Guinea says wants more talks with Rio on Simandou

DAKAR, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Guinea wants more talks with Rio Tinto about the mining firm's key Simandou iron ore project in the West African country, the prime minister said in comments broadcast on Thursday. The $6 billion project is crucial to Rio's future production portfolio as it fights off a hostile takeover bid from rival miner BHP Billiton. "We are a little angry with Rio Tinto lately. We feel the company has not respected all the engagements taken under the contract," Guinean Prime Minister Ahmed Tidiane Souare said in comments broadcast by Radio France International. Speaking in New York, he said his government intended to discuss the project with the mining firm to "clarify" issues. Earlier this month, Rio said Guinea had agreed to "move forward" with Simandou. Previously, a letter from the office of President Lansana Conte had said a licence for the project was being cancelled. First production at Simandou, which Rio says is the world's biggest known undeveloped iron ore deposit, is due in 2013 and full output is forecast for 2018. The company said it has already invested $300 million in Simandou and is now carrying out further research work for the project, which would include building a 740 km (460 mile) railway line to a port on the Atlantic coast. Rio estimates it could dig 70 million tonnes per year from the mine by 2018. －－Reporting by Pascal Fletcher