Bauxite (for CSEC geography)

8/12/2019 Bauxite (for CSEC geography)

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BAUXITE MINING IN JAMAICA

Please also ensure you read the

textbook


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WHERE- mines, plants and ports

Central Jamaica

Limestone areas

thought that bauxite resultsfrom weathering of limestone note that the

Cockpit area is in the middle of this area


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WHERE IS THE BAUXITE?

Central Jamaica in limestone areas

it is thought thatbauxite results from weathering of limestone note thatthe Cockpit area is in themiddle of this area.

The Cockpit Country is an important area of karst scenery

it is ecologically important

i.e .in terms of flora andfauna, also sensitive in terms of the underground water.There seem to be many issues as to the boundaries ofthis area. The area is being considered for mining. Thereare many who object to mining in this area

S


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THE COCKPIT COUNTRY


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WHY-FACTORS

Although alumina content was lower than in Guyana,However, this disadvantage was more than offset bythe fact that reserves were enormous and easilyaccessible (soft and relatively easy to extract.)

The deposits lay only 1,000 miles from the Gulf Coastports, and transport costs to the U.S.A. were low. Soonafter the war, Canadian and American companies builtthe special plants needed to extract alumina from

bauxite, purchased large properties in the island andbegan operations.


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WHY-FACTORS

Soon after the war, Canadian and American

companies built the special plants needed to

extract alumina from bauxite, purchased large

properties in the island and began operationsThis would have included investment in

transportroads railways etc.


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HOW

Mining is carried out by open-pit methods-because the bauxite is close to the surface.No miners work underground. The topsoil is

cleared from a few acres and the underlyingbauxite is removed with huge mechanicalshovels. A single deposit 50 acres in extentmay yield over 5 million tons before it is

exhausted and the land restored.


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HOW

Reclamation Wilson page 139

Some environmentalists have problems with

this reclamation and the failure of governmentto monitor this reclamation.


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EXPORTS

Some of the mining companies export the

bauxite itself. They dry the ore in rotating

ovens and load it on to ships at the north

coast ports of Discovery Bay and Ocho Rios tobe taken to their alumina factories in the

United States.


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IMPORTANCE OF BAUXITE

The benefits of the bauxite and aluminaindustries are mainly financial.

By paying high wages to their employees theyhave made poor agricultural districts moreprosperous and the income is more steady

than that of farming. There has been a movetowards more local expertise i.e better jobopportunities.


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Companies pay royalties on the amount of

bauxite they mine, and income tax on the

profits they make. The Jamaican government

has been able to undertake developmentprojects which would otherwise have been

impossible.


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In addition, industries linked with bauxite are

coming into being. One example is the

manufacture of caustic soda.


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See pie charts - Wilson page 138


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SOME RECENT STATISTICS

Bauxite production increased by 36.4 per cent.

This was reflected in a 44.3 per cent increase in

alumina production and a 29.2 per cent growth in

crude bauxite.

From an impressive US$1.3 billion in 2008 gross

earnings from the industry slipped dramatically toUS$467 million in 2009, while employment fell by

almost 44 per cent between 2008 and early 2010.


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PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH

BAUXITE MINING

The bauxite and alumina companies, several

of which are foreign multinationals, control

large areas of Jamaica.


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BAUXITE MINING

High imports

Fluctuations in world price


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BAUXITE MINING

Bauxite and alumina do not provide

employment for large numbers of people. The

number employed in producing bauxite and

alumina is less than 10,000.

The high wages paid by the bauxite companies

cannot be matched by other employers. This

causes dissatisfaction among workers in othersectors of the economy.


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BAUXITE MINING

Pollution

liquids and gases expelled into theair and ground, noise pollution , visualpollution as well.

Finding a use for the rock waste which thealumina factories dump to form large uglylakes of red mud. There are plans to extractiron from this red mud.

See Wilson page 139


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BAUXITE MINING

Production has fallen over the years

World prices have fallen due to alternatives like

plastic

Some countries stock piled when prices werefavourable so demand has fallen


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ONLINE SOURCES

www.jamaicahistory.com.jm/bauxite.htm

countrystudies.us/caribbean-islands/30

jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20080714/business/busi

ness1.html

www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=11614

www.jamaicancaves.org/cockpit-country-

bauxite-mining.htm -

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Bauxite (for CSEC geography)