Alufer starts engineering studies to evaluate expansion of Guinea Bel Air bauxite mine

Guinea’s independent mineral exploration and development company Alufer Mining has started detailed engineering studies on its Bel Air bauxite mine in Guinea.  The study will evaluate its proposed plan to expand bauxite production to ten-million tonnes a year. 

The company said on Wednesday that the bauxite mining operations in the mine were on track to produce the yearly target of 5.5-million tonnes of bauxite in 2019. The operational team is optimising each part of the system and making sure that the transhipment process is performing efficiently with maximum loading rates and barge cycle times.

The company also said that the preliminary engineering studies have already shown some robust data and indicated that this would be a capital efficient way to optimise project capabilities. The studies are now trying to outline next steps and potential ramp up requirements.

Bernie Pryor, the company's CEO, commented: “With the operational set up we have achieved to date, we are now looking to the next phase and analysing how we can create further value from the Bel Air project. I look forward to updating you on our progress with these studies in due course.”

The Bel Air mine is located 15km from the coast near the Cap Verga peninsula, 210km north of Guinea’s capital, Conakry.