According to a report by Mining.com citing Bloomberg, the Winning Consortium Simandou (WCS), one of the companies developing the world's largest untapped iron ore deposit in Guinea, said it is working closely with the government and local communities to address environmental concerns related to the project.
A non-governmental organization called AFCA (Advocates for Community Alternatives) believes that the construction of the Simandou project will lead to water and soil pollution.
"WCS is committed to developing this project responsibly in accordance with Guinea's regulations and international standards," WCS said in response to the concerns.
"We have repeatedly promised that this project will bring sustained and inclusive benefits to the people of Guinea."
Rio Tinto, which controls Blocks 3 and 4 of the Simandou iron ore mine, said, "We will fully comply with Guinea's regulations and international standards through prevention, mitigation, and compensation measures, and do our utmost to minimize the impact of mine operations."
On July 29, AFCA claimed that the fishing areas in settlements surrounding the seaport built for ore exports were being polluted, and buildings were developing cracks. The report stated that analyses of water and soil samples collected from the southeastern part of the iron ore deposit showed high acidity and bacterial contamination.
