Guinea's Chinese mining accord - deal or no deal?

* Mines Ministry officials question reported deal

* Would allow Guinea to ignore international sanctions

By Daniel Magnowski and Saliou Samb

CONAKRY, Nov 10 (Reuters) - A reported $7 billion deal between Guinea and China Investment Fund (CIF) has left Guinean government officials in the dark and foreign diplomats worried the ruling junta could use the cash to ride out sanctions.

The West African country's trade minister told a domestic website last month that Guinea was in talks with CIF, a Hong Kong-based group, about a minerals and oil deal. [ID:nN15312204]

The Chinese government has since said it is not involved in any such investment, the group itself has not confirmed it, and Guinean officials could give no details.

"I've not seen anything, I've not been part of any meeting," said Nene Moussa Camara, director of communications at the Mines Ministry. "I don't know anything."

Guinea, the world's biggest exporter of aluminium ore bauxite, also produces gold, and is a potentially huge source of iron ore. Despite ownership disputes with successive governments, some of the world's biggest resources firms including UC RUSAL, Rio Tinto (RIO.L) (RIO.AX) and Alcoa (AA.N) operate there.