Lamco
Encyclopedia
The Liberian-American-Swedish Minerals Company (LAMCO) is a defunct Liberia
n corporation that mined for iron ore in the Nimba
range in Liberia. Founded in 1955 by American and Swedish investors, the company established the first large-scale mining operation in Liberia following the discovery of the Nimba ore body by geologist Sandy Clarke in the 1950s. A standard gauge
railroad approximately 250 km long was built, linking the mine in the north of the country, to the Port of Buchanan
. The Nimba project was managed by LAMCO, Bethlehem Steel
and the Liberian government. A nationalization policy was introduced to gradually phase out the non-Liberian staff. The company's operations halted at the heights of the First Liberian Civil War in the 1990s. Today, the former LAMCO mining operation is being reactivated by Arcelor Mittal.
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
n corporation that mined for iron ore in the Nimba
Nimba County
Nimba is a county in the north-central portion of the West African nation of Liberia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation, it has six districts. Sanniquellie serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring , the largest in the nation...
range in Liberia. Founded in 1955 by American and Swedish investors, the company established the first large-scale mining operation in Liberia following the discovery of the Nimba ore body by geologist Sandy Clarke in the 1950s. A standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
railroad approximately 250 km long was built, linking the mine in the north of the country, to the Port of Buchanan
Buchanan, Liberia
Buchanan is the third largest city in Liberia, lying on Waterhouse Bay, part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is referred to as Gbezohn in the local Bassa language. As of the 2008 census, Buchanan has a population of 34,270. Of this, 16,984 were male and 17,286 female....
. The Nimba project was managed by LAMCO, Bethlehem Steel
Bethlehem Steel
The Bethlehem Steel Corporation , based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was once the second-largest steel producer in the United States, after Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based U.S. Steel. After a decline in the U.S...
and the Liberian government. A nationalization policy was introduced to gradually phase out the non-Liberian staff. The company's operations halted at the heights of the First Liberian Civil War in the 1990s. Today, the former LAMCO mining operation is being reactivated by Arcelor Mittal.