Mining resumes at Baowu-led Simandou site following end of workers' strike
2026-05-11 15:17:57 [Print]
Mining operations resumed on Thursday at two blocks of Guinea's massive Simandou iron ore project, operated by a consortium led by China's Baowu Resources, after workers called off a strike, according to a document reviewed by a union official.
Workers at Simandou's Blocks 1 and 2, operated by the Baowu Winning Simandou Consortium (BWCS), began strike action on April 28, calling on the company to adhere to Guinea's mining labor regulations regarding wages.
BWCS workers stated that the company had failed to implement a unified mining pay structure introduced by Guinea last year. Baowu has maintained that it complies with all Guinean regulations on labor and wages.
A union official and a BWCS source confirmed that operations resumed on Thursday morning following an agreement, seen by Reuters, signed on Wednesday between management, union representatives, and Guinean labor and mining officials.
The immediate priority is to resume operations while continuing discussions with unions to fully resolve the dispute, the BWCS source said.
According to the agreement, upon signing, workers and BWCS committed to respecting labor laws governing strikes and to restarting operations without delay.
Baowu, the world's largest steelmaker, took control of Simandou's Blocks 1 and 2 earlier this year. The remaining half-Blocks 3 and 4-is operated by Simfer, a joint venture led by Rio Tinto.
Workers at Simandou's Blocks 1 and 2, operated by the Baowu Winning Simandou Consortium (BWCS), began strike action on April 28, calling on the company to adhere to Guinea's mining labor regulations regarding wages.
BWCS workers stated that the company had failed to implement a unified mining pay structure introduced by Guinea last year. Baowu has maintained that it complies with all Guinean regulations on labor and wages.
A union official and a BWCS source confirmed that operations resumed on Thursday morning following an agreement, seen by Reuters, signed on Wednesday between management, union representatives, and Guinean labor and mining officials.
The immediate priority is to resume operations while continuing discussions with unions to fully resolve the dispute, the BWCS source said.
According to the agreement, upon signing, workers and BWCS committed to respecting labor laws governing strikes and to restarting operations without delay.
Baowu, the world's largest steelmaker, took control of Simandou's Blocks 1 and 2 earlier this year. The remaining half-Blocks 3 and 4-is operated by Simfer, a joint venture led by Rio Tinto.
