The SMB bauxite mining project has a track record of unremedied human rights impacts, including uncompensated or under-compensated taking of land, loss of livelihoods, damage to water sources and impact on access to water, and threats to public health from air pollution.  The negative impacts of mining in the region have led to protests from impacted communities.

Loss of land and livelihoods SMB’s mining activities have resulted in the displacement of local communities and the loss of their lands and livelihoods. To fuel its quick expansion, the SMB consortium provided residents with one-off, cash-for-land payments, leaving farmers without the necessary resources, support or training needed to find new land or livelihoods. The residents have since reported that the compensation provided by SMB was inadequate, inequitably distributed, and lacked transparency, leading to tensions and suspicions of corruption. This has left some regions and villages without any access to cultivable land, as SMB has either taken over or cut off villagers’ access to farmlands.  According to a 2019 study by the Guinean Ministry of Mines, within the next two decades, more than 200,000 acres (or 80,000 hectares) of farmland will be destroyed by bauxite mining in Guinea.

In addition to being displaced and uncompensated or under-compensated for their land, community members’ livelihoods are further impacted by the damage caused by mining. For example, mining operations and infrastructure construction, such as port development, have contaminated remaining agricultural fields with dust, mud, oil, or gas, resulting in reduced yields.  Additionally, fishing activities have been disrupted due to the noise and vibrations caused by mining operations, scaring off wildlife and affecting the livelihoods of local fishermen. Waters that were once plentiful are now facing an unprecedented scarcity of resources (fish, crustaceans, etc), which is adversely impacting both community incomes and food security. Affected communities say they were not adequately informed about the full extent of the damage that would be caused by the project. Several communities have also said that SMB promised to give local people priority for employment but that the company has never delivered on this commitment.

Impacts on health SMB’s activities in Boké have led to health risks for local populations, due to the widespread contamination of water sources and air pollution. Mining runoff and wastewater discharge have contaminated essential rivers and water sources, impacting the quality and availability of drinking water sources. This has resulted in the proliferation of waterborne diseases and gastrointestinal illnesses among residents. For example, a study by the Association Mining Sans Pauvreté (AMSP) in 2019 found that water in the Katougouma port site exhibited highly acidic pH levels. Such acidic water can contain elevated levels of harmful chemicals like aluminum, posing significant risks to aquatic life and human health. Furthermore, salinity levels surpassing World Health Organization (WHO) standards were observed in several localities by Natural Justice, raising concerns about water quality and suitability for consumption.

Beyond water pollution, the adverse effects of bauxite mining extend to air quality. A Human Rights Watch report highlights testimonies from affected villages where red dust from mining operations infiltrates homes and contaminates crops, posing health hazards. Additionally, vehicle emissions from the transportation of bauxite contribute to air pollution, exacerbating health concerns for residents along mining roads and adjacent communities. Despite the mounting evidence of health risks, SMB’s efforts to address these concerns remain inadequate.

Rise in civil unrest and conflicts Since 2015, a series of violent protests have occurred in the Boké region, in part in response to the numerous instances of community displacement, inequitable distribution of benefits, unfair compensation for loss of livelihoods and land, and the severe environmental pollution caused by bauxite mining. According to the independent SMB Community Relation Service, from 2015 to 2018, the Boké prefecture recorded 35 movements of revolts and road barricades by the communities against the mining operations of SMB.

Guinea will be hard-hit by climate change. The agricultural sector, a primary contributor to the country's GDP and employment, is vulnerable to erratic weather patterns and temperature changes, which can undermine crop yields and food security. Moreover, Guinea’s rich biodiversity will come at risk due to habitat loss as rainfall patterns and temperatures become more unpredictable. These changes will also exacerbate water scarcity, posing significant challenges for local communities and wildlife.

Emissions associated with bauxite refinery SMB plans to build a bauxite refinery powered by fossil fuels, which will have significant ramifications for Guinea’s climate commitments. In its environmental and social impact assessment on the refinery validated in April 2021, SMB indicated its plan to use a coal-burning power plant as the energy source. China’s Ministry of Commerce indicated on June 9, 2020, that six Chinese companies, including SMB,  would use coal and heavy fuel oil as the energy source for their refineries in Guinea. Yet in 2023, facing pressure from communities and civil society organizations, SMB unofficially announced it would not continue to use the coal burning plant for its refinery.

