Jamaica optimistic about reopening of Alpart refinery on June 20, JISCO has bigger plans for the plant

With Alpart refinery in Jamaica set to resume alumina refining operations from June 20, after an eight-year shutdown, the owners as well as local people are expecting the plant to gradually return to its annual production capacity of 1.65 million tonnes in early 2018 boosting  job opportunities and economic growth. 

Its Chinese owners Jiquan Iron and Steel (JISCO) however, have bigger plans. JISCO is planning the construction of a second alumina refinery close to the 49-year-old Alpart plant subjected to the availability of bauxite.

Sun Jing, assistant managing director of JISCO Alpart Jamaica explained to opposition leader Peter Phillips and a People's National Party (PNP) team on Friday that the new plant would have an annual alumina capacity of two million tonnes and would be commissioned by late 2020 if current plans for construction take place accordingly.

Sun conceded that meeting next year's deadline for the planned second Alpart refinery will be tough unless the Jamaican Government can facilitate the extra bauxite supply. The plant will also require necessary approvals from nation's environmental watchdog, National Environment and Planning Agency etc.

Currently Alpart's permits allow for mining of the Manchester Plateau of southern and central Manchester and the Essex Valley.  According to Sun, those reserves are “just enough for the existing refinery”.  JISCO Alpart executive pointed out that Jamaica had bauxite reserves extending as far north as St Ann and easterly to St Catherine, which can be mined if Alpart can get a licence in future.

According to sources, the new Alpart plant would be a “high-temperature” type — superior to the current refining processes available and would be able to refine low grade bauxite.

Phillip Paulwell — the former mining, energy and investment minister played an important role in the sale of Alpart by UC Rusal to JISCO for US$300 million. He said it was a big step towards building up a value-added industries made possible by Chinese company's “massive investment”.

They talked about an industrial zone extending to the eventual smelting of aluminium — which would be a first for Jamaica.

“I believe eventually we will have an energy solution that will make aluminium smelting viable in Jamaica… that is where the ultimate solution is,” Paulwell said.

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The company representatives told the media that for the immediate future, a “target” of June 20 had been set for restarting of alumina refining at Alpart after eight years due to the global financial crash, accompanied by plummeting metal prices, even as oil prices stayed high at that time.

Patrick James, Alpart's assistant managing director said that, mining of bauxite on the Manchester Plateau to supply the resumption of alumina refining will begin this week and the actual transporting of the bauxite to the plant at Nain would begin on June 8.