Sierra Leone Development Company

The Sierra Leone Development Company (SLDC) was a private entity that mined iron ore in Marampa, Sierra Leone, from 1933 to 1975. The mine was later reopened by the government in 1981 but faced financial difficulties and suspended operations in 1985.1

Sierra Leone's economy has historically been dominated by private capital, with significant European, Lebanese, and Indian interests in mining, commerce, and banking, while Sierra Leonean participation was limited. The country's mineral resources include diamonds, chromite, and rutile. Mining, particularly of diamonds, has been a major employer and contributor to the national economy, though official exports have declined due to smuggling and depletion of reserves. The civil war, which began in 1991, severely impacted the formal economy and led to the closure of mines, with rebuilding efforts underway after the war's end in 2002.1