The deep water port will be designed to be an effective, efficient facility to handle 50 mtpa of iron ore product for export with the potential to be expanded at a future date. The port will be constructed in stages to meet the Stage 1 and Stage 2 production rates.

Based on the criteria of accessibility, marine construction, expansion and life cycle costing, port options were narrowed down to two locations. The preferred location is approximately 43 km to the south of Conakry.

The final port location is dependent on the results of the engineering, environmental and socio-economic surveys, which are scheduled for completion in Q1 2011.

Iron ore will be received at the port from the trains by way of bottom/side dumping wagons into a receiving hopper. Material will be extracted from the hopper and conveyed to dedicated product stockpiles. It is envisaged that the concentrate stockpiles will be fully covered.
 
Stackers will stack the material into the size related longitudinal stock piles. Based on the initial grades of the material no blending is anticipated, however testwork will be undertaken to confirm these requirements. If blending is required additional stockpiles will be added. The material will be recovered from the piles by reclaimers. The reclaimed material will be conveyed to the, ship loader. A surge bin, located prior to ship loader will collect the conveyor surge, which results when the ship loader stops to allow inter-hatch movement.

The port will be able to accommodate 240,000 DWT bulk ore carriers

In addition, the export wharf will be able to receive bulk fuel to support the ongoing operations via a dedicated fuel unloading berth. The large volumes of fuel will be stored at a dedicated land based fuel storage facility. A dedicated spur line to the fuel store area shall be part of the railway system so fuel can be railed to the mine site.

The port services and support facilities will include:

• Security and access control
• Administration facilities
• Personnel changing areas, washing
• Medical treatment facility
• Emergency response
• Training facilities
• Bulk fuel storage
• Light vehicle workshops
• Mobile cranes
• Maintenance workshops
• Power plant
• Process and potable water services,
• Customs facilities
• Sewage treatment

The permanent port staff will operate on a fly in fly out roster.

An operations accommodation village will be required to support the rail and port operations.