African Continent's Key Minerals: Despite Controversies and Industry Reforms, Guinea's Bauxite Exports Will Still Grow in 2025

Despite Controversies and Industry Reforms, Guinea's Bauxite Exports Will Still Grow in 2025

¬ Guinea's Bauxite Export Volume Reached 182.8 Million Tons in 2025, an Increase of 25% from 2024

¬ Despite Challenges Such as License Revocation, Legal Disputes, and Industry Reforms, Export Volumes Still Grew

¬ Since 2023, Guinea Has Been the World's Leading Bauxite Exporter

According to a Reuters report on January 26, an official document from the Guinean Ministry of Mines shows that Guinea's bauxite exports reached 182.8 million tons in 2025, an increase of 25% compared to 145 million tons in 2024. This achievement was made against the backdrop of heightened tensions and ongoing industry reforms. Industry dynamics.

As part of a series of mining license revocation actions, the Guinean government revoked the mining rights of Axis Minerals, a company based in the UAE, accusing it of failing to fulfill its contractual obligations. The decision is currently being appealed through international arbitration, creating uncertainty for the group's operations. Axis Minerals exported 16 million tons of bauxite between January and May 14, 2025 (the day the license was revoked). Meanwhile, another UAE-based company, Emirates Global Aluminum (EGA), has also been involved in disputes in Guinea.

EGA lost its mining rights due to its failure to build an alumina refinery aimed at processing bauxite locally on time and threatened to take legal action. However, since August 2025, the operating rights of its mine have been transferred to Nimba Mining Company (NMC), a new state-owned enterprise established by the Guinean government that year.

It is within this context that the bauxite industry in Guinea has continued to develop and evolve over the past year. Current information indicates that more than 20 companies continue to export bauxite, including China's Chalco, Compagnie des bauxites de Guinée (a joint venture between Rio Tinto and Alcoa), and Société minière de Boké (SMB). Officially published export revenue estimates are not yet available.

With the start of the 2026 fiscal year, the coming months will be crucial for assessing the development trends of Guinea's bauxite exports, especially considering that Nimba Mining Company (NMC) is expected to contribute. At the same time, Guinea is actively advancing its strategy to expand local processing capacity by building new alumina refineries, aiming to maximize mining revenues in the long term. Since 2023, Guinea has been the world's largest bauxite exporter.

Source: ecofinagency

Original: toutiao.com/article/1855487790532683/

Statement: The article represents the personal views of the author.