A&S Resources Secures $6 Billion Cross-Border Railway Financing

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 4, A&S Resources announced that it has secured $6 billion in financing for a cross-border railway connecting mineral resources in the Central African Republic to the deep-water port of Kribi in Cameroon, with funding to be provided by the Export-Import Bank of India. The planned railway spans approximately 1,350 kilometers, running westward from the mining area in the Central African Republic through Cameroon to the Atlantic coastal port, primarily serving the export of iron ore and other mineral products.

The project adopts a double-track heavy-haul railway design with a planned freight capacity of 250,000 tons per day, with provisions for future expansion to 300,000 tons per day. A&S Resources has partnered with China Railway Sixth Group (CREC-6), a subsidiary of China Railway Group, to develop the railway. According to the company's September announcement, topographical surveys and technical studies for the railway have already commenced, with the next phase of on-site operational mobilization scheduled to begin by the end of 2026.

The railway corresponds to the iron ore resources developed by A&S Resources in the Central African Republic. The company has announced a resource potential exceeding 20 billion tons, primarily consisting of high-grade iron ore, with an estimated in-situ gross value of approximately $2.5 trillion. Previous project documentation indicates that its principal mining assets include the Bakala/Topa project and the Bogoin mining area, with publicly available data indicating an overall iron ore grade exceeding 64.5% Fe. The Bakala/Topa mineralization zone extends approximately 75 kilometers along strike, while Bogoin remains at an earlier stage of evaluation.

This railway financing builds on the foundation of mining, transportation, and sales contracts that have begun to take shape. In February of this year, A&S Resources signed a series of strategic agreements covering mine development, railway construction, mineral export logistics, and long-term offtake arrangements, while also initiating topographical and technical studies for the railway and mining areas. The latest financing integrates railway funding arrangements into the project implementation chain, with China Railway Sixth Group remaining a partner in railway construction.

In addition to iron ore, A&S Resources' announced resource portfolio in the Central African Republic also includes copper, rare earths, and other critical minerals. The railway's terminal is planned to connect to the Kribi deep-water port in Cameroon, with the railway handling overland transport from the mining area to the port and linking to the international maritime export system. The currently announced implementation arrangements focus on railway technical studies and on-site mobilization by the end of 2026.