Boke

Boké is Guinea's bauxite heartland—the region that made Guinea the world's largest exporter of the aluminum ore, shipping 123 million tonnes in 2024 (up from 103mt in 2022). Guinea holds one-third of global bauxite reserves, and Boké contains the most accessible deposits. The SMB-Winning consortium (Chinese-led) operates major mining and port facilities here, while Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinée (CBG) has extracted bauxite since the 1970s. In 2024, UAE-based Axis International filed a $28.9 billion arbitration claim after the military junta revoked its Boké permit—one of 50+ licenses cancelled in May for alleged non-compliance, as the CNRD junta seeks greater state revenue and local processing. The mineral wealth creates stark contrasts: while mining generates billions in exports, rural Boké remains poor with limited infrastructure. Young people in communities near mines have protested against poor roads, lack of potable water, and environmental pollution. The region embodies Guinea's resource curse: extraordinary mineral endowment (182nd of 191 in HDI), governed by a military regime that promises Simandou 2040 diversification while cracking down on opposition and postponing elections.