Emirates Global Aluminium’s bauxite mining and export subsidiary, Guinea Alumina Corporation (GAC), has awarded a significant mining contract to a Guinean firm.

The contract award to Guinéenne de Prestation et de Construction is believed to be one of the largest ever to a fully-local mining contractor, and has a value of over $34 million over the next 16 months, reported Emirates news agency WAM.

As a result of the contract, Guinéenne de Prestation et de Construction expects to expand its workforce by 57 people to over 300.

EGA aims to double its contribution to the economy in the countries where it operates – the United Arab Emirates and Guinea – by 2040. This will be achieved by growing EGA’s own business, increasing local procurement, and localising employment. In the UAE, EGA also sells metal to local customer companies creating further economic value.

Guinéenne de Prestation et de Construction has provided civil engineering services to GAC since 2020, and the contract is the company’s first in mining services. Guinéenne de Prestation et de Construction will be responsible for mining and crushing bauxite ore, and moving it to GAC’s railhead.

Like all contractors on GAC sites, Guinéenne de Prestation et de Construction will work to GAC’s safety requirements and under the supervision of GAC’s contractor management team which includes safety experts.

Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of EGA, said: "This is an important contract award to a Guinean company, which will directly grow our contribution to the Guinean economy as well as building local capability in the mining supply chain. Driving sustainable economic growth is one way we fulfil our purpose of innovating aluminium to make modern life possible."

Kaba Amadou, President and Chief Executive Officer of Guinéenne de Prestation et de Construction, said: "I thank GAC for their trust in us as we expand our business into contract mining. Our commitment is to deliver tonnes to GAC safely, efficiently, and on specification. Mining is an important sector in our economy. It is imperative that we grow businesses in the mining supply chain if we are to capture the full benefits of this sector for the Guinean people."

The construction of GAC was one of the largest greenfield investments in Guinea in the past 40 years. Some 2,600 people now work at GAC.