COMMUNITY AUDIT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS OF THE SOCIÉTÉ MINIÈRE DE BOKÉ IN GUINEA

This community audit, published by Natural Justice in February 2023, documents the environmental and social impacts of bauxite mining operations by the Société Minière de Boké (SMB) in the Boké region of Guinea. Based on consultations across 24 villages, the report identifies systemic violations of rights to a healthy environment, land ownership, water access, and health, while calling for a Livelihoods Restoration Plan and the abandonment of a proposed coal-fired power plant.

• The Société Minière de Boké (SMB) has caused significant air pollution through dust emissions from bauxite extraction and transport, particularly on unpaved roads. This dust is linked to respiratory illnesses such as sinusitis and pneumonia among local residents and has reduced agricultural productivity by hindering plant photosynthesis and pollination.
• Local communities have been dispossessed of their lands through illegal expropriation and the disregard of customary land rights. SMB has frequently claimed that disputed lands are state property to avoid recognizing these rights.
• Compensation provided by SMB to affected persons (PAPs) is described as derisory, often consisting of lump sum payments that are lower than the actual losses and fail to meet replacement costs. The process lacks transparency, as communities were not involved in establishing the compensation matrix and had no access to census documents.
• Mining activities have severely compromised access to drinking water through the pollution of springheads and water tables. Runoff from mines and roads has caused turbidity and contamination, forcing some residents to walk several kilometers to find water or dig makeshift points.
• Water quality analysis in impacted localities revealed high acidity (pH values of 4.12 and 4.25 in Katougouma) and salinity levels exceeding WHO standards (above 35 ppt) in 10 out of 25 sampling sites, including Kringkong, Hafia, and Lansanaya.
• The report documents a rise in respiratory and gastric diseases, as well as the emergence of HIV/AIDS in areas like Diakhabia following SMB's arrival. Additionally, blasting activities have caused physical accidents, including a case where a youth was struck by a bauxite projectile.
• Agricultural livelihoods have declined due to land grabbing and environmental degradation. In Katougouma, formerly a regional granary, communities now rely on imported rice. Runoff from SMB's evacuation channels has also flooded and damaged rice crops.
• There is a systemic lack of transparency and community participation regarding Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs). 100% of survey respondents stated they were never informed about the ESIA process or the census before implementation.
• Communities are demanding that SMB abandon the construction of a coal-fired power plant intended to provide energy for an alumina refinery, citing the technology as highly polluting.

APA

Natural Justice (2023). COMMUNITY AUDIT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS OF THE SOCIÉTÉ MINIÈRE DE BOKÉ IN GUINEA. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/COMMUNITY-AUDIT-OF-ENVIRONMENTAL-AND-SOCIAL-IMPACTS-OF-THE-SOCIETE-MINIERE-DE-BOKE-IN-GUINEA.pdf

Chicago

Natural Justice. COMMUNITY AUDIT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS OF THE SOCIÉTÉ MINIÈRE DE BOKÉ IN GUINEA. 2023. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/COMMUNITY-AUDIT-OF-ENVIRONMENTAL-AND-SOCIAL-IMPACTS-OF-THE-SOCIETE-MINIERE-DE-BOKE-IN-GUINEA.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Natural Justice |title=COMMUNITY AUDIT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS OF THE SOCIÉTÉ MINIÈRE DE BOKÉ IN GUINEA |date=February 2023 |url=https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/COMMUNITY-AUDIT-OF-ENVIRONMENTAL-AND-SOCIAL-IMPACTS-OF-THE-SOCIETE-MINIERE-DE-BOKE-IN-GUINEA.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{naturaljustice2023community, author = {{Natural Justice}}, title = {{COMMUNITY AUDIT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS OF THE SOCIÉTÉ MINIÈRE DE BOKÉ IN GUINEA}}, institution = {Natural Justice}, year = {2023}, month = feb, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/COMMUNITY-AUDIT-OF-ENVIRONMENTAL-AND-SOCIAL-IMPACTS-OF-THE-SOCIETE-MINIERE-DE-BOKE-IN-GUINEA.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }