2023-07-20 22:12:46
In April 2022, the Guinean authorities issued an ultimatum to mining companies in the bauxite sector: they were ordered to build alumina refineries. The country has the largest reserves in the world with an estimate of 7.4 billion tonnes, but a tiny part is now processed locally. Where are we today?
From our correspondent in Conakry,
A year following this chin of the government, here is the report: only one factory produces alumina in the country. It is that of Fria, 160 km northeast of Conakry, its construction dates from the 1960s.
« It is progressing very well in terms of follow-up. One year following the meeting between the Head of State, Colonel Mamadi Doumbouya and the mining companies. They were summoned here to the Ministry of Mines. I received them. We made a timeline and an update on the situation explains Ibrahima Khalil Keïta, Director General of the National Mining Projects Coordination Service at the Ministry of Mines. He wants to be reassuring: Today, the most advanced project is the Alteo UMS-SMB project and the laying of the first stone of this refinery is scheduled for early November. »
Specialized in the production of alumina, the French company Alteo was acquired in January 2021 by United Mining Supply, UMS, a shareholder of SMB, the Société Minière de Boké which exploits Guinean bauxite.
« And for the other mining companies, the pressure continues, the monitoring continues. We haven’t given up, and a committee working on it 24 hours a day “, specifies Ibrahima Khalil Keïta.
Read alsoGuinea: Mamadi Doumbouya wants bauxite to be processed in the country
Strategies are already being considered for “that the State comes out a winner”, assures the director general of mining projects. He won’t say more. The objective of the authorities today is to have one, two or three refineries as quickly as possible.
The implementation of these refineries is likely to take time: “ The companies are in the process of carrying out feasibility studies for the various projects. At this level, there is of course a commitment from the companies. But this commitment is not going to be realized anytime soon, because there are many challenges to take into account. says Amadou Bah, executive director of the NGO Action Mines Guinée.
That of energy in particular, according to Amadou Bah, while Guinea is struggling to meet household demand. It will have to produce a lot more, without emitting too many greenhouse gases to meet its international commitments, explains Amadou Bah.
And then changing activity requires a reorganization of these companies which will have to, for example, train staff. There is also the question of funding. Raising funds for a project in Guinea, a country in transition, may be complicated. The third largest bauxite exporter in the world is still far from being able to transform the raw material.
Read alsoGuinea: the transformation of bauxite in question
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