A cyanide spill linked to mining activity in Guinea’s Mandiana region has caused widespread environmental damage, killing cattle and aquatic life and contaminating rivers relied upon by local communities.
The Coordination of Tournons La Page Guinée, a civil society coalition, blamed the Société minière de Mandiana (SMM) for the incident in Loïla, a district in the sub-prefecture of Koundian.
The group said interviews with affected villagers revealed the scale of the disaster, describing it as a direct consequence of “the abusive and uncontrolled use of cyanide.”
In a statement released on Sunday, the organisation warned that the toxic spill posed grave risks to public health and local livelihoods.
It said villagers now face threats to their drinking water and food supply, as rivers central to their daily lives have been polluted.
The NGO, which unites more than 250 civil society movements across 16 African and European countries, urged SMM to comply with environmental and health standards.
It also pressed the authorities to intervene, calling for stronger oversight to “end community intimidation and ensure that the mining company implements control and monitoring measures to prevent further incidents.”
Local communities have voiced anger over what they see as a violation of their fundamental rights. Residents are demanding immediate action to halt the mining operations until safety can be guaranteed.
“The pollution not only destroys livestock and aquatic life but also endangers the health and well-being of entire villages,” the coalition said.
The incident highlights growing tensions around Guinea’s mining sector, which has drawn repeated criticism from rights groups for weak environmental safeguards and its impact on rural populations. For many in Mandiana, the cyanide spill is more than an ecological crisis; it is a test of the government’s willingness to protect citizens against powerful mining interests.
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