U.S. Representative John Moolenaar, chair of the House bipartisan China select committee, has raised concerns about mining firm Ivanhoe Atlantic’s alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). In a letter addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Moolenaar said the State Department has supported companies with “concerning ties,” citing Ivanhoe Atlantic as an example. He argued that the firm’s perceived link to Toronto-listed Ivanhoe Mines — whose shareholders include Chinese companies CITIC Group and Zijin Mining — reflects how Beijing secures influence in global critical mineral supply chains through minority investments.
Ivanhoe Atlantic rejected the claims, calling any implication of Chinese influence “grossly incorrect and misleading.” The company said it is completely separate from Ivanhoe Mines and disputed Moolenaar’s description of the two as “sister companies.” Moolenaar’s letter also referenced U.S. regulatory actions, noting that CITIC telecom services are on a federal national security risk list and that Zijin was added in 2025 to the U.S. Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) entity list.
The lawmaker’s concerns follow the U.S. Embassy in Liberia’s support for a $1.8 billion deal between Ivanhoe Atlantic and Liberia to establish a rail corridor linking the country with Guinea. Moolenaar said he supports expanding U.S. commercial engagement in Africa, but stressed the need to avoid CCP entanglements. Meanwhile, Ivanhoe Atlantic maintained that its Guinea iron ore project is intended to counter China’s growing control over resources in the Simandou region and that all production will be reserved for U.S. and allied supply chains.
Pic Courtesy: google/ images are subject to copyright
