Société nationale industrielle et minière

What Société nationale industrielle et minière does

Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière (SNIM) is a Mauritanian state-owned enterprise founded in 1973 and headquartered in Nouâdhibou. It operates as the national champion for iron ore, ranking as the second largest African iron ore producer with annual production exceeding 14 million tons drawn from deposits at TO14, Rouessa, Mhaoudatt and Guelbs El-Rhein near Zouérate. SNIM produces three commercial products — naturally rich fines (65% Fe), enriched concentrates (66% Fe) and siliceous calibrated (52% Fe) — and exports them globally through the Mineral Port of Nouâdhibou via an integrated mining-to-railway-to-port corridor with full product traceability. The company contributes an estimated 27% of Mauritania's export volume, 10% of state budget revenue and 6% of national GDP, employs 7,003 direct workers, and was disclosed with FY2025 turnover of US$1.17 billion.

SNIM operates as a diversified industrial group beyond its core mining business. It controls a network of subsidiaries spanning mechanical manufacturing and metallurgy (COMECA, SAFA, SAMIA), construction and public works (ATTM), port handling (SAMMA), extractive materials (GMM), water and electricity (M2E), oil facility management (GIP), real estate (GPIM) and tourism (SOMASERT, GHM, including the newly inaugurated 164-room Sheraton Nouakchott Hotel managed by Marriott). On-site power generation (12 MW solar and 30 MW thermal plants in Zouérate) and water desalination underpin operations, while a Zouerate technical training center and the SNIM Foundation support workforce development and community impact, with cumulative foundation investment exceeding US$96 million since 2007.

The business model rests on commodity export sales to international iron ore buyers with pricing not publicly disclosed, supplemented by revenue from subsidiaries in tourism, construction, manufacturing and utilities. Capital is sourced from sovereign-backed debt and concessionary lenders, notably a US$275 million financing from the African Development Bank and European Investment Bank in November 2025 for railway corridor modernization, following a US$150 million AfDB facility in December 2024. SNIM holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001-2018 and AFAQ 26 000 / Responsability Europe certifications and has been a member of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative since 2010.

Name

Société nationale industrielle et minière

Legal name

Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière

Website

https://snim.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière (SNIM) is Mauritania's state-owned national mining company, extracting, processing and exporting iron ore from deposits near Zouérate to international markets via the Nouâdhibou port, with 7,003 direct employees and US$1.17 billion in FY2025 turnover.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Iron Ore Mining and Export

NAICS

Iron Ore Mining (212210)

SIC

Metal Mining (1000)

akta.pro primary industry

Iron Ore Mining Operations (Open-Pit & Underground) (IMAKAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Iron Ore Beneficiation & Concentration (Crushing, Screening, Washing, Magnetic Separation) (IMAKAAAD), Precious Metals Smelting & Refining (IMAKAEAE), Mining & Heavy Metals Remediation (Acid Mine Drainage, tailings-impacted sites) (BPALAKAK)

Keywords

• Iron ore mining
• Mineral extraction
• Iron ore exports
• Mining infrastructure
• Railway transportation

Headquarters

HQ city

Nouâdhibou

HQ country

Mauritania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Iron Ore Production and Export: SNIM extracts iron ore from deposits at TO14, Rouessa, Mhaoudatt and Guelbs El-Rhein near Zouerate, producing naturally rich fines (65% Fe), enriched concentrates (66% Fe) and siliceous calibrated (52% Fe). Annual production exceeds 14 million tons.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SNIM extracts, processes, and exports iron ore from deposits near Zouerate, producing naturally rich fines (65% Fe), enriched concentrates (66% Fe), and siliceous calibrated (52% Fe) products at over 14 million tons annually. The company controls the entire value chain from mine to port through its integrated railway corridor and Mineral Port of Nouadhibou, shipping iron ore to international markets with full product traceability across the supply chain.

