Guyana government reviewing domestic bauxite industry

The Guyana government is reviewing the domestic bauxite industry that started operating last year marking the centennial of the bauxite industry in the country. The government is waiting for a report on bauxite industry so that they can decide whether to build another alumina plant in the country and to determine the future plans for the industry.

Natural Resources Raphael Trotman said, “We are currently reviewing the industry to see where our reserves are and the future of the industry.”  He said the review also “includes a decision as to whether or not we should have another alumina plant in the country.”

Lance Carberry and Sylvester Carmichael, two veterans within the industry, are currently reviewing the industry. The review is expected to be completed before the end of May.

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Guyana government decided to review the relevance of the bauxite industry because of the falling demand of alumina globally. In October 2016, Guyana celebrated 100 years of bauxite mining. Bosai Minerals and Rusal are the two bauxite producing companies operating in the country.

Guyana lost its leading status among world bauxite producers in the 1960’s. The alumina factory had to be closed, and alumina export of calcined ore declined by one half from around 600,000 tonnes.

Trotman said the David Granger government is thinking fuelling the alumina plant with the natural gas that it has found, along with oil.