Production, refining and reserves
| Commodity | Metric | Value | World rank · share | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bauxite | Mine production 2022 | 910,000 t bauxite (basis as labelled) | #14 · 0.2% | USGS Minerals Yearbook 2022 (bauxite and alumina), table 11 |
| Bauxite | Reserves 2012 | 180 million t bauxite (dry equivalent weight) | #14 · 0.6% | USGS MCS 2013 |
| Titanium (rutile) | Mine production 2025 | 110,000 t TiO2 content | #2 · 24% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Titanium (rutile) | Reserves 2025 | 2.9 million t TiO2 content | #3 · 6% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Zirconium (zircon) | Mine production 2025 | 25,000 t zircon mineral concentrates (gross weight) | #9 · 2% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Zirconium (zircon) | Reserves 2025 | 290,000 t ZrO2 content | #9 · 0.4% | USGS MCS 2026 |
Policies and export measures
Policy tracker →2023-05-12 · incentive
Mines and Minerals Development Act, 2022 (Act No. 16 of 2023)
Repeals and replaces the Mines and Minerals Act 2009. The Minister may, on Agency recommendation and Cabinet approval, declare a mineral strategic, and strategic-mineral licences are awarded only by public tender. For large-scale mining licences the State acquires a 10% non-dilutable free carried interest and up to 35% on agreed terms; holders pay at least 1% of gross revenue into a community development fund.
Source: SierraLII (Sierra Leone Legal Information Institute)
Trade in critical minerals
Exports 2024$264 m
- Titanium (ilmenite)*$176 mto China 41%, Germany 22%, Belgium 13% · 17 more
- Zirconium (zircon)$43 mto China 100%
- Bauxite$24 mto Ireland 65%, Greece 20%, China 16%
- Aluminium$9 mto India 69%, Thailand 18%, Saudi Arabia 11% · 1 more
- Copper$7 mto India 64%, South Korea 21%, Japan 14% · 1 more
- Tantalum*$4 mto China 92%, Malaysia 5%, Czechia 2% · 1 more
- Zinc$394 kto India 100%, Netherlands 0%
- Lithium*$19 kto China 87%, United Kingdom 13%, South Africa 0%
and 3 more commodities
Imports 2024$1 m
- Potash$849 kfrom Germany 94%, Portugal 4%, Netherlands 1% · 1 more
- Boron$121 kfrom India 100%
- Manganese$100 kfrom India 99%, Türkiye 1%
- Tungsten$53 kfrom Australia 100%
- Rare earths$19 kfrom India 83%, South Africa 13%, China 4%
- Graphite (synthetic)$14 kfrom India 100%
- Aluminium$14 kfrom India 100%
- Tin$1 kfrom India 100%
and 6 more commodities
Trade values in current US dollars (ores, concentrates, intermediates, chemicals and refined metal), not prices. * Includes HS codes that also cover other products. Source: CEPII BACI (HS22), Etalab Open Licence 2.0 — details.
Fiscal regime for mining
No fiscal terms recorded for Sierra Leone yet.
Mines and facilities (4)
- Gangama dry mine (Sierra Rutile Area 1)Mine · In production · SouthernTitanium (rutile), Titanium (ilmenite), Zirconium (zircon)
- Gondama bauxite mine (Sierra Mineral Holdings)Mine · Care & maintenance · SouthernBauxite
- Lanti dry mine (Sierra Rutile Area 1)Mine · In production · SouthernTitanium (rutile), Titanium (ilmenite), Zirconium (zircon)
- Sembehun mineral sands projectProject · Development · SouthernTitanium (rutile), Titanium (ilmenite)
Latest news
All news →No news items for Sierra Leone yet.