Cabinet Approves Industrial Minerals Policy

Cabinet has approved an industrial minerals policy, which will capitalise on the development of the sector for the benefit of Jamaicans, says Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green.

The policy will create the framework to attract investments in industrial minerals, which include Jamaica’s limestone.

Minister Green said that industry consultations on the policy will begin before the end of June, noting that broad public discussions will also be undertaken.

He was addressing a recent minerals sector exhibition and trade show held at the Ministry’s Hope Gardens complex in St. Andrew.

The Minister said that the minerals sector, which includes bauxite, limestone, alumina, sand, gravel, among others, continues to be an important contributor to Jamaica’s economy.

Statistics from the Mines and Geology Division indicate that export earnings from bauxite and alumina alone valued approximately US$551.5 million in 2023.

The figure represents a 68 per cent increase over the $327-million export earnings in 2022.

The sector contributes an average of 2.5 per cent to the annual gross domestic product (GDP) and accounts for more than 75 per cent of the value of the country’s traditional exports.

“Over 5,000 persons are employed directly, and each day it (sector) touches 46,000 people indirectly and continues to pay some of the highest wages across any industrial sector,” the Minister said.

Reporting on developments in the bauxite-alumina industry, the Minister said he met with the owners of the Jiuquan Iron and Steel Company (JISCO)/Alpart in St. Elizabeth, and teams from the Ministry and the company are looking at a feasibility study for the reopening of the plant.

He noted that Alpart is the only high temperature alumina refinery capable of processing the bauxite found in some areas of Jamaica.

In addition, Minister Green said that both UC RUSAL and Jamalco are “doing well,” and Windalco has remained on the “trajectory that we have agreed”.

He said that Windalco, which is based in Ewarton, St. Catherine, has made significant investment in the buildout of its waste retention facility, which is now operational.

The company built a secondary holding pond to accommodate spillage from the primary pond and to prevent effluent from reaching the Rio Cobre.