ArcelorMittal is in negotiations with unions in Liberia over its plans to cut 450 jobs at its Tokadeh Mountain iron ore mine in the country, owing to ongoing poor global ore prices.
The total workforce at the mine is 1,152, including 68 expats.
A spokeswoman for the company told Platts that the usual output of 4 million-5 million mt of direct shipping ore (DSO) is to be cut to a new target of 3 million mt for 2016; all of the ore is exported to Europe and China.
The spokeswoman said production would now be lowered further than is usual in the wet season, but kept at full strength in the dry season in order to meet the 3 million mt target.
She added the negotiations would take around a month.
