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Land Utilisation                  Bauxite Mining                Ore Processing                 Materials

In Jamaica, most of the bauxite deposits are found very near to the land surface with just a thin soil cover. The most extensive and commercially important deposits are located in the parishes of Manchester, St. Ann, St. Elizabeth, Trelawny and Clarendon.  Smaller deposits also occur in St. Catherine and St. James. Deposits vary in size from less than a hectare containing 50,000 tons or less, to over 28 hectares containing more than three million tons. They range in depth from 1.5 to 46 metres.

Because of the wide variation in grade between and sometimes within deposits, bauxite is invariably mined from several ore-bodies simultaneously. It is then blended at a central location to provide a more consistent grade for the Plant. Once an ore-body is selected for mining, a depth of not less than 45 cm of top soil is removed and stockpiled for use in the subsequent reclamation and restoration of the mined-out area.

Bauxite is excavated in Jamaica by surface mining methods, using draglines, backhoes, shovels, front-end loaders and bulldozers. Trucks are used to carry the ore either directly to the Plant, or to a loading station, where it is subsequently transferred to railway cars, conveyors or aerial ropeways.

Kirkvine Works and Ewarton Works

Truck Transporting
Bauxite

Mining for both plants are contracted to Washington Group International.  Washington Group is an engineering, construction and management Company active in 30 countries around the world. 

Under this agreement, Washington Group Mines Division, headquartered in Denver, Colorado, will have responsibilities for all mining for our Kirkvine and Ewarton Works Refineries.  This includes exploration drilling, mine development, post-mining reclamation and stockpile management. For our part, WINDALCO will maintain responsibility for community relations. 

Loading bauxite onto a
mining truck

Ewarton's Ropeway

View of the Ropeway and Linstead basin from the southeast