JISCO Alpart, specialised in the refining of bauxite ore into alumina, is eyeing to mine more ore to feed its refinery, which is expanding at a cost of US$1.1 billion. As per the report, the bauxite-alumina producer will dig through 700 acres of land known as the ‘Outer Valley,’ requiring the relocation of small farmers.
JISCO already has a prospecting licence for mining – SEPL 541 Outer Valley. The land has inhabitants of communities of Pepper, Long Hill, Friendship, Fellowship, Southampton, Northampton, Goshen, Gilnock, Santa Cruz, Mitchell and Peru Pen.
The environmental impact assessment report of the mining, done by EnviroPlanners Limited, notes that the Outer Valley holds “the quantity and quality of bauxite required by JISCO Alpart for a viable plant upgrade and expansion investment.”
The report also notes, “The ore bodies identified in the proposed site are located on lands that are owned by JISCO and are already significantly disturbed.”
The JISCO Alpart’s US$1.1 billion expansion plan represents one of the largest investments in Jamaica to boost alumina production from 1.65 million tonnes to 2 million tonnes per year. The expansion was initially planned in March 2020 but deferred due to the deadly COVID-19 pandemic across the world, leading to lockdowns and business disruptions.
But JISCO Deputy General Manager Sun Jing clarified that they utilised the time in revising its modernisation plan to incorporate additional lands for bauxite mining. They also prepared the minutes and submitted to NEPA.
JISCO Alpart expects to secure approximately 15 million dry metric tonnes of bauxite in the Outer Valley area.
Regarding the relocation of farmers, Dr Timon Waugh, General Manager of EnviroPlanners and lead consultant for the EIA, said the farmers would be given adequate time to relocate from the area. He also said the mined-out lands would be restored so that they could be farmed again.
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