(Business in Cameroon) - The fledgling Australian mining company, Sundance Resources, whose subsidiary, Cam Iron, is developing the Mbalam iron mining project in the East region, has announced that it has started topographical surveys and is having on-the-ground consultations to determine the path of the future Mbalam-Kribi railway.

The 510 km railway will transport iron produced in Mbalam, East-Cameroon to the Kribi deep water port in the nation’s South region.

If the surveys identify a path that, in turn leads to cadastral plans being drafted, Sundance Resources explains, consultations on the ground will help to identify local residents’ goods and cultural sites that will be affected by the project, influencing future compensations. According to the Australian company, as of March 2015, these operations were 35% complete and will continue in the coming months.