Sustainable development and iron ore production in Sierra Leone: the next 50 years

West Africa is being described as iron ore’s new frontier, with deposits that could lead the region to account for about 10% of the world’s supply. Indeed, if current plans materialise and world demand remains firm, the region will be exporting at least 500 million tons per annum in the next five to seven years, yielding considerable revenues to governments for development. The multiplier effects will go well beyond the US$1.5 billion from royalties plus other fiscal gains that such exports will yield for the region, and Sierra Leone is set to get a fair share of this windfall.