Guinea
Guinea was the world’s leading producer of bauxite
Pictured: bauxite (aluminum ore)
Statistics and information on the mining industry in Guinea.
Overview
In 2024, Guinea was a globally significant producer of mineral commodities, particularly bauxite, for which the country was the world’s leading producer, accounting for 33.2% of global output (not including United States production). Production of mineral commodities contributed notably to Guinea’s economy. Other mineral commodities produced in Guinea included alumina, cement, diamond, and gold, and the country also had significant undeveloped iron ore resources. 70% of Guinea’s bauxite and alumina exports went principally to China, while the rest went to several countries in Europe and to India and the rest of the world.
The legislative framework for the mineral sector in Guinea is provided by law L/2011/006/CNT/2011, as amended by law L/2013/053/CNT. The Ministère des Mines et de la Géologie [Ministry of Mines and Geology] oversees the mineral sector and provides regulatory oversight, including the administration of mining licenses, technical and environmental evaluations, and the inspection of artisanal mining operations. The Bureau National d’Expertise du Diamant, de l’Or et des Matières Précieuses (BNE) [National Bureau of Evaluation of Diamond, Gold, and Precious Materialsss] evaluates diamonds and gemstones intended for export and supports the Ministry’s activities in monitoring production, issuing authorizations, maintaining statistics, collecting taxes, and providing training. Most mineral commodities were produced by private or mixed-ownership companies, including enterprises with significant Government participation such as Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinée (CBG) and Ciments de Guinée S.A.
In 2024, Guinea was a globally significant producer of mineral commodities, particularly bauxite, for which the country was the world’s leading producer, accounting for 33.2% of global output (not including United States production). Production of mineral commodities contributed notably to Guinea’s economy. Other mineral commodities produced in Guinea included alumina, cement, diamond, and gold, and the country also had significant undeveloped iron ore resources. 70% of Guinea’s bauxite and alumina exports went principally to China, while the rest went to several countries in Europe and to India and the rest of the world (International Monetary Fund, 2026; Merrill, 2026; Olson, 2026).
The legislative framework for the mineral sector in Guinea is provided by law L/2011/006/CNT/2011, as amended by law L/2013/053/CNT. The Ministère des Mines et de la Géologie [Ministry of Mines and Geology] oversees the mineral sector and provides regulatory oversight, including the administration of mining licenses, technical and environmental evaluations, and the inspection of artisanal mining operations. The Bureau National d’Expertise du Diamant, de l’Or et des Matières Précieuses. (BNE) [National Bureau of Evaluation of Diamond, Gold, and Precious Materials] evaluates diamonds and gemstones intended for export and supports the Ministry’s activities in monitoring production, issuing authorizations, maintaining statistics, collecting taxes, and providing training. Most mineral commodities were produced by private or mixed-ownership companies, including enterprises with significant Government participation such as Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinée (CBG) and Ciments de Guinée S.A. Data on mineral production are in the Production table (formerly table 1). The Facilities table (table 2) lists the major mineral industry facilities (Library of Congress, 2013; Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, 2022, p. 41–43). More-extensive coverage of government policies and programs can be found in previous editions of this chapter in the U.S. Geological Survey Minerals Yearbook, Volume III, Area Reports—International—Africa, available at https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/afric…;
Commodity Review
Bauxite and Alumina.—Guinea accounted for an estimated 33.2% of the world’s total bauxite production in 2024. In October 2024, Guinean customs authorities suspended the exports of bauxite from Guinea Alumina Corporation (GAC), a subsidiary of Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), from its GAC mine near Boke, due owing to unresolved issues with the Guinean Government, and mostly due owing to concerns over GAC’s failure on its commitment to build a domestic alumina refinery (Shanghai Metals Market, 2024; Merril Merrill, 2026).
Production table
(Metric tons, gross weight, unless otherwise specified)
| Commodity | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alumina | 439,000 | 409,870 | 336,100 | 251,922 | 351,252 |
| Bauxite, dry basis | 87,776,000 | 87,439,000 | 103,526,000 | 123,067,000 | 141,708,931 |
| Bauxite, wet basis | 94,600,000e | 94,600,000e | 110,000,000e | 135,000,000e | 155,000,000e |
| Cement, hydraulic | 1,600,000e | 1,600,000e | 1,700,000e | 1,800,000e | 1,900,000e |
| Diamond (Industrial), natural, industrial (carats) | 25,700e | 54,700e | 25,800e | 24,000e | 22,700e |
| Diamond, natural, gem (carats) | 103,000e | 219,000e | 103,000e | 96,000e | 90,700e |
| Gold, mine, Au content (kilograms) | 13,000e | 18,000e | 21,000e | 16,005e | 16,000e |
References Cited
- Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, 2022, Guinea 2019-2020 EITI report: Oslo, Norway, EITI Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, April 7, 432 p. (Accessed November 26, 2025, at https://eiti.org/sites/default/files/2022-04/Guinea%202019-2020%20EITI%….)
- International Monetary Fund, 2026, Guinea—At a glance: Washington DC, International Monetary Fund, October. (Accessed December 29, 2025, at https://www.imf.org/en/Countries/GIN.)
- Library of Congress, 2013, Guinea—Mining code amended: Washington, DC, Library of Congress, July 31. (Accessed November 26, 2025, at https://www.loc.gov/item/global-legal-monitor/2013-07-31/guinea-mining-….)
- Merrill, A.M., 2026, Bauxite and alumina: U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, p. 50–51.
- Olson, D.W., 2026, Gemstones: U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, p. 86–87.
- Shanghai Metals Market, 2024, Guinea customs suspends bauxite exports of EGA subsidiary GAC: Shanghai Metals Market, October 13. (Accessed May 20, 2026, at https://news.metal.com/vn/newscontent/102988262-Guinea-Customs-Suspends….)
- Rio Tinto plc, 2025, Annual report 2024: London, United Kingdom, Rio Tinto plc, 364 p. (Accessed May 10, 2026, at https://company-announcements.afr.com/asx/rio/368b5372-ef01-11ef-bad1-e….)
Publications
Reports: 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017-18 | 2019
Tables: 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017-18 | 2019 | 2020-21 Tables-only release