Guinea's bauxite exports jump 25% to 183 million tons in 2025 on Chinese demand

By Maxwell Akalaare Adombila

DAKAR, Jan 26 - Guinea's bauxite exports rose 25% in 2025 to 182.8 million metric tons, official data seen by Reuters showed, cementing its dominance in aluminium ore supply.

A record 74% of shipments went to China, according to Chinese customs data, as Beijing tightens its grip over Guinea's vast resources.

Guinea overtook Australia as the world's No.1 bauxite exporter in 2023, said Fitch Solutions' BMI research firm, persistently posting double-digit output growth.

The mines ministry data showed 23 companies shipped bauxite in 2025. China's Chalco 601600.SS led with 22.1 million tons, followed by CBG - a company majority owned by a consortium including mining firms Rio Tinto RIO.L and Alcoa AA.N - with 17.4 million tons.

SMB, Guinea's first private bauxite exporter, and the largely Guinean-owned AGB2A/SDM joint venture shipped 17.0 million tons each.

Exports slowed in the second half, but rose 16% to 84 million tons.

BEIJING TIGHTENS GRIP ON GUINEA RESOURCES

China remains the main beneficiary of Guinea's mining boom, controlling over 60% of the giant Simandou iron ore project that began producing last year and holding stakes in gold and lithium projects.

China's bauxite imports jumped 26.4% in 2025 to 200.5 million tons on Guinean supply, data from its General Administration of Customs showed.

A Citi note said Guinea had shipped China 150 million tons of bauxite by November — over 80% of the feedstock Beijing needed for its 45 million-ton aluminium smelting plants.

GUINEA OUTPUT WEAKENS GLOBAL PRICES

Guinea’s output surge came as China capped smelting capacity, pushing down prices. Shanghai alumina fell 48% in the first 10 months of 2025.

The mines minister told Reuters in November the government is accelerating plans for domestic alumina refineries and iron-ore pellet plants to reduce raw exports.

"We are finally seeing production growth translate into state finances," said Bernabe Sanchez, principal mineral economist at Canadian consultancy CPCS, citing the Guinea budget ministry’s projections for a 40% rise in 2025 revenues.

He expects strong exports to continue as state-owned Nimba and Axis Mining ramp up production.

Weekly ministry data for January 12–18 showed 4.9 million tons of bauxite and 175,880 tons of iron ore shipped.