Shifting truth on bauxite

Anthony Porter, Contributor

At a recent monthly meeting of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce (MCC), held at the Golf View Hotel in Mandeville, guest speaker Roger Clarke, former minister of agriculture and current opposition spokesman on agriculture, was reported to have "bemoaned the fact that bauxite mining had led to a downturn of agricultural production in the parish of Manchester" (Mandeville Weekly, October 20, 2011).

He was also reported to have made several negative comments about aspects of the industry, such as: bauxite mining being responsible for dislocation of communities; a breakdown in the way neighbours relate to each other; the effects of the closure of the bauxite plants with little hope of them reopening in the near future faced with the reality of little bauxite reserves remaining, etc.

On the basis of the report, at no time during his address did he highlight any of the positives that have flowed from the bauxite-alumina industry; or the fact that much of what he was bemoaning, if true, happened while he was a minister in the People's National Party administration, which formed the Government of Jamaica for 18 years.

Although he did not elaborate on, or seek to quantify, the amount of ore available for mining, he was reported to have said that there are little bauxite reserves remaining. So, what, exactly, did he mean by "little"? The answer to this question is important, because communities that have become dependent on a vibrant bauxite-alumina industry were heartened to hear from the state minister for energy and mining, Laurence Broderick, at a forum in Mandeville the previous month, that at a mining rate of 15 million tonnes per year, reserves are sufficient for 40 years (The Observer, September 7, 2011). If his assessment is correct, the island should have at least 600 million tonnes of accessible and acceptable grade ore.

further contradiction

However, the pronouncements by both Messrs Clarke and Broderick grossly contradict the two billion-tonne reserves estimate mentioned by former Prime Minister Bruce Golding in his keynote address to delegates attending the 15th International Bauxite and Alumina Seminar hosted by the New York-based Metals Bulletin at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Montego Bay, on February 12, 2009.

But in fairness to the former PM, he was reading from a prepared speech and had no way of knowing if the figure he was reporting was technically and scientifically correct. His advisers should have been aware that the contradictions which exist with respect to Jamaica's bauxite reserves have already been pointed out in the press from as far back as 2007 (e.g., see 'Bauxite conflict and parish development', Sunday Gleaner, October 21, 2007).

Interestingly, the MCC, at its October monthly meeting, "passed a resolution calling on the Government to put a cap on the amount that can be transferred from the Capital Development Fund to the Consolidated Fund to allow more resources to be ploughed back into mined-out communities, as they anticipate the reopening of the bauxite\\alumina plants in the region" (Mandeville Weekly). Whether that can or will be done remains to be seen.

time for truth

On the other hand, while it is true that debate has raged over the years as to the agricultural productivity of the lands after mining, let us not forget that on the positive side, many mined-out lands were earmarked for other uses, such as housing schemes, community playing fields, dairy operations, major roads (such as, the Winston Jones Highway and the Melrose bypass in Manchester) and so on, all of which have contributed to the betterment of many communities in the parish.

Other post-mining commercial considerations for Manchester include: an airport (on part of the Albion property owned by Alpart); expansion of the Wigton wind-turbine complex (near Newport); impermeable fabric-lined pits for domestic water-storage purposes, farming, fishing, or recreational use; organic farming; an orchid sanctuary, and so on.

But, to my way of thinking, for the much-dreamed-about sustainable growth to take place, there needs to be complete honesty and transparency as to the quantity and quality of Manchester's bauxite reserves and resources, coupled with estimated timelines as to its exhaustion.

Clearly, some areas will return to agricultural use, while others will not. And one other thing is certain: the assistance of many persons will be needed in trying to formulate and implement a workable and sustainable post-mining closure plan for the parish.

Anthony Porter is a veteran exploration geologist, formerly with Alcan, and the author of many published works on various aspects of bauxite and Jamaican geology. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.