LIBERIA · MINING AND ENERGY
Key Facts
- —The country Liberia is a West African country founded in the 1800s by freed African Americans; Monrovia is its capital and Joseph Boakai its president.
- —What happened On Friday 16 October 2026 the Ministry of Mines and Energy launched LIMEC 2026, the country’s first international mining and energy conference and expo.
- —The event It runs on Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 October at the Farmington Hotel, with mining on day one and power on day two.
- —The money Organizers say ongoing and planned projects could draw more than US$3 billion in new investment, and more than 250 international participants have shown interest.
- —Who pays AME Trade, a London-based conference organizer, covers the full cost, and the Liberia Chamber of Mines receives 20% of net profits.
- —What it means for you Sponsors include Ivanhoe Atlantic, an iron ore developer backed by mining financier Robert Friedland, and the American equipment maker Caterpillar.
- —Still open No speakers are named yet, and the new mining code that investors want settled is still before the Legislature.
The Liberia mining conference, called LIMEC 2026, is the country’s first and takes place on Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 October at the Farmington Hotel. Organizers say ongoing and planned projects could draw more than US$3 billion in new investment.
For US readers the guest list is the story: sponsors include Caterpillar, the American machinery maker, and Ivanhoe Atlantic, which plans a US listing. The Liberia mining conference also tests whether a small, poor country can turn iron ore, gold and hydropower into jobs and electricity.
Liberia Opens Its Doors to Investors
The Ministry of Mines and Energy launched the event on Friday 16 October in Monrovia, the Liberian Observer reported on Monday 19 October. Minister R. Matenokay Tingban told investors that Liberia is “open for responsible business, committed to reform, and ready to build mutually beneficial partnerships.”
Tingban added that natural resources “must serve not only investors, but the broader aspirations of Liberian people.” Deputy Minister Fahnseth B. Mulbah said more than 250 international participants had already shown interest in the Liberia mining conference.
Who Organizes and Pays for LIMEC
The Ministry of Mines and Energy and the Liberia Chamber of Mines, the trade body of the mining companies, co-host the meeting. The third partner is AME Trade Ltd, a London-based conference organizer that signed with the ministry on 7 May 2026, FrontPage Africa reported.
AME Trade carries the full cost of the Liberia mining conference, and the government takes on no financial liability. The Chamber of Mines receives 20% of the net profits, payable within 30 days after the event.
What the Two Days Will Cover
Day one on 28 October covers the new mining code, iron ore expansion, critical minerals, gold, artisanal mining and mining finance, according to the organizers. Geological studies completed in 2025 identified lithium, cobalt, manganese, neodymium and uranium deposits, which the ministry wants to show to buyers.
Day two on 29 October turns to electricity, including the CLSG interconnector, a regional power line linking Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. The Liberian Investigator listed ArcelorMittal and Avesoro as platinum sponsors, and Caterpillar, Huawei and the state utility as gold sponsors.
Iron Ore Carries the Economy
ArcelorMittal, the Luxembourg-based steelmaker, accounts for roughly 90% of Liberia’s iron ore exports, FrontPage Africa wrote on Tuesday 20 October. Lawmakers ratified a deal in January that extends its mining agreement to 2050, with US$200 million paid upfront.
The company puts its total Liberian investment at US$3.5 billion, including a US$1.8 billion expansion around a new concentrator at Tokadeh in Nimba County. FrontPage Africa said heavy rains cut its 2026 target to 18 million tons from 20 million, as covered in the Liberia iron ore report.
Gold, Royalties and the Mining Code
Bea Mountain Mining Corporation, owned by Avesoro Resources, is Liberia’s largest industrial gold producer and pays a flat 3% royalty. Senators Dabah Varpilah and Simeon Taylor of Grand Cape Mount County asked in April for a renegotiation.
A new mining code would replace the 2000 law, and FrontPage Africa reported a proposed free state stake of 10% to 15% in new projects. The bill has sat in the Legislature since House hearings began in July.
Electricity Is the Second Bet
Only 32.7% of Liberians have electricity, FrontPage Africa reported, and the government targets 75% access and 75% renewable power by 2030. The 88-megawatt Mount Coffee hydropower plant supplies nearly 70% of the electricity that is generated.
President Boakai opened a 20-megawatt solar park at Mount Coffee in June, FrontPage Africa said. He also signed a US$57 million World Bank agreement to expand it and add batteries.
What It Means for US Readers
Ivanhoe Atlantic, backed by mining financier Robert Friedland, holds a 25-year concession, ratified in December 2025, to haul Guinean ore on Liberia’s railway. Any investor in that project has a direct stake in how the Liberia mining conference goes.
Liberia also holds uranium, cobalt and lithium prospects, and Western buyers want such minerals from sources outside China. The Liberia explainer gives the wider background on the country’s politics and economy.
What Is Not Known
The organizers have not published a list of speakers, so it is open which ministers, executives or US officials will take the stage. It is also open how many of the 250 interested participants will register and attend.
Nobody has said whether any contracts will be signed on the two days, or when the Legislature will pass the mining code. The final cost to investors of the proposed royalties and state stakes remains undecided.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Liberia mining conference?
The Liberia mining conference, LIMEC 2026, is the Liberia International Mining and Energy Conference and Expo, the first of its kind. It runs on Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 October 2026 at the Farmington Hotel in Margibi County.
Who is organizing it?
The Ministry of Mines and Energy, the Liberia Chamber of Mines and the London-based AME Trade Ltd organize it. AME Trade carries the full cost, and the Chamber of Mines gets 20% of net profits.
How much investment is expected?
Organizers say ongoing and planned projects could draw more than US$3 billion in new investment. A deputy minister said more than 250 international participants have shown interest.
Which well-known companies are sponsors?
Ivanhoe Atlantic, an iron ore developer backed by Robert Friedland, and the American machinery maker Caterpillar appear among the sponsors, according to the Liberian Investigator. Ivanhoe Atlantic is a silver sponsor, and Caterpillar is a gold sponsor.
Why does iron ore matter so much to Liberia?
ArcelorMittal accounts for roughly 90% of iron ore exports, according to FrontPage Africa. Iron ore also drives most of the growth the IMF expects, at 5.5% for 2026.
Sources: FrontPage Africa, Liberia Bets Its Future on Iron, Gold and Power, 20 October 2026; Liberian Observer via allAfrica, Government Launches Limec 2026 Expo, 19 October 2026; The Liberian Investigator via allAfrica, Liberia Courts Mining, Energy Investors at First Expo, 13 October 2026; FrontPage Africa, Mines Ministry Signs Deal With AME Trade, 8 May 2026; ArcelorMittal, new Liberia Mineral Development Agreement, 30 January 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief