create significant opportunities for economic growth, infrastructure development, sustainable employment, training, skills development and other lasting community benefits.
Project update
The Belinga deposit was initially discovered in 1955 and has remained undeveloped for many decades.
After commencing its exploration activities in 2022, Ivindo Iron is managing a major drilling program with plans to have eight rigs operating this year. A small operation, called the Pilot Production Phase started in 2023 to provide important information required to support the assessment and development of a possible full scale mining operation. In late 2023, “proof of concept” was achieved with the first shipment of Belinga iron ore exported from Gabon.
The focus of the next three years will be continuing the exploration work and progressing detailed technical and environmental studies for the potential future full-scale operations. This will be done in parallel with ongoing community engagement and generating local opportunities for Gabon.
Engaging with communities
Ivindo Iron is firmly committed to engaging locally and spending time getting to know communities and stakeholders. As the project progresses, we will continue this important work.
Our Ivindo Communities Team leads the day-to-day engagement with communities and stakeholders across the Ogooué-Ivindo province. The team provides project information, supports local employment and training, and guides our approach to community development. This is an important part of meeting our commitments under the project’s Environmental and Social Impact Assessment and Environmental and Social Impact Management Plans.
As part of our local engagement Ivindo Iron has opened a community office in Makokou which anyone is welcome to visit.
The office is open between 8am - 4pm, Monday to Friday, and is located at: Place de l’Indépendance, Derrière Le Mausolée Alexandre SAMBAT in Makokou
Alternatively, you are welcome to contact us at communautes@ivindoiron.com
Generating local jobs
As of early 2024 over 500 Gabonese are working on the project, with more than 230 people from the province of Ogooué-Ivindo. Ivindo Iron is working closely with provincial and village authorities to facilitate local employment outcomes in a fair and transparent way. As the project progresses, our workforce will increase.
Ivindo Iron is committed to building a diverse workforce and has a range of initiatives underway to provide career opportunities for women. This includes the Belinga Women in Mining Group which meets regularly to discuss work opportunities, share information about building a career in the mining industry, and contributing to a supportive workplace.
Ivindo Iron is committed to the development and long term sustainability of the Gabonese workforce. We offer a range of education, skills and training programs that are delivered by Ivindo training experts and external providers.
To express your interest in working on the Belinga Project, please email recruitment@ivindoiron.com
Managing the environment
The forests of the Belinga region are home to a rich array of animals and plants.
As with any significant project, it will need to be carefully managed to ensure we safeguard Gabon’s diverse ecosystem. We are committed to developing the Belinga project in line with internationally recognised environmental, social and governance standards.
In 2022, Ivindo Iron began environmental baseline data collection to support the environmental approvals for the current phase of the project. The surveys are continuing and as the project progresses the surveys will significantly expand to support building a detailed understanding of the local and regional environment.
We are excited to contribute to and support the sharing of environmental information from this unique and biodiverse region.
Ivindo Iron S.A. is a Gabonese company, owned by Gabon Government (10%), Fortescue Limited (72%) and African Transformation and Industrialisation Fund Limited (18%).