Tapping potential
By Zhang Lei
China Daily
1529779686000

Bauxite is transported from an inland river port to the barge with a daily throughput of 160,000 tons. [Photo by Shi Jiamin/For China Daily]

Mega project helps Guinea become key exporter of bauxite.

The SMB-Winning consortium comprising Singapore's Winning International Group, the French UMS Group, the Chinese aluminum producer, Shandong Weiqiao and the Yantai Port Group, entered the Guinea bauxite market in 2014, and has become a pioneer in using marine transport platforms for shipments. They have now opened up a bauxite transport route from Guinea to China.

In 2016, the consortium shipped 12 million tons of bauxite from Guinea, and, in 2017, the volume of the shipments was 32 million tons.

At present, the consortium can produce 50 million tons of bauxite per year.

The project has created more than 10,000 direct jobs for Guinea, and is the world's largest bauxite development project.

Since the beginning of 2018, the monthly shipments are between three and four million tons, and the plan is to exceed 40 million tons annually.

The companies involved in the project are among the earliest to respond to the Belt and Road Initiative.

Photos and story by Shi Jiamin for China Daily.

The consortium has created more than 100 water wells in the region in the last three years. [Photo by Shi Jiamin/For China Daily]

Their kitchen garden overflows with fresh vegetables. [Photo by Shi Jiamin/For China Daily]

A Chinese employee distributes notebooks to African kids on International Children's Day. [Photo by Shi Jiamin/For China Daily]

Chinese employees build dormitories. [Photo by Shi Jiamin/For China Daily]

A Chinese technician teaches local staff to overhaul barge equipment. [Photo by Shi Jiamin/For China Daily]

Chinese employees play basketball. [Photo by Shi Jiamin/For China Daily]

The employees organize football matches on a regular basis. [Photo by Shi Jiamin/For China Daily]