Adv
LANGUAGES
English
Hindi
Spanish
French
German
Chinese_Simplified
Chinese_Traditional
Japanese
Russian
Arabic
Portuguese
Bengali
Italian
Dutch
Greek
Korean
Turkish
Vietnamese
Hebrew
Polish
Ukrainian
Indonesian
Thai
Swedish
Romanian
Hungarian
Czech
Finnish
Danish
Filipino
Malay
Swahili
Tamil
Telugu
Gujarati
Marathi
Kannada
Malayalam
Punjabi
Urdu
AL CIRCLE

Alumina-filled train derailment at Windalco prompts track repair work

EDITED BY : 3MINS READ

Repair work is under way in Bog Walk Gorge, St Catherine, Jamaica, after three alumina-filled cars from a Windalco bauxite train derailed on August 9 at the entrance of the rail tunnel. The cars plunged into the Rio Cobre and knocked down a utility pole, causing major transport and power disruptions. UC Rusal, operator of the Windalco plant in Ewarton, is leading efforts to restore the damaged section of the railway.

Alumina-filled train derailment at Windalco

{alcircleadd}

Immediate disruptions and power outages

Due to the derailment, the gorge was temporarily closed, and as a result, vehicular traffic was halted, causing delays throughout St Catherine and neighbouring parishes. Jamaica Public Service (JPS) crews were sent to replace the broken pole and restore electricity to the communities affected. Most of the affected areas have seen power restored, but a few residents close to the gorge are still waiting for service because their infrastructure is close to the river and sustained damage.

Recovery of alumina and track restoration

Glendon Johnson, Human Resource Director of UC Rusal , said the repairs are for restoring the track for vehicles that will extract alumina from the submerged cars before they are removed. Crews are dealing with the difficult terrain and the stress of the fragile recovery to limit damage and contamination of the environment in the Rio Cobre. A UC Rusal investigation team is at the site to determine what caused the derailment. However, residents living alongside the track claimed that no maintenance work was carried out on the railway line in the past years.

Also read: Aughinish alumina project under survey by Environment Protection Agency

Ministerial oversight and safety concerns

Mining Minister Floyd Green responded swiftly, directing the Jamaica Bauxite Institute and the Mining Division to conduct a joint probe into the derailment. “We are committed to a full and transparent investigation and will implement measures to prevent future incidents,” Green stated. He added that the Ministry will monitor the situation closely, support remediation efforts, and promptly share findings and recommendations when available.

The incident has rekindled local concerns over the upkeep of the country's rail systems. Residents living near the track say they have not seen regular maintenance for many years. Their concerns echo earlier conversations about the safety of the route, which is also used by the Jamaica Railway Corporation for student transport services, which resumed operation in 2022.

Reinforcing the backbone of Jamaica’s mining exports

Though there were no injuries reported, the derailment highlights the operational risks in Jamaica's bauxite-alumina sector, a critical component of the nation's mining industry. The Rio Cobre has a history of environmental stress from various industries, which makes the safe recovery of alumina of utmost importance.

In a broader context, rail-related disruptions have, in the past, affected bauxite supply chains in other regions, leading to fluctuations in alumina prices and delivery schedules. The Bog Walk Gorge incident highlights the critical need for proactive infrastructure maintenance to safeguard operational stability in a sector that plays a vital role in Jamaica’s export economy.

To get the alumina market update, read our report: Global Bauxite and Alumina Industry Outlook 2025

Adv
Adv
Adv
Adv
Adv
Adv
Adv
EDITED BY : 3MINS READ

Responses

Adv
Adv
Adv
Loading...
Adv
Adv
Adv
Loading...
Reports VIEW ALL
Loading...
Loading...
Business Leads VIEW ON AL BIZ
Loading...
Adv
Adv
Would you like to be
featured with us?
Loading...

AL Circle News App
AL Biz App

A proud
ASI member
© 2025 AL Circle. All rights reserved. AL Circle is not responsible for content from external sources.