Guinea to roll out bauxite export curbs in June
2026-05-26 12:00:52 [Print]
Mines and Geology Minister Bouna Sylla recently said that Guinea intends to announce reforms next month aimed at controlling exports of bauxite, ensuring that supply does not exceed demand and thereby boosting prices.
Guinea is the world's largest bauxite producer. Bauxite shipments from the nation, which accounts for more than a third of global output, jumped 25% to 183 million tonnes in 2025, with growth accelerating further in Q1 of this year.
Guinea is also trying to attract investment in local processing facilities to capture more value from its resources. It is pressing miners to build alumina refineries: three are already at the planning stage or under construction, adding to the country's single existing plant.
The government wants a total of five new refineries with combined capacity to produce 7.2 million tonnes of alumina per year, according to Sylla -- though that volume would still absorb less than 15% of the bauxite mined in Guinea last year.
Guinea is the world's largest bauxite producer. Bauxite shipments from the nation, which accounts for more than a third of global output, jumped 25% to 183 million tonnes in 2025, with growth accelerating further in Q1 of this year.
Guinea is also trying to attract investment in local processing facilities to capture more value from its resources. It is pressing miners to build alumina refineries: three are already at the planning stage or under construction, adding to the country's single existing plant.
The government wants a total of five new refineries with combined capacity to produce 7.2 million tonnes of alumina per year, according to Sylla -- though that volume would still absorb less than 15% of the bauxite mined in Guinea last year.
Alumina 98.5%min EXW China
Unit:RMB/mt
China alumina producers' sales to production ratio statistics by province by month
Unit: %
