On March 19, 2021, Guinea’s longest tunnel from the Maribaya Port to Simandou Railway project undertaken by the China Railway Eighteenth Bureau Group officially started construction. The project is the first stage of the construction of the Masai Railway. , Marking the entry into the implementation stage of the Massi-Western Railway.

The strategic significance of Jindia Tunnel

The Jindia Tunnel is located in the middle and low mountains of the southern part of the Futa-Jarón Plateau in Guinea. It is a full-line control project of the Masai Railway. The total length of the tunnel is 11.62 kilometers, and the design speed is 120 kilometers per hour. It is a single-hole double-track structure. , The tunnel site area is dominated by grade Ⅲ and grade Ⅳ surrounding rocks, with steep terrain, multiple fault zones, and complex geological conditions. The project adopts Chinese standards, Chinese technology, and Chinese equipment. It is the longest tunnel constructed by China Railway Construction in Africa. It is expected to be completed in February 2024.

It is understood that the Masai Railway is an important supporting project for the development of the No. 1 and No. 2 ore blocks in the Simandou mining area. The mining area has a world-class large-scale high-quality open-pit hematite mine, which is regarded as the world's largest reserves and highest quality undeveloped mining area. , The proven reserves are about 2.25 billion tons, and the total resources may reach 5 billion tons, which has extremely high commercial exploitation value. The Masai Railway is an important infrastructure that integrates into the “Belt and Road” initiative and optimizes the economic structure of Guinea. As the first east-west railway in the country, the project will effectively improve the current situation of local traffic and improve the production and living standards of residents, which will contribute to the economy and society of Guinea. Inject strong momentum into development.Editor/Xing Wentao、Design/Xia Changwang