Operations - Land Utilisation

WINDALCO manages lands leased for bauxite reserves. It is the company's policy to obtain maximum productivity from lands not yet used for mining and to rehabilitate mined-out lands mainly to farming. Some of the rehabilitated lands are used for recreational facilities and housing development.

A research programme was undertaken to determine the best methods of restoring mined-out lands so that they may be effectively farmed by local farmers.

Reclamation and restoration are conducted on a timely basis and are under constant review to ensure optimum productivity and sustainability. The former practice of restoring land predominantly for livestock production has now changed to include food crop production, timber and fruit trees.

In 2001, the government of Jamaica granted the company two special mining leases covering 30 years of bauxite requirement. This was based on the rated capacity of the integrated mining and alumina processing facilities.

In the years preceding this agreement, the company donated approximately 1,420 hectares to the Government. This land was used for forestry and community institutions, including community centres, churches, schools, the then Cobbla Youth Camp site, Hanbury Home for Children and the Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf. These lands had no mining potential.

Land Distribution

Land Farmed by WINDALCO

Tenant Farming



Ackee and Mahogany on mined-out land.	Grove Place Nursery - The Company has replanted over 500,000 trees.

Cattle grazing on
restored land

Mined out land restored to housing

Land Distribution

Land distribution comprises 5,009 hectares of pasture land where ploughable hectares have been replanted with improved varieties of grass; 4,143 hectares leased to 2,898 tenant farmers; and approximately 4,207 hectares comprising mining areas, Plants, Port and housing sites. The remaining rocky hillside lands, which cannot be cultivated, are conserved in natural cover for watershed protection.

Land farmed by WINDALCO

The Lands and Agriculture Department manages WINDALCO's farming activities - the main ones being beef and milk production. In 2000 the beef herd averaged 4,350 heads. The Company also operates seven dairy farms. The dairy herd comprised 4,645 heads. The Company is one of the largest producers of fresh milk in Jamaica, as well as the single largest producer of beef.