AUDIT COMMUNAUTAIRE DES IMPACTS ENVIRONNEMENTAUX ET SOCIAUX DE LA SOCIÉTÉ MINIÈRE DE BOKÉ EN GUINÉE

A 2023 community audit by Natural Justice reports that the Société Minière de Boké (SMB) has caused severe environmental degradation, including water and air pollution and loss of agricultural land, in the Boké region of Guinea. The report documents systemic violations of Guinean constitutional and environmental laws, a lack of transparent community consultation regarding impact assessments, and demands the abandonment of a proposed coal-fired power plant.

• The Société Minière de Boké (SMB) has caused significant environmental pollution in the Boké region, specifically affecting water sources and air quality. Communities report strong pollution of water points and headwaters, as well as excessive dust deposits on vegetation that hinder pollination and reduce agricultural productivity.
• Mining operations have led to the loss of agricultural land and the degradation of remaining plots. The report highlights the expropriation of cultivation lands, mangroves, and hunting zones, as well as the destruction of rice fields caused by runoff water from drainage channels installed during the construction of mining roads.
• The audit identifies multiple legal violations by SMB, including breaches of the 2020 Guinean Constitution regarding the right to a healthy environment, the 2019 Environmental Code concerning air, soil, and water pollution, and the 2013 Mining Code regarding exploitation permits and Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs).
• There is a systemic failure in transparency and community participation. 100% of surveyed community members stated they were never informed about the ESIA process or the census before implementation, indicating that the compensation process does not meet national or international requirements for consultation.
• The communities have demanded that SMB abandon the construction of a coal-fired power plant intended to power an alumina refinery, citing the technology as highly polluting with uncontrollable negative consequences for the environment and local populations.
• Community demands include the urgent implementation of a Livelihood Restoration Plan (PRMS) within 10 months, the restoration of degraded lands within 12 months, and the establishment of a joint community-SMB mechanism for conflict and grievance management within 6 months.
• The report notes that while the Guinean state is a 10% shareholder in the SMB-Winning consortium, local communities feel a lack of state presence and protection of their rights, with 77% of respondents indicating they do not feel the presence of the decentralized administration in protecting their rights.
• SMB's production of bauxite has grown rapidly since its 2015 start, producing over 50 million tonnes in 2020, making it the leading producer in Guinea. This growth is supported by several industrial exploitation permits covering areas in Dabiss and Malapouya.

APA

Natural Justice (2023). AUDIT COMMUNAUTAIRE DES IMPACTS ENVIRONNEMENTAUX ET SOCIAUX DE LA SOCIÉTÉ MINIÈRE DE BOKÉ EN GUINÉE. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Rapport-Final-Fevrier-2023_FR_WEB-1.pdf

Chicago

Natural Justice. AUDIT COMMUNAUTAIRE DES IMPACTS ENVIRONNEMENTAUX ET SOCIAUX DE LA SOCIÉTÉ MINIÈRE DE BOKÉ EN GUINÉE. 2023. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Rapport-Final-Fevrier-2023_FR_WEB-1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Natural Justice |title=AUDIT COMMUNAUTAIRE DES IMPACTS ENVIRONNEMENTAUX ET SOCIAUX DE LA SOCIÉTÉ MINIÈRE DE BOKÉ EN GUINÉE |date=February 2023 |url=https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Rapport-Final-Fevrier-2023_FR_WEB-1.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{naturaljustice2023audit, author = {{Natural Justice}}, title = {{AUDIT COMMUNAUTAIRE DES IMPACTS ENVIRONNEMENTAUX ET SOCIAUX DE LA SOCIÉTÉ MINIÈRE DE BOKÉ EN GUINÉE}}, institution = {Natural Justice}, year = {2023}, month = feb, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Rapport-Final-Fevrier-2023_FR_WEB-1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }