EGA’s Guinea bauxite project 50% complete

Emirates Global Aluminium’s project to develop a bauxite mine and associated export facilities in the Republic of Guinea has reached 50% construction completion.

First bauxite exports of the USD1.4 billion project are expected during the second half of 2019. The mine, as soon as fully operational, will produce some 12m tonnes of bauxite per year and employ some 1,000 people directly and as contractors.

Guinea Alumina Corporation is a wholly-owned subsidiary of EGA. The project is one of the largest greenfield investments in Guinea in the past 40 years and will be a new global source of bauxite supply. Guinea has more than seven billion tonnes of bauxite resources, over a quarter of the world's total. Much of Guinea's bauxite is amongst the highest quality worldwide.

GAC’s mining concession covers an area of 690 square kilometres and contains one of the largest bauxite deposits in Guinea. The concession is located in the Boké region of north-western Guinea, close to existing mines that are operated by other companies. Bauxite is found close to the surface of low plateaus in the mining concession. Mining is planned to be a drill-and-blast operation within open pits, with plateaus developed and remediated sequentially during the life of the mining operation.

Extracted bauxite will be transported by rail to Kamsar port, some 70 kilometres away, using existing railway lines that are already used by other mining companies. GAC is building rail loops and spurs to connect its mine and loading facilities to the existing railway line.

At the port, bauxite will be transported by a 5.3 km-long conveyor system along a jetty and loaded onto barges. Kamsar is located on the river Nunez some 17 km from the open sea and is inaccessible for the world’s largest vessels. The ore will be transshipped to ocean-going vessels at a floating transfer point.

EGA is also building the UAE’s first alumina refinery at Al Taweelah in Abu Dhabi. First alumina is expected during the first half of 2019. Alumina, which is refined from bauxite, is the feedstock for aluminium smelters. Al Taweelah alumina refinery is expected to meet 40% of EGA’s alumina needs once full ramp-up is achieved.

EGA has signed an agreement with Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinée for the supply of bauxite for Al Taweelah alumina refinery.