Guinea is mulling the introduction of bauxite export quotas as it tries to protect itself from a slump in prices of the ore used to produce aluminum.
The West African country is the world’s top bauxite producer but it has been hit by rising shipping costs and price drops — they have fallen up to 35% from 2025 highs on surprise shutdowns in Guinea itself. If implemented, the move would see Guinea follow in the footsteps of DR Congo and Zimbabwe, countries that have recently limited exports of critical minerals mostly headed to China.
Guinea’s plan would also inject further uncertainty into the metals market disrupted by the Middle East war, as the region is a key production hub for aluminum.
