Bellzone Mining confirms MOU with China International Fund (CIF)

The Business of Mining - thebusinessofmining.com | May 26, 2010 | 9:49 am

“Shares in Bellzone Mining surged 60 percent yesterday morning on London’s AIM market, following the announcement of a 50/50 joint venture with CIF for the 2.4 billion ton JORC magnetite Kalia Iron Project in Guinea, West Africa.

CIF will fund the entire infrastructure required for the project, which will include the rail system, bulk storage facilities, port, port loading facilities, port services and power development required to produce and transport a minimum of 50 million tons per annum of iron ore.

Nik Zuks, Managing Director of Bellzone Mining, commented: ‘I am delighted to announce this binding MOU with China International Fund Limited. Under the terms of the Binding MOU, CIF will fund and construct the 286km rail and port facilities for our Kalia Iron Project in return for the right to purchase 100 percent of the off take from Kalia.’”

Source: African Business Review, May 25 2010
Related Financial Times article: CIF to fund Guinea iron ore venture

Observations:

  • CIF earlier designed the oil-for-infrastructure deal in Angola. Promising the poor governments of resource-rich countries proves to be an effective way of securing access to the resources.
  • Production from the Kalia deposit is expected to start in 2014, setting a clear deadline for the execution of the infrastructure projects.
  • Kalia is the only project Bellzone is running, share price has therefore increased sharply after the announcement of the agreement with CIF.

Implications:

  • As Vale and Rio Tinto and Chinalco will start producing in the Simandou area, close to Kalia, these companies will be interested in exploring cooperative agreements with CIF. Huge synergies could be achieved by avoiding competing infrastructure projects to be run to bring the ore to the coast.
  • Transportation of ore via Liberia, as Vale is planning to do, is certainly not in the best interest of the Guinean government. Vale will therefore have to find ways to please the government in order to secure fruitful cooperation.