ArcelorMittal and Liberia Secure Long-Term Mining Partnership Supporting Multi-Billion-Dollar Infrastructure Investment

ArcelorMittal and Liberia Secure Long-Term Mining Partnership Supporting Multi-Billion-Dollar Infrastructure Investment

(IN BRIEF) ArcelorMittal and the Government of Liberia have ratified an amended Mineral Development Agreement extending the company’s mining concession to 2050, with an option for a further 25-year renewal, reinforcing Liberia’s role as a key mining hub in West Africa. The agreement underpins ArcelorMittal’s $1.8 billion expansion project, centred on a new state-of-the-art iron ore concentrator at Tokadeh, and brings total company investment in Liberia to $3.5 billion. As the project nears completion, iron ore output is set to increase fourfold to 20 million tonnes per year in 2026, with potential expansion beyond that level under review. The revised framework also introduces multi-user access provisions for the Tokadeh–Buchanan railway, significant infrastructure upgrades, and a $200 million payment to the Liberian government, while supporting employment, fiscal revenues, and long-term economic growth nationwide.

(PRESS RELEASE) LUXEMBOURG, 30-Jan-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — ArcelorMittal has strengthened its long-term presence in Liberia following the ratification of an amended Mineral Development Agreement with the Liberia government, extending the concession through 2050 with an option to renew for a further 25 years. The agreement, approved through Liberia’s legislative process, provides a framework for continued large-scale mining investment while supporting the government’s objective of enabling multi-user access to the Tokadeh–Buchanan rail corridor.

The revised agreement reinforces ArcelorMittal’s commitment to expanding its iron ore operations in Liberia and comes shortly after the inauguration of the company’s iron ore concentration facility at Tokadeh in Nimba County. The newly commissioned plant stands among the largest and most technologically advanced iron ore beneficiation facilities on the African continent, underlining Liberia’s growing position as a competitive and strategically important mining hub in West Africa.

The concentrator represents the centrepiece of ArcelorMittal’s $1.8 billion expansion programme, lifting the company’s total investment in Liberia to approximately $3.5 billion, the largest foreign direct investment in the country’s post-war history. Beyond the processing facility, the expansion has included major upgrades to rail infrastructure between Tokadeh and Buchanan, improvements to port facilities including the construction of an additional berth in Buchanan, and wider supporting infrastructure such as two power plants.

As the expansion project nears completion, iron ore shipments are expected to rise sharply from historical levels of around 5 million tonnes per annum to 20 million tonnes per annum in 2026. In parallel, product quality will improve through the delivery of higher-grade, higher-value ore. The company is also conducting feasibility studies to assess the potential for further expansion beyond 20 million tonnes annually.

The amended agreement introduces provisions for a multi-user rail framework, allowing additional operators to access the railway subject to investment contributions that meet their transport requirements. ArcelorMittal is currently upgrading the rail corridor to support capacity of up to 30 million tonnes per year, should further expansion proceed, with this capacity reserved for the company’s operations.

Under the terms of the agreement, ArcelorMittal will make a payment of $200 million to the Liberian government in exchange for the extended mining rights and reserved access to rail capacity that the company is funding. The agreement also establishes the transition to an independently operated railway from October 2030, aimed at improving efficiency while enabling broader economic participation.

Over more than two decades of operations in Liberia, ArcelorMittal has become a cornerstone of the national economy, providing direct and indirect employment to around 8,000 people and ranking among the country’s largest taxpayers. The amended agreement is expected to deepen this impact, driving job creation, community development, and long-term growth. Over the next 25 years and beyond, increased royalties, tax revenues, and export volumes are projected to contribute significantly to Liberia’s GDP, stimulate local procurement, and support the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises across the country.

About ArcelorMittal

ArcelorMittal is one of the world’s leading integrated steel and mining companies with a presence in 60 countries and primary steelmaking operations in 14 countries. It is the largest steel producer in Europe, among the largest in the Americas, and has a growing presence in Asia through its joint venture AM/NS India. ArcelorMittal sells its products to a diverse range of customers including the automotive, engineering, construction and machinery industries, and in 2024 generated revenues of $62.4 billion, produced 57.9 million metric tonnes of crude steel and, 42.4 million tonnes of iron ore. Our purpose is to produce smarter steels for people and planet. Steels made using innovative processes which use less energy, emit significantly less carbon and reduce costs. Steels that are cleaner, stronger and reusable. Steels for the renewable energy infrastructure that will support societies as they transform through this century. With steel at our core, our inventive people and an entrepreneurial culture at heart, we will support the world in making that change. ArcelorMittal is listed on the stock exchanges of New York (MT), Amsterdam (MT), Paris (MT), Luxembourg (MT) and on the Spanish stock exchanges of Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid and Valencia (MTS).

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SOURCE: ArcelorMittal