Guinea’s government has announced an accelerated push to develop alumina refineries and iron ore processing plants as part of its strategy to halt decades of raw ore exports and capture more value from its vast mineral resources.
Mines Minister Bouna Sylla said on Monday, November 10, 2025, that the plan aims to fast-track the country’s industrialization as Guinea prepares for its first-ever shipments from the massive Simandou iron ore mine later this week.
The World Bank noted in a July report that in-country alumina and iron processing could transform Guinea’s economy by generating industrial employment and reducing the nation’s vulnerability to global commodity price swings.
China Dominates Guinea’s Current Exports
Guinea currently exports around 60% of its bauxite, a critical raw material for aluminum production to China. Similarly, one-third of the iron ore from the Simandou project is expected to supply Chinese steel mills.
According to Minister Sylla, Guinea has signed its first alumina refinery agreement with China’s state-owned State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC), with construction already underway and completion expected by the end of 2027.
Negotiations are also at advanced stages with Chinalco and France’s Alteo, while talks continue with Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinée (CBG) and Alcoa.
“We are the biggest bauxite producer in the world now… but we don’t have any refineries built since colonial times,” Sylla said. “That will change.”
Up to Six Alumina Refineries by 2030
Guinea plans to establish five to six alumina refineries by 2030, boosting domestic refining capacity to around 7 million metric tons per year, Sylla said.
This initiative aligns Guinea with several mineral-rich African countries—including Mali and Nigeria—that have begun expanding domestic refining to maximize returns, reduce imports, and stimulate economic growth.
In August, the Guinean government revoked a bauxite concession held by a unit of Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) after the company failed to build a promised alumina refinery locally, according to Sylla. EGA did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Analysts, however, believe China’s growing investment in Guinean alumina refineries will not reduce its dependence on the country’s resources. “Exports will simply shift to alumina from bauxite,” said Allison Ju of SMM.
Guinea’s bauxite—known for its low silica content and suitability for low-temperature refining—accounts for about 25% of global aluminum output.
Focus Expands to Iron Ore Processing
Beyond bauxite, Guinea is also intensifying efforts to process iron ore domestically.
Sylla confirmed that Rio Tinto and the Winning Consortium Simandou (WCS)—joint developers of the Simandou mine—are required under current agreements to study and construct either a 500,000-ton steel plant or a 2-million-ton pellet facility.
“We believe we have identified the minimum capacities to design (this facility) based on sound economic principles,” Sylla said.
The companies must submit feasibility studies within two years of the first exports, said Djiba Diakite, Chief of Staff to the President. Should they fail to comply, the government reserves the right to engage a top global engineering firm to conduct the study at the expense of Compagnie du Transguinéen, the joint venture overseeing Simandou’s rail and port operations.
A spokesperson for Rio Tinto confirmed that its Simfer venture has already committed to a feasibility study for a pellet plant to explore viable development options. WCS did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Green Steel and Energy Partnerships
Minister Sylla noted that Guinea’s geographical proximity to Europe and the United States provides a competitive logistics advantage over Middle Eastern producers. He said the country’s long-term focus will be on producing pellets and direct reduced iron (DRI) for the emerging green steel industry.
Energy supply, however, remains the biggest challenge. Sylla said the government is seeking partnerships in hydropower, solar energy, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) to meet industrial demand, including a U.S.-backed plan to import LNG for local power plants.
