Sierra Mineral Holdings 1 Limited is the nation’s largest operational bauxite mine company, promoting sustainable resource development and driving communities through local employment opportunities.
THE FUTURE OF RESPONSIBLE MINING
Sierra Minerals Holdings I Limited (SMHL), a prominent bauxite mine headquartered in Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown, is forging a path of sustainable resource development and community empowerment within the nation’s thriving mining sector.
As the largest operational bauxite mine in the country, SMHL holds a mining lease covering 322 square kilometres (sqkm) within a geologically distinct section of the mineral-rich belt.
Unlike the bauxite found in the Guinea deposits, its ore is characterised by more favourable mineralogical properties. The absence of monoxidic minerals significantly reduces the energy required for chemical processing at the buyer’s refineries.
Additionally, the bauxite’s soft consistency allows for efficient excavation without the need for prior blasting.
Operating across the Moyamba, Bonthe, and Bo Districts in the Southern Province of Sierra Leone – an area located approximately 60 kilometres east of Sherbro Island and accessible by road from Freetown – SMHL underscores its commitment to industry guidelines and standards.
The company’s primary operational focus within the Moyamba District is balanced by an admiral dedication to community development and focus on sustainability.
Its environmental and safety policy statements are well defined and precise, guiding their approach to maintaining environmental stewardship within the region.
Beyond operational excellence, SMHL actively champions local empowerment via employment opportunities, reflected in the composition of its management and contractors.
This commitment to local talent cultivates a skilled workforce and fosters economic growth within the communities it serves.
FROM EXPLORATION TO EXPORT
SMHL oversees a comprehensive and carefully managed process that spans geological exploration to the final export of high-quality bauxite.
The journey begins with the identification of the most promising resource areas, a task undertaken by SMHL’s highly skilled team of geologists. These specialists utilise advanced exploration tools, including satellite imagery, drilling, and pitting, to accurately delineate mineral resources within the company’s 322 sqkm mining lease.
Once target zones are confirmed, open-pit mining is conducted primarily on hill slopes. The extracted ore is transported by trucks to a beneficiation plant for processing. At this stage, the ore undergoes a wet screening process aimed at removing fine fractions below 2.5 millimetres.
These finer materials typically contain elevated levels of silica and iron, which are considered contaminants in alumina production. By eliminating them, SMHL not only significantly improves the ore’s metallurgical quality but also enhances its handling and transport characteristics by reducing stickiness in high-moisture conditions.
Following beneficiation, haulage operations – mostly outsourced – move the upgraded ore from the plant to the Nitti-2 loading port (Nitti-2).
Throughout the mining and logistics chain, SMHL rigorously complies with the highest safety standards in line with Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) guidelines, ensuring a safe and efficient working environment.
At Nitti-2, bauxite is sorted and stockpiled according to quality grades to enable optimal blending and handling. Moisture reduction is achieved through sun drying, ensuring the product meets the required specifications for shipping.
The dried bauxite is then transhipped using barges and push boats from Nitti-2 to a deep-water loading buoy – Buoy 4 – located 32 nautical miles offshore.
SMHL is currently capable of loading vessels with a deadweight tonnage of up to 60,000 tonnes at this offshore facility. The final product is exported from Sierra Leone under Free On Board (FOB) terms, ready for delivery to international clients.
COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENT
SMHL’s operations are based on a strong policy framework, including legal compliance and a commitment to sustainability.
The company follows all applicable Sierra Leonean laws and regulations, such as the Environment Protection Agency Act, 2021 and the Local Content Agency Act, 2016.
Notably, SMHL produces premium washed bauxite – a high-grade gibbsite suited to low-temperature aluminium refineries.
To produce this sought-after version of the mineral, the company crushes run-of-mine bauxite before wet screening it on inclined or vibrating screens to refine it, which produces a washed product.
SMHL’s current production of premium washed bauxite is 1.7 million tonnes per annum (t/pa).
Sustainable development is also key to SMHL’s operations and includes health, safety, environmental (HSE), and community development management policies.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is very important to the company, with many of its activities seeking to support local communities and, in turn, provide its mines with a social licence to operate.
SMHL’s health and safety vision, ‘Safety First, Safety Always’, focuses on both the human and technical aspects of bauxite mining, fostering a culture that places safety at the forefront.
The company is equally committed to environmental protection, preserving the site’s natural surroundings throughout the mining process.
SMHL was amongst the first mining companies in Sierra Leone to sign a community development agreement with the government and communities, establishing a formal, legally-binding framework for benefit sharing, community development, and conflict prevention.
As such, project-affected areas can use this process to address local needs and ensure sustainable infrastructure.
SMHL also practices CSR in this context, working with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), health providers, and government agencies.
Elsewhere, the company helps rebuild public roads and infrastructure to support the local community.
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE
SMHL, in collaboration with the Community Development Committee (CDC), plays a vital role in complementing the Government of Sierra Leone’s efforts to promote education.
Its annual scholarship award programme benefits indigenes of the affected bauxite mining operational chiefdoms – Dasse, Lower Banta, and Upper Banta in the Moyamba District; Bumpe Ngao in the Bo District; and Kpanda Kemoh in the Bonthe District.
This year’s programme saw a significant investment of SLE3,115,000 awarded to 723 students enrolled in various tertiary institutions across Sierra Leone.
The initiative is aimed at enhancing the skills, knowledge, and cognitive capacities of individuals from SMHL’s host communities, improving their employability and enabling access to higher-paying job opportunities – particularly within the company itself.
Human Resources Director Zhanna Volosevich emphasised the company’s strong commitment to sustainable community development and its understanding of the vital role that development funds play in delivering long-term social and economic benefits.
She also acknowledged the Government of Sierra Leone’s robust policy framework for improving mining governance and community engagement.
FUTURE FOCUS
Looking ahead, SMHL is in the final stages of securing investment for the development of the northern section of its mining concession.
This expansion plan includes the construction of a new high-capacity beneficiation plant with an annual processing capability exceeding 4.5 million tonnes.
Additionally, the company plans to transition to shipping via ocean-going vessels with a deadweight capacity of up to 200,000 tonnes.
This strategic development is expected to significantly boost the region’s economic prospects by creating a substantial number of new jobs and catalysing wider infrastructural growth.
It reflects SMHL’s continued commitment to fostering local empowerment, sustainable growth, and inclusive development in the areas where it operates.
