Rio Tinto has selected AtkinsRéalis as its integrated delivery partner for the Simandou mining project in the Republic of Guinea, which holds the largest undeveloped high-grade iron ore deposit in the world. AtkinsRéalis is a fully integrated professional services and project management company with offices throughout the world.
Ian L. Edwards, President and Chief Executive Officer of AtkinsRéalis, stated, “There is no Net Zero future without sustainable mining and we’re thrilled to bring our mining expertise to such a significant and transformative project.” Critical minerals, like as silicon for solar panels and lithium for batteries, are required to create clean energy, decarbonised infrastructure, and new modes of mobility in a future where population expansion will require more infrastructure and power.
As part of the multi-year contract, AtkinsRéalis’ worldwide and multidisciplinary Minerals & Metals team will function as an integrated delivery partner, offering contract management services, engineering and technical compliance, and project and construction management. It is the biggest mining project that AtkinsRéalis has worked on in the past ten years and the first that the company will undertake as an integrated delivery partner.
The mining and production of several essential minerals and metals needed for sustainable infrastructure must rise by up to 500% in order to meet the global 2050 Net Zero targets. The most used alloy in the world is iron, a crucial material and the primary ingredient in steel, whose global usage is expected to increase by 1% to 2% year over the next ten years.
Nonetheless, about 8% of the world’s carbon emissions are currently caused by the manufacture of steel. Higher-grade, lower-impurity iron is becoming more and more in demand as steelmakers try to lessen their environmental impact. Steel made from this kind of iron has far fewer emissions. The world’s largest, richest, and last-known undeveloped high-grade iron ore deposit is located at the Simandou location.
According to César Inostroza, CEO of AtkinsRéalis’ Minerals & Metals division, “decarbonising future infrastructure projects means looking at end-to-end construction and engineering processes, including steel production.” The frequency and scale of new infrastructure projects are rising as clients in the public and commercial sectors strive to reduce their carbon footprint, control climate risk, and strengthen their climate resilience. The world’s Net Zero transition will benefit greatly from Simandou’s first-rate iron ore deposit, which will provide the lower-carbon intensity steel required for these new, sustainable infrastructure projects. Deploying the entire range of our Engineering Net Zero capabilities is a key objective for Simandou throughout its mission to make sure sustainable mining solutions are given priority at every turn. We intend to provide social value and economic opportunity for present and future generations of Guineans, in addition to being responsible stewards of the land.
