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Last amendment: > on 2026-05-06.
President Doumbouya announced two presidential decrees on national television on 5 August 2025. The first decree revoked GAC's bauxite mining concession (originally granted by Decree D/2005/053/PRG/SGG of 22 November 2005 to Global Alumina Corporation, and transferred to GAC by Arrêté A/2006/6361/MMG/CAB of 16 November 2006; registered nationally as A/2005/125/DIGM/CPDM/MMG). The stated legal basis was non-compliance with "article 88 of the base convention signed October 15, 2004, and its amendments of May 16, 2005 and November 24, 2013" — specifically the obligation to develop an alumina refinery as a condition of holding the concession.
The second decree created Nimba Mining Company SA (NMC), a 100%-Guinean state-owned entity headquartered in Kamsar, granting it the same 690.20 km² concession for 25 years. NMC was given a one-year deadline to launch operations from convention signature. All technical reports, geological surveys, and data accumulated by GAC were transferred to the Guinean State without compensation.
EGA/GAC received no indemnification. The decrees invoked the state's "full ownership of mining resources" under Guinea's 2023 Mining Code framework and the Simandou 2040 program, which conditions tenure on a refinery development commitment.
refinery-build obligation since the 2023 Mining Code. It establishes that failure to advance an alumina refinery plan is sufficient grounds for immediate concession revocation without compensation — a material risk for any non-Guinean bauxite holder without an active processing commitment.
a significant share of its UAE refinery feedstock from Guinea; loss of the concession compresses EGA's long-run mine-to-refinery integration and forces spot/third-party procurement.
refinery model (March 2025) — Guinea using state entities as vehicles for processing capture where foreign companies fail to deliver. The one-year launch deadline applies real operational pressure that the old GAC convention lacked.
enforce processing obligations at material cost to foreign investors. This raises the risk premium for pure-extraction bauxite projects in Guinea without credible refinery commitments.
amicable settlement. NMC retains the concession and assumes Sangarédi operatorship; Guinea paid an undisclosed lump sum to GAC; CBG–EGA long-term supply contracts were renewed. EGA transitions from direct mine operator to bauxite offtake customer. The EGA precedent (revoke → settle → state operatorship without arbitration defeat) directly strengthens Guinea's enforcement credibility for the concurrent SMB/CBG refinery ultimatum. See amendment block for full terms.
concession holders (e.g., SMB or other CBG joint-venture partners)?