Guinea’s bauxite exports jumped 23% year-on-year in the third quarter of 2025, defying heavy seasonal rains and growing regulatory pressure from the country’s military-led government, according to official data reviewed by Reuters.
Shipments of the key aluminium ore rose to 39.41 million metric tonnes, up from 32 million tonnes in the same period last year, data from the Ministry of Mines and Geology showed. Most of the exports were destined for China, which remains Guinea’s largest customer.
Despite the overall rise, monthly exports averaged 13.14 million tonnes in the third quarter — nearly 19% lower than in the first half of 2025 — as heavy rainfall hampered mining operations and disrupted transport to ports. The fluctuation highlights the ongoing impact of seasonal weather on Guinea’s mining supply chain.
The strong quarterly performance comes amid heightened regulatory scrutiny. The ruling military government has recently revoked several mining licences and increased pressure on companies to build local alumina refineries, creating uncertainty in the sector.
“With these volumes, Guinea’s annual bauxite output is likely to reach around 180 million tonnes — below the pace set earlier in the year but still over 20% higher than last year’s record,” said Bernabe Sanchez, an independent mineral economist specializing in Guinea.
China Deepens Control Over Guinea’s Mining Sector
Chinese companies accounted for 54.6% of Guinea’s third-quarter exports, led by SMB-Winning (17.51 million tonnes), CHALCO, and CDM-CHINE, according to government data.
Guinea now supplies roughly one-third of China’s total bauxite imports, further strengthening Beijing’s influence over the global aluminium supply chain. Despite a slowdown in steel output, China’s aluminium production rose 2.6% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025, driven by strong demand from the electric vehicle and infrastructure sectors.
The export surge also coincides with preparations for the first shipment from Guinea’s long-delayed Simandou iron ore project, which will primarily supply China. Analysts say the twin ramp-up of bauxite and iron ore exports underscores China’s deepening economic ties with Guinea and the country’s strategic importance to global metals markets.
Meanwhile, Guinea exported just 78,000 tonnes of alumina in Q3 2025 — a small volume that underscores the slow progress toward local refining, despite government mandates for miners to invest in domestic processing plants.
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Source:Africa Publicity
