Alpart set for reopening next year

After being shuttered in 2019 to undergo major repairs, the bauxite-alumina company, Alpart, in Nain St Elizabeth, is scheduled for reopening.

The Chinese owners JISCO acquired Alpart in 2017 and restarted operations after several years of closure but shuttered the operations due to a number of issues, made worse by the COVID 19 pandemic.

Mining Minister Floyd Green says JISCO has determined the path forward for the modernisation and reopening of Alpart

The minister, addressing the House of Representatives on Tuesday, said the company has pledged to undertake a two-phase modernisation plan for the refinery, with phase one set to last 20 months to competition.

“Phase one represents an investment of approximately US $490 million and will focus on returning the facility to operation using newer, cleaner, and more efficient technologies." he told the House.

This investment, he said, will include “modernization of major operational systems, the upgrading of the plant infrastructure, the redevelopment of power generation facilities, the implementation of dry stacking technology for residue management, and the rehabilitation of the critical rail and port infrastructure.”

The mining minister added that the company is working towards commencing construction before the end of this year “with the objective on an official launch before June 2027.”

He said the phase one plan also includes restoration of Port Kaiser, which was damaged by Hurricane Melissa.