Via a subsidiary, SMB shareholder United Mining Supply (UMS) is currently constructing a natural gas-fired refinery near Dapilon. Given the connection between SMB and UMS, the company will likely shift to using this new gas-powered plant. However, there is no publicly available documentation that confirms this shift - which runs contrary to the requirements of Guinean law, which stipulates that relevant environmental and social impact assessments and feasibility studies must be accessible to civil society.

Despite being marketed as a cleaner fossil fuel, natural gas contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. When burned, natural gas emits about 0.6 kilograms of CO2 per kilowatt-hour. In the context of the refinery, which requires a large amount of energy to convert bauxite into aluminium oxide before export, the total emissions will be substantial.

Moreover, the extraction, processing, and transportation phases of natural gas operations can result in methane leakage. This is especially worrisome because methane is far more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, about 84 to 87 times more so over a 20-year period. Methane emissions occur through unintended leaks or deliberate venting and flaring. In Guinea, where regulatory oversight may not be as stringent due to technical or personnel limitations, the potential for higher-than-average leaks and losses is significant, raising concerns over the true "cleanliness" of natural gas usage.

Whatever energy source it chooses, SMB’s reliance on a fossil fuel-powered refinery locks Guinea into using dirty fuels for years due to the significant upfront costs and the long lifespan of this kind of facility. This commitment can hinder the country’s transition to greener energy sources, meaning it will be left behind as the world moves towards renewables and may fail to meet its own climate action plan. The reliance on natural gas may also result in financial losses if future policies or market trends favour renewable energies, leaving a dirty, obsolete refinery chugging along without any possible update.

Emissions from processing aluminium The majority of the bauxite mined from the SMB project is exported to China to be processed into aluminium. The production of primary aluminium, particularly the smelting of alumina into aluminium through electrolysis, is known for its high energy intensity. The aluminium industry is responsible for approximately one billion tons of CO2 equivalent annually; around 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

One of the primary reasons for the aluminium industry's significant carbon footprint is its heavy reliance on coal power. Globally, 71% of electricity generated for aluminium production comes from fossil fuels, with over 60% sourced from coal-fired power plants. China, home to more than half of the world's primary aluminium production, is particularly dependent on coal, with approximately 90% of Chinese aluminium produced using electricity from coal power plants in 2018.

The SMB project has various adverse impacts on nature and the environment, such as water pollution, land degradation, deforestation, and endangering of rare species.

Water pollution and land degradation As discussed above, SMB’s operations have resulted in damage to local waterways, both through the construction of mining infrastructure and the runoff of sediment from mines into rivers and streams. If SMB also constructs an alumina refinery, the refinery’s tailings, the materials that are left over after the process of extracting alumina from the bauxite ore (known as “red mud”), contain high concentrations of toxic waste that can spill directly into rivers and major watercourses, posing significant dangers for nearby residents and wildlife.

Destruction of natural ecosystems and endangering rare species The Boké region is home to a variety of rare and endangered species, such as the critically endangered Western Chimpanzee. Bauxite mining activities in the region have caused a rapid decline in their living conditions and are driving them from their natural habitats. The population of Western Chimpanzees in Western Africa has declined from approximately 175,000 in 1990 to an estimated 53,000 in 2019, with about half of the world’s remaining population living in Guinea. Bauxite mining continues to threaten conservation efforts by causing deforestation, the destruction of natural ecosystems, and noise pollution, which all contribute to the displacement and depopulation of protected species. According to a 2019 study by the Guinean Ministry of Mines, within the next two decades, more than 1.1 million acres (or 445,000 hectares) of natural habitat will be destroyed by bauxite mining in Guinea.

Links to impacts at the Simandou iron ore mine SMB’s parent companies are also taking a leading role in Winning Consortium Simandou (WCS), a mining group that, along with Rio Tinto Simfer,  is constructing the Simandou iron ore mine in southeastern Guinea. While the operation of the Simandou mine has yet to begin, the project has been heavily criticised for its potentially severe adverse impacts on human rights, climate, and the environment. For instance, communities surrounding the Simandou project have already suffered impacts related to loss of land, agricultural and fishing livelihoods, pollution of water sources, poor air quality and the destruction of biodiversity. Moreover, there are concerns regarding the project's transparency and accountability, as well as the potential for corruption and conflicts of interest. SMB’s pattern of negligence with respect to human rights and environmental considerations creates serious concerns about WCS’s management of human rights risks for the Simandou project.