Guinea's bauxite exports hit record 114.8-million tonnes in first half of 2026

Guinea, the world's largest bauxite exporter, shipped a record 114.8-million tonnes of bauxite in the first half of 2026, up 15% from 99.8-million tonnes in the same period of 2025. Second-quarter shipments alone reached 53.9-million tonnes, a 5.3% increase on the same quarter a year earlier.

Three major producers lead the way

Société Minière de Boké led second-quarter shipments with 16.95-million tonnes, ahead of China's Chalco with 7.73-million tonnes and Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinée with 4.13-million tonnes; alumina shipments added a further 238,563 tonnes. Roughly 70% of Guinea's bauxite continues to head to China, underscoring how central Guinean ore has become to Chinese alumina refining capacity.

Rising costs squeeze margins

The record volumes came despite mounting cost pressures. "Fuel prices have risen by more than 80% while rough seas have increased voyage times and freight costs," said sector analyst Mehdi Chehab, highlighting the operational strain facing bauxite producers even as export tonnages climbed. Global bauxite prices weakened through 2026 amid oversupply following the previous year's rally, trading around $38-$39 a dry tonne on a free-on-board Guinea basis.

Why the volumes keep growing regardless

With prices falling, Guinea's largest miners have leaned on volume to sustain revenue, a strategy that works as long as Chinese demand for imported bauxite continues to grow alongside the country's own alumina refining capacity. Guinea's full-year 2026 exports were on track to exceed 200-million tonnes, cementing its position as the indispensable supplier to China's aluminium industry.

What it means for Guinea

Record export volumes generate valuable foreign exchange and mining royalties for Guinea's government, but they also intensify pressure on the country's ports, roads and the communities living near mining areas in the Boké region. The scale of Chinese buying gives Conakry significant leverage in its ongoing push to require bauxite miners to build domestic alumina refineries rather than simply exporting raw ore.

Sources

• Mining Weekly: Guinea first-half bauxite exports hit record high on Chinese demand, 23 Jul 2026

Photo: Bauxite being transported in Boffa, Guinea, part of the country's booming export trade. Aboubacarkhoraa, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.