ArcelorMittal has restarted work on two iron ore projects in West Africa that have been suspended for a year.

Work at Mount Nimba in Liberia and Faleme in Senegal had been halted following the downfall of raw material prices during the downturn.

The global steel major is developing a $1.5bn Liberian project and a $2.2bn Faleme project.

The steel maker will start production in Liberia in mid-2011 while no production timetable has been given for the Faleme project, according to Reuters.