By Semafor AfricaPhotos: YouTube ScreenshotsGuinea’s bauxite exports jumped by 25% last year to meet soaring demand from China, with a record three-quarters of the exports going there, Reuters reported. Beijing has significantly benefited from Guinea’s mining boom: The West African nation became the world’s biggest exporter of the aluminium ore in 2023, overtaking Australia, and bauxite forms a key pillar of its economy. The rock is mostly used to make aluminum, but has other uses including in sandpaper and polishing powders. Junta-ruled Guinea is also home to vast deposits of iron ore, which China sources through the Simandou mine that began operations last year.