According to mines and energy minister Mr Augustin Comoe, construction
will start on the 737km line in 2014. Studies had already been
conducted prior to the outbreak of civil war in 2002 and put the cost
of the project at around CFA Francs 860 billion ($US 1.8 billion).

The
line would allow Ivory Coast to exploit nickel, manganese, and iron
deposits near the border with Guinea and Liberia, transporting around
22 million tonnes of ore per year for export. Comoe says the line will
also carry 45,000 tonnes of cocoa and 24,500 tonnes of timber per year.