Guinea bauxite output falls 16.4 pct in 2009

Write: Beaumont [2011-05-20]

CONAKRY, March 23 - Guinea's annual output of the aluminium ore baxite fell by 16.4 percent in 2009 versus 2008, according to a government document.
The West African country, which depends on mineral exports for much of its foreign currency income, also produced 15.8 percent less alumina in 2009 than it did in 2008, figures from the finance ministry document showed.

Guinea, the world's biggest exporter of bauxite, is trying to emerge from a political crisis which has disrupted relations between the government and some mining firms, and slowed the pace of business since a military coup in December 2008.

Total production of bauxite was 14,774,200 tonnes in 2009, and total production of alumina was 500,400 tonnes.

A similar document in December said bauxite production was down 22.9 percent in the first nine months of the year, a fall blamed parlty on "institutional instability." Resources firms Alcan, Rio Tinto and RUSAL are active in Guinea's bauxite and alumina industry.