JAMAICA-Alpart Bauxite plant to resume operations in 2027.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – The Alpart Bauxite refinery in the southern parish of St Elizabeth could be open for business by June 2027. This was disclosed by Mining Minister Floyd Green in Parliament earlier this week.

He said the refinery’s Chinese owners, the Chinese state industrial group Jiuquan Iron & Steel (Group) Co. Ltd. (JISCO), have invested US$490 million to upgrade and modernize the plant, which has been closed since 2019. This represents phase one of a two-phase plan to get the plant up and running.

“Phase one will focus on returning the facility to operation using newer, cleaner and more efficient technologies,” said Green.

The investment will also include the modernization of major operational systems, the upgrading of plant infrastructure, the redevelopment of power generation facilities, the implementation of dry-stacking technology for residue management, and the rehabilitation of critical rail and port infrastructure.

The mining minister said JISCO 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.

“The global alumina industry has changed, and the future of Alpart requires an operation that is more efficient, sustainable and positioned to compete internationally.

“That is why the modernization 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,” Green said.

He added that the plan also includes the rehabilitation of the hurricane-damaged Port Kaiser. Port Kaiser is one of the island’s leading deep-water piers for bauxite export.