What synergies between mining, agriculture and fisheries emerge from the current Ministry’s portfolio?

The Ministry promotes synergies between different uses of land, with a focus on optimized production, improved infrastructure, and collaboration within the value chain. Jamaica has a strong history in both agriculture and mining. By placing these two critical sectors together at the table, we can segment land use to maximize the value from our land resources, whether mineral or otherwise. The Ministry promotes high rehabilitation standards and purposeful restoration to prepare the land for agricultural use following mining operations. By supporting mining and agriculture simultaneously, we ensure neither takes place at the expense of the other. What is the Ministry’s top priority for mining in 2025?

Jamaica is one of the world’s leaders in bauxite and alumina production. Our bauxite sector came down from the great highs in the 1960s-1980s, but it remains an important contributor to GDP and a high-value employer. Jamaica has three bauxite mining operators, two of which are also integrated into aluminum production. In the bauxite industry, our focus falls on consolidation and the maximization of the value from current reserves.

For 2025, our main focus is on commodity diversification so that we can fully capitalize on our country’s natural capital. The government is aligning with the private sector to develop an investment-friendly regulatory framework that attracts interest, especially in commercial-scale gold and copper exploration. Jamaica also has significant rare earth elements (REE), found primarily in red clay, which is a byproduct of bauxite mining. With advancements in technology, we believe we can extract these REEs feasibly, positioning Jamaica as a valuable source of REE. What are some of the practical measures undertaken to increase Jamaica’s appeal to foreign investors?

A big part of our efforts at the Ministry is communication and raising awareness about Jamaica’s potential beyond bauxite. For instance, we are utilizing the data from a former producing old mine, together with other geophysical data gathered by private companies like Geophysx Jamaica, to advocate for our country’s geological endowment. With these advancements in exploration made by private actors and with the government’s openness to ensuring a welcoming policy framework, we are already seeing major players like Barrick Mining partnering with Jamaican company Geophysx on a large license area. Also, in collaboration with an Australian company, we have run a REE pilot project demonstrating significant REE resources.

Our next step is to embark on an extensive communication campaign to bring visibility to these results. In May 2025, Jamaica will run the National Minerals Week, and we would like to extend an invitation to anyone who would like to understand the scope of Jamaica’s potential. How has Jamaica’s mining policy evolved to incentivize investment in other sectors beyond bauxite?

Jamaica has a well-established mining regime thanks to its decades-long history in bauxite mining. Regulations are designed to balance financial returns with community development. The Jamaica Bauxite Institute, for instance, manages the community engagement framework that ensures the reinvestment of proceeds into sustainable local development projects. These rules currently extend and provide a foundation for investments in gold, copper and REE. Investors can rely on a transparent policy that guarantees good returns on their investment. The Ministry is working on refining the community engagement frameworks to ensure mining remains a win-win partnership, and we are also recrafting our mining policy and incentive regime by taking an industry-led approach: we engage the Mining Associations and the private sector, as well as guiding ourselves by international best practices to formulate an attractive regulatory regime. How does the Ministry address tensions linked to mining operations?

Our role as the Ministry is to manage these challenges responsibly. We work to ensure that mining is carried out with minimal impact on the environment and surrounding communities by strengthening environmental standards and promoting responsible rehabilitation. We also focus heavily on transparency and community involvement. For instance, we've launched a mobile app that allows citizens to report issues with mining operations—these reports can be tracked in real time, helping us hold companies accountable. Ultimately, our goal is to make mining a force for good. We're actively investing in infrastructure, education, water access, and social services to ensure that communities near mining projects see real, lasting benefits.