ArcelorMittal to Raise Liberia Iron Ore Shipments to 20 Million Tonnes in 2026
Key Facts
ArcelorMittal announced on January 30, 2026, the opening of an iron ore concentrator at Tokadeh in Nimba County, saying the facility was fully operational after producing its first batch of concentrate. The facility is the centerpiece of a $1.8 billion expansion project, bringing the company’s total investment in Liberia to $3.5 billion. The company aims to increase iron ore shipments from a historical level of about 5 million tonnes a year to 20 million tonnes in 2026. This comes as the company’s Liberian operations recorded sharp production growth in the first half of the year. The company said the expansion would raise product quality to higher-grade, higher-value ore.
The facility’s opening ceremony was held on June 5, 2025, according to Liberia’s Ministry of Information, which said at the time that full operations were scheduled to begin later in the month. The project dates back to 2012 but was halted by the Ebola crisis in 2014, before construction resumed in 2021 with updated technologies and engineering designs. The government said the project had provided more than 5,000 construction jobs by June 2025 and was expected to create 1,000 permanent jobs. These figures place the facility within a major infrastructure project that also included upgrades to the railway between Tokadeh and the port of Buchanan. The plan also includes building an additional berth at the port and investments in two power plants.
ArcelorMittal’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission showed that its Liberian unit produced 7.7 million tonnes in the first half of 2026, compared with 4.1 million tonnes in the same period of 2025, an annual increase of 89.9%. The company attributed the broader increase in iron ore production and shipments in the first half largely to improved Liberian operations and the continued ramp-up of the facility’s capacity. The company’s total iron ore production rose 19.0% year on year, while shipments increased 8.6%. Growth in the Liberian unit’s output indicates the effect of the concentrator’s ramp-up. The facility enables ore processing to raise its quality, while increased exports also depend on the port and railway’s ability to transport the targeted volumes.
Estimates cited by Reuters indicate that Liberia produced about 10 million tonnes of iron ore in 2025, with most of the output coming from ArcelorMittal Liberia. Liberia’s mines minister said the country expects to produce between 25 and 30 million tonnes once all producers are operating, as new companies enter the market and another resumes operations. The forecast reflects the potential for broader national production, while ArcelorMittal’s target of 20 million tonnes applies specifically to its shipments in 2026. The company is assessing the feasibility of expanding its Liberian assets beyond 20 million tonnes a year. The available information does not show that the company has announced a final decision to proceed with this additional phase.
ArcelorMittal is linking any increase beyond 20 million tonnes a year to the progress of feasibility studies and a further investment decision. The company is developing railway infrastructure that could transport up to 30 million tonnes a year if studies establish the project’s viability and an expansion decision is made. The company said the amended agreement with the Liberian government extends its term to 2050, with an additional renewal right for 25 years. The agreement also provides for a $200 million payment to the government in exchange for rights that include extending mining rights and reserving railway capacity. President Joseph Boakai said the agreement provides for an independent railway to begin operating in October 2030. This makes the start of independent railway operations a future milestone in the project’s logistics arrangements.