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Fact-Check: ArcelorMittal Worker Housing and Export Claims

Published on June 19, 2025

By Augusta S. Lafalay

 
Claims:    "ArcelorMittal workers sleep in tents and containers" and "ArcelorMittal exported 6.42 million metric tons of iron ore, generating US$477.2 million." 
 
Source: Martin Kollie

 Verdict  : claim about worker housing could not be verified, while we find the claim about ArcelorMittal export revenue to be true
 
Full Text:  ArcelorMittal Liberia operates under a 25-year Mineral Development Agreement signed in 2005-2006. The company runs an iron ore mine at Mount Gangra near Yekepa in Nimba County, along with the Buchanan Port and connecting railroad infrastructure.
 
On May 27, 2025, activist Martin K. N. Kollie made two claims about ArcelorMittal Liberia on Facebook:
  1. Worker Housing: "ArcelorMittal workers sleep in tents and containers."
  2. Export Revenue: "ArcelorMittal exported 6.42 million metric tons of iron ore, generating US$477.2 million" (citing the LEITI 15th EITI Report, 2024)
The post received significant engagement with 630 reactions, 368 comments, 147 shares, and 33.3K views.
 
The Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) is part of the global EITI Standard, promoting transparency in extractive resource management. LEITI operates through a multi-stakeholder framework involving government, civil society, and private companies to improve governance in Liberia's extractive sector.
 
Verification:    We reviewed section 4.14 of the 15th LEITI Report to verify the financial figures. The report confirms that between July 2021 and December 2022, ArcelorMittal:

  • Exported 6.4 million metric tons of iron ore
  • Generated US$477.2 million in revenue
  •  

    On May 28, 2025, we contacted Winton Daryoue, Communication Manager at ArcelorMittal, requesting verification of the housing conditions claim. Despite follow-up reminders, no response has been received. This article will be updated when ArcelorMittal provides their official response.


    Conclusion:   The export and revenue figures cited by Kollie are accurate according to official LEITI documentation. However, the housing conditions claim remains unverified pending ArcelorMittal's official response to our inquiry. 
 

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