The JBI works closely with the office of the Commissioner of Mines in ensuring that land disturbed for bauxite mining is satisfactorily restored and certified. The ultimate responsibility for bauxite land reclamation rests with the Commissioner of Mines, in accordance with the country’s Mining Regulations.
The Bauxite Lands Division of the JBI implements planning and research programmes to facilitate the optimal utilization of mined-out bauxite lands. The JBI’s objectives regarding reclamation and the use of mined out lands include:
Restoring Mined-Out Bauxite Land
Bauxite in Jamaica occurs primarily in the parishes of St. Elizabeth, Manchester, Clarendon, St. Ann and St. Catherine. Approximately thirteen million tonnes are mined each year.
As part of its mandate, the JBI manages the use of bauxite land in both the pre-mining and post-mining stage and together with the Commissioner of Mines ensures that pre-mining, mining and post-mining activities take place in sync with consistent environmental management practices.
Changes in Regulations
In 2004 the Regulations of the Mining Act were amended to encourage timely restoration of mined-out bauxite lands. These changes include the introduction of a time frame of two years by which reclamation exercises must be completed and an increase in the penalty fees of US$25,000 per hectare if the mined-out area is not reclaimed within two years.
The companies have schedules for restoration in keeping with the new regulation and are required to reclaim any backlog they may have by 2011.
Uses of Mined-Out Lands
Putting mined-out land to productive and profitable use is a critical aspect of land management in the bauxite and alumina industry, especially considering the growing demand for land for residential, agricultural and public uses.
Agriculture
Research has shown that crops such as coffee, yam, peanut and other crops flourish on mined-out lands. Orchard crops such as ackee, avocado, and pimento, if properly managed, will also do well on this reclaimed land. The cultivation of potato, yam and cassava has proved to be very successful on mined-out lands in central and southern Manchester. Similarly, peanut, peppermint, cucumber and orchard crops have produced good yields in Manchester and St. Elizabeth.
Active agricultural research on mined-out bauxite lands is being carried out by the Lands Division of the Jamaica Bauxite Institute. The results indicate that mined-out lands are capable of production levels equal to those of other lands when selected crops and the appropriate management practices and levels of inputs are employed.
Housing and Resettlement
Resettling residents and sometimes entire communities may sometimes be necessary when houses and land have been sold to allow for mining. In Manchester, more than 200 hectares of mined-out land have been used for the development of no fewer than 15 resettlement subdivisions. These include subdivisions at Comfort and Hope. Alpart has also been involved in resettlement activity in Central and South Manchester and St. Elizabeth.
Some resettlement subdivisions built by Alpart on mined-out lands include Bonavista, Montpellier and New Buildings in St. Elizabeth, and New Wales, Brokenhurst, Knockpatrick and Inverness in Manchester. The most recent major resettlement on mined-out lands has been the 35-lot subdivision by Windalco at Unity Valley/Happy Content, just outside Faith’s Pen in St. Ann.
Many community centres and production units have been constructed on these lands, such as the Lime Tree Peanut Processing Factory and the soon to be constructed Comfort Bammy Factory in Manchester.
Reclamation & Rehabilitation
Jamaican bauxite occurs 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.