Jamaica (2001-2011)

During its initial stage this development aid programme was implemented in accordance with the project entitled "Development and Industrial Application of Non-Metallic Mineral Resources in Jamaica" (2001-2005) and in its second stage in accordance with the project entitled "Mining and Processing of Industrial Minerals in Jamaica and in selected CARICOM States" (2006-2011). The works carried out were consistent with the development objectives and priorities of the Jamaican party, represented by the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the Mines and Geology Division (MGD), Hope Gardens, Kingston (http://www.mgd.gov.jm/). The Jamaican party actively participated in the preparation of the programme and in the professional and logistical provision of the geological exploration work.

The goal of the development aid programme was primarily the geological and technological evaluation of potential sources of industrial raw materials and an updated assessment of their reserves. Particularly of interest were the high-percentage limestone suitable for the production of white cement, lime or micro-fillers, the volcanic rocks for the production of crushed stone with anti-slip properties, marbles, or carbonate rocks suitable for decorative stone, the raw material for the production of Portland cement, dolomite, clay minerals as potential raw materials for ceramics or as additives for cement production. At the request of the Jamaican party also tested were selected sites of clay minerals for the production of expanded aggregate and the properties of the red sludge emanating from the treatment of bauxite for its potential use in industry and also evaluated was the evidence concerning barite and rare earths in terms of their danger to the environment.

Because in some cases the mining and mineral processing in Jamaica is spontaneous and has a negative impact on the environment, also an important part of the programme was the introduction of modern methods for development, extraction, treatment, rehabilitation and reclamation. In addition to conventional geological exploration and laboratory work also included in the project therefore were mine-surveying work, mining studies and pilot projects for surface opening and mining, an assessment of basic conflicts of interest and of risks to the environment, access road projects, process engineering, the preparation of sample products from Jamaican raw materials and the processing of model deposit databases. The programme included the supplying of instrumentation and hardware to the partner organisation and the training of its staff, including field trips and trainings in the CR. We have contributed significantly to the establishment of a geological and mineralogical-petrological exhibition at the museum of the Mines and Geology Division in Kingston, which is currently accessed by local schools and by The University of the West Indies.

Over 60 sub-locations of raw materials spread across the entire area of Jamaica were processed and were evaluated in 43 individual final reports. Rock samples were collected from artificial or natural outcrops, exploration cuts and shallow boreholes. Comprehensive laboratory and chemical-technological processing of raw materials and the processing of design works and proposals for process engineering have taken place in the CR in cooperation with leading laboratories, institutions and experts. Significantly contributing to this project were, in particular, the Institute of Geology of the AS CR, the Institute of Chemical Technology, Prague; the Research Institute of Building Materials, Brno; the Testing Laboratory of Stone and Aggregates, Hořice, KERAMEX Group s.r.o, Karlovy Vary; GEOMEDIA, s.r.o., Prague; LOMING, s.r.o., Tomice; GEMATEST spol. sr.o., Černošice; the Central Laboratory of the Sedlecký kaolin, a.s. Company, Božičany; the Laboratory of Sokolovská uhelná a.s., Sokolov; Lias Vintířov, LSM, k.s. (LIAPOR GROUP), Vintířov and others. Chemical analysis of selected samples with the requisite high accuracy of determination of the concentrations of trace elements of heavy metals and rare earth elements have been implemented in Canada at Acme Analytical Laboratories Ltd. (AcmeLabs), Vancouver.

List of projects in Jamaica: