According to the African Intelligence, Barnes is listed as a speaker at the upcoming Mining Indaba conference in Cape Town, scheduled for February 9–12, but is expected to attend without the Ivanhoe Atlantic banner. Ivanhoe Atlantic is majority-owned by U.S.-Canadian billionaire Robert Friedland. Guinea Hurdles Deepen UncertaintyBeyond Liberia, Ivanhoe Atlantic must still secure approval from Guinea’s military-led government to commence operations at the Nimba deposit. Friedland has sought assistance from Ivanhoe Atlantic Chairman J. Peter Pham, a former U.S. Special Envoy for the Great Lakes and the Sahel, to help navigate the political impasse. Exit Amid Mounting PressuresSources say the growing difficulties in Guinea, combined with uncertainty over rail access in Liberia, may have contributed to Barnes’ departure.