Africa’s iron ore largest producer, Kumba Iron Ore Ltd, is making plans to explore opportunities in West Africa.

According to the company’s Chief executive, Chris Griffith, the Anglo American subsidiary company had already considered developing greenfield projects in the West African nations of Guinea and Senegal but backed away since the Guinean project wasn’t considered good enough and the company’s exploration license in Senegal was handed to ArcelorMittal (MT).

Although the company is yet to ascertain the country it will explore, Griffith said he hopes Kumba will know which one at the end of the year.

He said the company is on track to reach its South African production target of 70 million tons of iron ore annually by 2019.

“We are looking at a range of projects all the way from near production.”

He however said that the South African Sishen iron ore mine in 2012 will be the same as last year, due to production setbacks in the first half that can’t be recovered.

Griffith also said that the recently commissioned Kolomela mine will now produce up to 6 million tons of iron ore this year at current rates, up from a previous guidance of 4.5 million tons.