Guinea's bauxite exports soared 39% to a record 48.6 million tonnes (mt) in the first quarter (Q1) of 2025, despite regulatory challenges impacting major operators, as reported by Reuters.
Guinea, the world's second-largest bauxite producer, dispatched 312 vessels in Q1 2025 compared to 225 ships carrying 34.9mt in Q1 2024, as per data from the Ministry of Mines and Geology of Guinea.
The increase in shipments occurred even as Emirates Global Aluminium's local unit faced an export ban, having shipped 3.6mt in Q1 2024, and other major operators such as China Hongqiao's subsidiary AGB2A/SDM saw their exports curtailed due to a regulatory cleanup.
Bernabe Sanchez, an independent mineral economist focusing on Guinea, noted that current weekly exports of 3.7mt suggest an annualised rate of 199mt in 2025, a substantial rise from 146mt the year before.
Sanchez stated: "This underscores the sector's resilience amid continuing strong Chinese demand from the military-ruled West African nation since 2016."
Most of Guinea's bauxite, a crucial raw material for aluminium production, was shipped to China, where aluminium output has seen a resurgence.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics of China, the country produced 18.59mt of aluminium in the first five months of the year, up 4% from the same period of the previous year.
Chinese-controlled companies have been at the forefront of Q1 export boom, with the Société Minière de Boké (SMB) leading the way at 18.4mt, a 41% increase from 13.1mt in Q1 2024.
State-owned Chalco from China also saw a 35% increase in shipments to 5.1mt, up from 3.8mt, while AGB2A/SDM managed to export 8mt despite facing regulatory challenges.
The data highlights China's increasing influence over Guinea's bauxite resources as Beijing continues to ramp up its aluminium production.
In 2024, China imported 158.7mt of bauxite, with Guinea accounting for almost 70% of these supplies.
Guinea has been expanding its port infrastructure to meet the growing demand for bauxite, further cementing its position as a global leader in the supply of this essential mineral.
In May 2025, Guinea’s military government cancelled 129 exploration permits in an effort to consolidate control of its mining resources.
