A recent military coup in West Africa has put the Republic of Guinea in the world’s spotlight. While this small country ranks among the world’s poorest, its abundant mineral wealth, including bauxite and iron ore, make it strategically important to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Guinea is only 94,981 square miles in size and is home to a scant 12.7 million people. Located in the southeastern portion of this country is the gigantic untapped Simandou mine. A 2019 report by Winning Shipping of Singapore states this mine holds over 2.6 billion tons of superior-grade iron ore (more than 60 percent Fe content) that is shallow and easily accessible but remains untouched. By comparison, China is ranked fourth in the world for its 20 billion tons of iron ore, but unlike Guinea, 98 percent of China’s iron ore is graded as poor quality (35 percent Fe content) and buried deep making …