In July, Guinea's bauxite market prices generally consolidated at high levels, with the center of imported bauxite CIF prices moving further upward compared to June. Meanwhile, as the impact of Guinea's rainy season gradually intensified, mine transportation, barge transport, and port loading efficiency were disrupted to some extent, and overall weekly shipments during the month were lower than June's level.
Price-wise
As of July 29, the SMM imported bauxite CIF index gradually rose from $69.98/mt at the beginning of July to $70.87/mt, accumulating a gain of $0.89/mt for the month. The average price for July was about $70.34/mt, up about $1.32/mt from the June average of $69.02/mt.
Guinean bauxite CIF prices were maintained at $71/mt at the start of the month, pulled back slightly to $70.5/mt in mid-July, and rebounded back to $71/mt at month-end. The July average was about $70.75/mt, up $1.25/mt from the June average.
In contrast, Guinean bauxite FOB prices remained stable at $39/dmt throughout July, with no significant adjustment during the month. With the FOB price at the mine end holding steady, Guinea’s bauxite CIF prices stayed relatively high, as import costs continued to be supported by ocean freight rates and supply pace factors.
Shipments-wise
As of July 24, Guinea's published bauxite shipments for the four weeks of July were 3.4063 million mt, 3.1869 million mt, 2.832 million mt, and 3.0697 million mt, respectively, showing a trend of first declining then rebounding slightly.
Total shipments over the four weeks amounted to about 12.4949 million mt, with average weekly shipments of about 3.1237 million mt, down about 16.5% from the average weekly shipments of 3.7397 million mt published for the four weeks of June. Among them, weekly shipments fell to 2.832 million mt in mid-July, then recovered to 3.0697 million mt, but still significantly below the level seen in early June.
By port, Kamsar Port’s average weekly shipments in July were about 1.8169 million mt, down about 33.9% from June, representing the main reason for the overall decline in Guinea’s shipments. Boffa Port’s average weekly shipments were about 1.1794 million mt, up about 24.8% from June, which to some extent offset the impact of the decline in shipments from Kamsar Port. Shipments from Boké and Conakry Port remained relatively limited in scale.
Compared with the same period in 2025, average weekly shipments in July for the published four weeks still increased by about 27.3% YoY, but this YoY growth was partly influenced by lower shipments in some weeks of the same period last year.
Market outlook
Entering August, Guinea will remain in a stage where the rainy season impact is still relatively pronounced. Rainfall is likely to continue disrupting mine road transportation, barge transport, and port loading efficiency, and Guinea’s weekly shipments are expected to remain low and fluctuating.
Price-wise, August long-term contract prices are under negotiation. Against the backdrop of persistently high ocean freight rates and rising mine costs, the market is experiencing divergence, with bid and offer price indication spread widening. If rainy season disruptions persist and bulk vessel supply remains tight, Guinea bauxite CIF prices may continue to find cost support. However, given that downstream procurement is mainly based on long-term contract execution with relatively limited spot transactions, room for further price increases will remain dependent on actual transaction situations.
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