Bauxite & Aluminum

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Jamaican bauxites occur as pocket or blanket deposits of red earthy material on the karst surface of the Tertiary White Limestones, mainly in the interior of the island. The contact between the bauxite and the limestone is sharp, with a strong colour contrast between the dark red bauxite and the white limestone. The bauxite deposits show no internal structural characteristics and their colour is mainly a uniform dark red with localized variations from off-white to yellow, depending on the iron content. Thickness of the bauxite cover is extremely variable, ranging from a few feet to an average of about 30 feet, up to as much as 100 feet.

The JBI Mandate

  • Environmental monitoring and reporting.
  • Assessment of new plants expansion or modification of existing plants, introduction of new process technology, and waste disposal.
  • Monitoring of environmental permits, licences and approvals relating to the bauxite and alumina industry Investigation of spills and accidents.
  • Community relations and public education
  • Closure planning of the bauxite residue disposal areas.

The JBI Environmental Monitoring Programme

  • Independent sampling of total suspended particulate (TSP).
  • Verification checks of pH and sodium concentration at various water quality monitoring points agreed to by the Water Resources Authority.
  • Regular site visits to alumina plants, bauxite mines, and port facilities.
  • Quarterly and annual environmental reviews of all bauxite/alumina operations.
  • Review of environmental monitoring data and technical reports submitted by the bauxite/alumina companies and making recommendations for improvement.
The Unit is also actively involved in the formulation of national standards and regulations through its participation in NRCA Standards Sub-Committees.

Monitoring

The mining of bauxite and the processing to alumina impacts on the air and water quality, hence the need for monitoring to ensure that certain standards are achieved.

Who Monitors

In April 1994, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the JBI and the NRCA, delegating responsibility for the environmental management of the bauxite/alumina industry and the monitoring of the impacts of the local industry on the environment to the JBI. Section 6 (i) of the NRCA Act provides for the delegation of any of the Authority’s functions to any member, officer or agent of the Authority.

Under this agreement, the JBI’s mandate includes pollution control initiatives, independent monitoring of the industry, community relations and public education, with regular reporting on the environmental performance of the Industry to the NEPA. This agreement was updated and again signed in 2013.

How does the JBI carry out this role?

The JBI in collaboration with other relevant government agencies, such as the Water Resources Authority (WRA), the Environment Health Unit of the Ministry of Health and the NEPA, conducts regular environmental reviews at each company. At these reviews, performance data is evaluated and the sites are inspected.
  • Environmental monitoring programmes for air emissions
  • Water quality monitoring
  • Waste management
  • Review of environmental spills and incident.
  • Action plans to identify and address areas of concern
  • Update on the implementation of projects geared towards improving environmental quality
Regular site visits are also made outside of these reviews to all the various facilities including bauxite mining areas, alumina plants and ports. In addition, the JBI actively participates at monthly meetings held with various community councils within the respective locations.

What is the responsibility of the companies?

Each company has an Environment Department that administers an Environmental Policy as well as a monitoring and management programme. The programmes which are designed in close consultation with the JBI include pollution control measures, monitoring and public education at the mines, processing plants, ports and transportation activities.

Monitoring includes the collection of data and as such, the companies have a ambient environmental monitoring networks around each facility. These stations are located with the agreement of the JBI and the other regulators and are usually sited in communities in the case of ambient air quality. The companies own and operate the stations, collect the data and samples according to the regulatory schedules and report the results to the JBI.

The JBI conducts verification monitoring in several areas as a check on information submitted. In addition, the JBI observes equipment calibration as well as audits the records.

Measuring Standards

Air
One of the most frequent complaints from communities surrounding the bauxite mining and alumina processing plants is dust. The dust in the air can be measured and compared with the air quality standards that define the acceptable limits to protect health. The instruments measure particulate matter (PM), which is the term, used for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets in the air. The ambient air quality standards for particulate matter are:
  1. Total suspended particulates (TSP) which is a measurement of the amount of particles in the air with diameter less than or equal to 100 microns.
  2. PM10 which measures particles with diameter less than or equal to 10 microns (i.e. respirable portion).
Both of these standards have short-term and long-term values referred to as 24-hour maximum and the annual average.
Gaseous Emissions

Ambient concentrations of atmospheric gaseous emissions from the stacks at the alumina plants are also monitored on a regular basis. These include sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ozone and carbon monoxide. Ambient levels of these gases are determined by continuous samplers, which are placed within communities surrounding the respective alumina plants. These samplers are placed in areas found within the predominant wind direction as well as the opposite upwind direction. To date, the respective NRCA standards for these gases have not been exceeded.

The National Ambient Air Quality Standards (1996) and Regulations (2006) indicates the standards being observed for air quality in Jamaica. As of 2008, all companies in the local industry have applied for, and received Air Discharge Licences for their emissions

Water

On a more general approach, special attention is given to Bauxite Residue Disposal Areas (BRDA’s) management, and the technology being utilized by the local industry. The international trends are followed for potential alternate uses of bauxite residue, and the development of rare earth element (REE) extraction technology has been pursued at the JBI through linkages with Nippon Light Metals (NLM). The other types of waste generated by the bauxite and alumina facilities and the disposal of them are also monitored. This include domestic waste, as other industrial waste, asbestos, etc.

Waste Management
Within the bauxite/alumina industry the major concern for water quality is the potential for sodium contamination of surface and ground water resources through sodium migration to the aquifer from mud disposal areas or spillages and effluent/waste water disposal to surface water bodies. As a result, sodium concentration is closely monitored at various points around all the alumina facilities. However, water quality monitoring is not only restricted to sodium, but also includes pH, hardness, alkalinity, sulphate, nitrate, conductivity, chloride and total dissolved solids. Around each alumina facility several monitoring points including domestic water and monitor wells are sampled monthly and surface water bodies are analyzed weekly in some cases. The Water Resources Authority (WRA) has been instrumental in the establishment of the individual monitoring programmes. Data collected is submitted to both the JBI and the WRA for review and independent monitoring is conducted by the government agencies, as a verification check on information submitted. In addition to routine water quality monitoring, special hydro-geological studies were done to define the extent of any sodium contamination of ground water resources. It must be pointed out that domestic water supply is not affected by bauxite and alumina operations.

Closure Planning

The JBI Environment Unit has had an active role in the development of closure plans, especially for BRDA’s in the local context. The objectives of closure are primarily ecological and geochemical with attention to safety. The JBI is proud to claim international best practice for the closure works at the old Kirkvine Ponds. Development of mine closure planning objectives is cross divisional and in association with the Mines and Geology Division (MGD).

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