2609
Evaluation of the pollution and nuisance potential of mining activities on the receiving environments of the Boké region
The Guinean subsoil contains the largest bauxite deposits in the world (more than 40 billion tons, of which 23 billion tons are located in the Boké region) and has enormous potential for the exploitation of iron, gold, diamonds and uranium. The Republic of Guinea is ranked 3rd in 2020 behind Australia and China's leading supplier of bauxite.
The Boké region was established by the Guinean government as a special economic zone in 2015. To date, the Boké mining zone has 17 operational mining companies. This mining boom is bound to generate numerous negative environmental and socio-economic impacts. These impacts, which are of concern in the current mining areas, are likely to be cumulative and long term, with lasting effects on community health and well-being, biodiversity, natural resources, and climate change.
Mining activities in the Boké mining region are almost exclusively related to bauxite mining. Other mining activities concern rocks and industrial minerals and have a much smaller impact. The bauxite – with the exception of the RUSAL sites (Fria and Kindia) – is mined everywhere and exported unprocessed, with no recycling in the form of alumina. This decision, which is questionable for economic development, has the advantage that the environmental impact is simpler and easier to reduce.
The objective of the project is to assess the pollution and nuisance potential of mining activities in the Boké region in order to better equip the authorities to make decisions for the effective implementation of environmental and social management plans. The assessment of the main environmental impacts of mining in the Boké mining region will be carried out by collecting data and documents from both the companies and the various national administrations concerned. This approach is complemented by an on-site mission to observe these impacts and meet with industry, local administrations and affected communities.
