Transport and Mining Minister, Hon. Robert Montague, says mining operations accounted for the most foreign exchange earned in 2020, the year in which the COVID-19 pandemic caused havoc for numerous sectors islandwide. Speaking in the 2021/22 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on May 26, the Minister said the mining sector remains buoyant, resilient and strong in the midst...

The Government has revised the agreement for mining in the Cockpit Country, says Minister of Transport and Mining, Hon. Robert Montague. The modifications include the removal of 6,000 hectares of land, which are adjacent to the Cockpit Country, from the original Special Mining Lease 173 (SML 173). This change resulted in Special Mining Lease 71 (SML 71), which provides additional...

Jamaica Bauxite Mining Limited (JBM) is looking to commence work to upgrade the Ocho Rios Port during the current fiscal year. This is according to the 2021/22 Public Bodies Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure, which states that the exercise will serve to enhance the facility’s business activities while maximising revenue. The document further indicates that the renovation will result in...

For March 2021, output prices for producers in the Mining and Quarrying industry increased by 3.7 per cent and by 2.8 per cent in the Manufacturing industry as released today by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN). The movement in the index for the Mining and Quarrying industry was influenced mainly by an increase of 3.8 per cent in the...

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) and the Jamaica Bauxite Institute (JBI), for implementation of the second phase of the Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI II) water harvesting and greenhouse cluster project. REDI II is valued at approximately $500 million and is being funded by the World Bank through a loan...

Minister of Transport and Mining, Hon. Robert Montague, has disclosed that mining communities across the island will benefit from more than $60 million allocated under the Bauxite Community Development Programme (BCDP). Speaking at the launch of Phase Seven of the programme, held on October 13, at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston, the Minister said the 16 members of...

The development minerals sector has received another boost from the European Union (EU)-funded Development Minerals Programme with the handover of a Training Reference Resource, produced for the industry. The training resource document is designed to boost the capacity of the sector to establish growth and build resilience into operations. There are special sections for risk management and (COVID-19) recovery and...