Jamaica is recognised for its tourism and bauxite industries. Jamaica is the world’s fourth largest bauxite producer, after Australia,Brazil and Guinea.
There is considerable potential in parts of the industrial mineral sector. Jamaica's calcium carbonate resources include 152,000 Mt of recoverable limestone, 350 Mt of recoverable marble, and about 350 Mt of high purity, high brightness ground calcium carbonate (GCC) or whiting appropriate for filler-grade material. GCC is now the second most important mineral exported from Jamaica after bauxite.
As well as marble from St. Catherine’s Parish, Jamaica has been producing salt, silica sand, and stone. Some semi-precious stones like agates, jasper and carnelian are used in an indigenous jewellery industry while some mineral and spring water is being marketed abroad. Clays (80% of which are naturally coloured red) are available to produce commercial quantities of ceramics and building components. The existing reserves are 250 Mt including disordered kaolinite (near white to buff firing), red firing illite to montmorillonite and light firing clays. Most of the island’s gypsum is in the Bull Bay area of eastern St. Andrew and western St. Thomas.
1) Mineral Resource Development Project
The Government of Jamaica (GOJ) through the Mines and Geology Division (MGD) in collaboration with the Government of the CZECH Republic through their executing agency GET Ltd is currently implementing a Mineral Resource Development Project in Jamaica.
Objectives of Project:
Identify non-metallic mineral deposits suitable for rapid economic development
Assist existing quarry operators to improve their quarrying and restoration practices
Quarrying and restoration plans will be developed for selected deposits along with recommendations for appropriate crushing and grinding equipment. The project will also supply laboratory rock testing equipment to the MGD and assist in the training of quarry inspectors.
Metholody:
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- Volcanic rock deposits in the parishes of St. Andrew, St. Mary and Hanover have been identified and tested for use as high performance aggregate in the building and construction sector and also as skid resistance aggregate for use on surface pavements of roads and runways. The crushing technology for the deposits has been recommended.
A high Magnesium Limestone deposit in Trelawny has been evaluated and quarrying and restoration plans developed.
High Purity/high Brightness Limestone deposit in Trelawny has been evaluated and Quarry/Restoration Plans developed.
Laboratory equipment installed at MGD
Selected quarry operators are to be trained in proper quarrying techniques.
2) Sedimentary Basin Resource Assessment (SEBRA) Project
The Mines and Geology Division (MGD) of the Ministry of Land and Environment and the Department of Geography and Geology, University of the West Indies are currently implementing a ($ 8.5 m) Sedimentary Basin Resource Assessment (SEBRA) Project being funded by the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica.
Objectives of Project:
The study will include the identification and characterization of fluvial sand and gravel deposits, focusing on locations, drainage basin geology, hydrogeology, geomorphology, sediment compositions and characteristics, rate of extraction, sediment transportation and replenishment rates, aquifer characteristics, land use practices and current levels of environmental degradation.
Project Goals:
- Determine the variations between supply and demand and ascertain whether present supply and sources of fluvial sands and gravels can meet the growing demand of the building and construction sector and the resultant increase in rates of extraction by quarry operators, and identify alternative sources.
- Comprehensive assessment of the economic potential of sand/gravel resources (sediment supply, depositional patterns and reserves) and identification of the factors affecting the occurrence and development of these resources (including environmental impacts).
- Identify ways of evaluating and mitigating significant negative impacts of sand/gravel quarrying on the environment and on the vulnerability of host communities.
- Aid in stemming the increasing growth of illegal/unregulated sand/gravel quarries along rivers by making more information available to the public on the importance of sand and gravel as an economic resource and the adverse effects of unregulated sand/gravel quarrying on host communities and the environment and thus encourage greater community stewardship over this resource.
