Mining to resume at Alpart in January -- Paulwell... said the re-commissioning of Alpart, including the refinery, port, mines and other facilitates, is expected to generate some 1,200 jobs in various capacities over the next 15 to 18 months.

Monday, December 22, 2014 | 3:41 PM 

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Mining operations linked to the Alpart bauxite/alumina plant in St Elizabeth, is set to resume next month, and the refinery will officially re-open in December, 2016, government has announced.

Energy Minister Phillip Paulwell

Science, Technology, Energy and Mining Minister, Phillip Paulwell, speaking today (December 22), at a press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister, said the agreement with Russian aluminium company, UC Rusal will facilitate the mining and export of up to two million tonnes of raw bauxite over the next 18 months, with an estimated value of US$60 million.

Paulwell said the re-commissioning of Alpart, including the refinery, port, mines and other facilitates, is expected to generate some 1,200 jobs in various capacities over the next 15 to 18 months.

“The new deal represents an expression of the Government’s commitment to ensure that the full potential of the bauxite/alumina industry is realised in the shortest possible time,” said Paulwell who added that the agreement also represents an expression of confidence on the part of UC Rusal in the future of the local bauxite and alumina sector.

Paulwell said that the newly inked deal with UC Rusal will result in a number of benefits for Jamaica.

This includes a US$400 million investment in plant modernization; transportation infrastructure works; the development of port facilities and the establishment of an ethane co-generation facility by 2016. more