ALPART set to re-open by June next year under a 2-phase development plan

Durrant Pate/Contributor

After much delay and missed deadlines, Alpart Bauxite Mining Company in Nain, St. Elizabeth, which was shuttered in 2019, is set to reopen by June next year.

Mining Minister, Floyd Green, made the announcement in a statement to the House of Representatives yesterday following his recent visit to China, where he met with the principals of the Chinese state-owned JISCO, which owns Apart, having bought it in 2017 and restarted operations after several years of closure. 

Minister Green told the parliament that the Chinese municipal government of the Gansu Province, where JISCO is based, has given its assurances that all efforts would be made to facilitate the timely reopening of Alpart and “encouraged JISCO to move expeditiously towards restarting operations, recognising the importance of the project to Jamaica’s economic development and the continued partnership between Jamaica and Gansu Province.”

Alpart is a significant contributor to the economies of St. Elizabeth and Manchester in the provision of jobs, goods, and services, and its closure has put a damper on the livelihoods of communities in and around these two parishes.

Path Forward

JISCO has written to Minister Green, confirming that following its extensive feasibility process, it will proceed with a two-phased modernisation programme for the Alpart refinery in Nain. The objective is to restore Alpart as a modern, competitive operation and a major player in global alumina production. 

JISCO’s redevelopment programme is designed to return the refinery to a production capacity of approximately two million tonnes of alumina annually, implemented in two phases with Phase One targeting one million tonnes per year and Phase Two adding a further one million tonnes.

Phase One, Green explained, “represents an investment of approximately US$490 million and will focus on returning the facility to operation using newer, cleaner and more efficient technologies. This investment will include the modernisation of major operational systems, upgrading of plant infrastructure, redevelopment of power generation facilities, implementation of dry-stacking technology for residue management and rehabilitation of critical rail and port infrastructure.”

In addition, the Chinese parent company has “committed to making every effort to satisfy the necessary preconditions to allow construction activities to commence before the end of this year, with the objective of an official launch before June 2027. Madam Speaker, the global alumina industry has changed, and the future of Alpart requires an operation that is more efficient, sustainable and positioned to compete internationally,” Green told the House.

Modernisation Plans

It is for this reason that Green argued that the modernisation plan includes the introduction of advanced technologies and a five-megawatt photovoltaic and energy-storage hybrid system, positioning Alpart as a green, low-carbon demonstration project. The plan also includes the rehabilitation of the hurricane-damaged Port Kaiser, recognising that the success of the refinery depends on strengthening both the plant and the critical infrastructure required to support efficient operations.

The Minister mentioned that work has already begun in key areas such as JISCO, investing approximately US$8 million in new rehabilitation equipment, including two large bulldozers, which arrived at the Kingston Port on May 30 and are now supporting accelerated reclamation of mined-out lands.

Also, advanced discussions on the longstanding issue of land titles for relocated residents with JISCO advising that some 1,233 titles were required, with approximately 350 already completed and another 56 expected to be completed during 2026. 

He emphasised that securing adequate bauxite reserves was also a critical part of the discussions, as JISCO indicated that approximately 149 million tonnes of bauxite reserves are associated with lands currently being pursued, which would support the long-term viability of refinery operations.

According to Minister Green, “after years of uncertainty, there is now renewed commitment, a defined modernisation programme and a clearer pathway towards returning this important facility to productive operation.”