Guinea targets five alumina refineries by 2030 as power deficit threatens expansion
The world’s leading bauxite producer is accelerating plans to process more of its mineral resources locally, but meeting the energy demands of industrialisation remains a major challenge
Guinea is on a mission to develop its domestic alumina-processing industry, targeting five refineries by 2030 as the West African country seeks to capture more value from its bauxite resources. However, insufficient electricity supply remains a significant challenge to its industrialisation ambitions.
Reuters report that Guinea plans to establish annual alumina production capacity of between seven million and eight million tonnes by the end of the decade, with further investment in aluminium smelting envisaged as the industry develops.
The country, which has overtaken Australia as the world’s largest bauxite producer and exporter, currently sends most of its output to China. Expanding domestic processing would allow Guinea to move beyond exporting raw material and participate further along the aluminium value chain.
The government has already made progress towards establishing new processing capacity.
In June 2026, Guinea’s Ministry of Mines and Geology announced the launch of construction at an alumina refinery being developed by Chalco, a subsidiary of Chinese aluminium group Chinalco, in Démougala, Boffa prefecture.
The project carries an estimated investment of US$1.68 billion and is designed to produce 1.2 million tonnes of alumina annually.
It follows the development of other refinery projects, including the facility being built by China’s State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) at Boffa. In August, the Guinean prime minister met a SPIC delegation to discuss progress and the next stages of that project, which also has a planned annual capacity of 1.2 million tonnes.
The government’s wider target is to establish five refineries by 2030, with discussions under way on additional projects.