Product overview

SNIM operates as a diversified industrial conglomerate with iron ore mining as its core business. The company controls the entire iron ore value chain from mine to port, producing naturally rich fines (65% Fe), enriched concentrates (66% Fe), and siliceous calibrated products (52% Fe) from deposits near Zouerate. Beyond mining, SNIM operates 10 subsidiaries across key sectors including power generation (12 MW solar and 30 MW thermal plants), water desalination, mechanical manufacturing (COMECA, SAFA), port handling (SAMMA), construction materials (GMM), real estate (GPIM), tourism (GHM/Sheraton Nouakchott), and oil facility management (GIP). The company also provides essential services including railway transportation along the Zouérate-Nouadhibou corridor, water and electricity supply to local communities, and technical training through its Zouerate facility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Naturally Rich Fines (65% Fe) Iron ore product with 65% iron content, naturally rich fines sourced from SNIM's mining deposits near Zouerate, sold to international steel manufacturers and commodity buyers through the Mineral Port of Nouadhibou.
• Enriched Concentrates (66% Fe) Processed iron ore enriched concentrate product with 66% iron content, manufactured from SNIM's mining operations, sold to international markets for steel production applications.
• Siliceous Calibrated (52% Fe) Siliceous calibrated iron ore product with 52% iron content, one of SNIM's three commercial iron ore grades, exported to international customers for steel manufacturing.
• Railway Transportation Services Mining railway corridor service connecting Zouerate to Nouadhibou for iron ore transport and export, supporting SNIM's logistics operations and infrastructure modernization program financed by AfDB and EIB.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 14 million tons of iron ore produced annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Wafa HoldingminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 November 2025Partner in the construction of Sheraton Nouakchott Hotel through the 'Grands Hôtels de Mauritanie' Company subsidiary, contributing to national economic development and hotel services.
• Raja HoldingminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 November 2025Partner in the construction of Sheraton Nouakchott Hotel through the 'Grands Hôtels de Mauritanie' Company subsidiary, contributing to national economic development and hotel services.
• Marriott InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 November 2025Global Marriott company manages the Sheraton Nouakchott Hotel under the supervision of GHM (Grands Hôtels de Mauritanie), bringing world-class brand known for highest safety and comfort standards.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Vale: Vale is the world's largest iron ore producer (~330 Mt/year), headquartered in Brazil. It is comparable to SNIM as a vertically integrated iron ore miner exporting seaborne ore globally, though Vale operates at vastly greater scale and portfolio breadth.
• Rio Tinto: Rio Tinto is one of the top three global iron ore producers (Pilbara operations ~330 Mt/year). It is comparable to SNIM as a large-scale seaborne iron ore exporter with integrated mine-rail-port operations, though it operates at much larger scale and is highly diversified across multiple commodities.
• BHP Group: BHP is the world's third-largest iron ore producer (Western Australia Iron Ore ~290 Mt/year). It is comparable to SNIM in the iron ore mining and export business model, though it operates on a vastly larger scale and a diversified commodities portfolio.
• ArcelorMittal: ArcelorMittal is the world's largest steelmaker, with captive iron ore mining operations in Liberia, Canada, and elsewhere. It is comparable to SNIM through its integrated mining-to-steel value chain, though its primary focus is steel rather than seaborne iron ore.
• Anglo American: Anglo American is a diversified global mining major with significant iron ore exposure through its Kumba Iron Ore subsidiary. It is comparable to SNIM as a controlling owner of African iron ore assets, though it operates across multiple commodities at far greater scale.

Direct peers

• Kumba Iron Ore: Kumba Iron Ore (Anglo American subsidiary) is Africa's largest iron ore producer, operating Sishen and Kolomela mines in South Africa at ~35-40 Mt/year. It is the closest direct geographic and operational peer to SNIM in the African iron ore export market.
• Fortescue Metals Group: Fortescue is the world's fourth-largest iron ore producer (~190 Mt/year), a pure-play iron ore miner with vertically integrated mine-rail-port operations in the Pilbara. It is directly comparable to SNIM as an iron ore specialist with similar integrated infrastructure economics, though at much larger scale.
• Champion Iron: Champion Iron is a mid-tier Canadian iron ore producer (~15 Mt/year from Bloom Lake), focused on high-grade concentrate production. It is comparable to SNIM as a mid-tier seaborne iron ore producer targeting the high-grade concentrate market segment.
• Ferrexpo: Ferrexpo is a Ukrainian iron ore producer (~12 Mt/year of high-grade pellets). It is comparable to SNIM as a mid-tier, vertically integrated iron ore exporter focused on premium pellet and concentrate products.
• Vedanta Limited: Vedanta is an Indian diversified miner with iron ore operations in India and Africa. It is comparable to SNIM as a vertically integrated iron ore producer serving global steel markets, though its portfolio spans multiple base metals and operates in a different regulatory environment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/snim.com
• YouTubeyoutube.com/snim.com
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=61569375087538
• LinkedInmr.linkedin.com/company/snim-soci%C3%A9t%C3%A9-nationale-industrielle-et-mini%C3%A8re

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Société nationale industrielle et minière