In readiness to begin full operations, Ivanhoe Atlantic and the Environmental Protection Agency, (EPA) accredited environmental management consulting firm, Earthtime, have met with the EPA and local stakeholders in Nimba county to advance the regulatory permit of Ivanhoe’s Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) on use of transport infrastructure and logistics in Liberia.
During the consultations, Ivanhoe Atlantic and Earthtime outlined with full transparency, its community engagement plan and funding allocations. This openness fostered trust with representatives of Nimba County, who attended the event. The ESIA relates to the infrastructure component of Ivanhoe Atlantic’s Phase 1 development which will connect the Yekepa-Buchannan railway and port to the Kon Kweni Ultra-High Grade Iron Ore Project in Guinea.
Tom Steytler, Head of Environmental Studies, and David Sulonteh, Nimba and Upper Bong Community Relations Specialist, attended on behalf of Ivanhoe Atlantic. Earthtime were commissioned by Ivanhoe Atlantic to conduct the ESIA. The meeting is a significant development in the processing of the ESIA that was submitted in October 2025, which followed extensive multi-year scoping of social, biophysical and biodiversity baseline studies, analysis of environmental and social impact, and community engagement.
ESIAs are undertaken to address the foreseeable effects and potential impacts resulting from project implementation and to identify mitigation measures to avoid, reduce and restore any potential impacts that may arise from the project’s development. The application adheres to the standards of the International Finance Corporation and Equator Principles.
With the passage of its Concession and Access Agreement in December 2025, Ivanhoe Atlantic gained right of access to the Yekepa-Buchanan corridor rail and port infrastructure, which passes through Nimba, Bong and Grand Bassa counties.
This milestone supports Ivanhoe Atlantic’s efforts to begin the first shipments related to the Kon Kweni Ultra-High Grade Iron Ore Project. The project is expected to bring large scale investments to Nimba as well as create 500 direct jobs and 3,000 indirect jobs in Liberia during the project’s lifecycle.
In the words of Tom Steytler, Head of Environmental Studies, “It was great to be at the rail site to meet with local Nimba representatives and the EPA. We presented our community engagement plan and funding mechanism with full transparency. Ivanhoe Atlantic remains committed to ensuring the community and environmental surroundings alongside our operations remain places where families, businesses, and wildlife can thrive.”
