SMB-Winning Unveils a Major Alumina Project for Guinea

The SMB-Winning consortium presented a $3 billion project to Alpha Condé, president of the Republic of Guinea, to build an alumina refinery in Guinea as well as a railway to open up the Boffa corridor to carry bauxite to the refinery and the Dapilon river port. The feasibility and social and environmental impact studies will be carried in 2018 with a goal of starting construction in 2019. This is an ambitious plan for the Boké region and it will contribute to Guinea’s continued economic and social development, explained Frédéric Bouzigues, managing director, SMB.

“The local processing of raw materials is one of the biggest challenges for a more inclusive growth in Africa because it creates more value locally while leading to economic diversification,” said Fadi Wazni, chairman, SMB. “This commitment to Guinea also demonstrates our confidence in the continued improvement of both its business environment and macroeconomic stability.”

Founded in 2014, the consortium consists of Société Minière de Boké (SMB or the Boké Mining Co.); Winning Shipping, one of Asia’s largest carriers based in Singapore; UMS International Ltd., a transport and logistics leader in West Africa; Shandong Weiqiao, China’s leading aluminum company; and the state of Guinea.

As featured in Womp 2018 Vol 01 - www.womp-int.com