Mining Policy Framework Assessment: Jamaica

The assessment identifies that while Jamaica has strong mechanisms for bauxite revenue generation and environmental permitting, its overall mining legal framework is outdated and fragmented. Key gaps include limited public access to geological data, inadequate post-mining transition planning, and a lack of local content policies to increase domestic value addition.

• Jamaica's mining legal and policy framework is largely outdated and fragmented, relying on the Mining Act of 1947 and several overlapping pieces of legislation, which creates a convoluted environment for stakeholders.
• The government is in the advanced stages of developing its first national mining policy (2017–2030), which aims to align the sector with international best practices and national development goals like Vision 2030.
• Mining revenues, which constitute a significant part of the government's operating budget, are generated through a diverse mix of taxes, royalties, and dividends, including a bauxite levy indexed to the London Metal Exchange aluminum price to manage commodity volatility.
• Environmental permitting for the bauxite/alumina subsector is rigorous, requiring environmental management plans and detailed Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) conducted by independent third parties.
• There are significant gaps in the post-mining transition framework; current legislation fails to address the social and economic transition of affected communities after mine closure, and financial assurances for rehabilitation are not standardized.
• Public participation in mine decision-making and the EIA feedback process is low, with stakeholders noting that community consultations are often poorly publicized and inadequate.
• Jamaica lacks a formal policy on local content, missing an opportunity to increase the industry's contribution to local economies and the use of Jamaican goods and services providers.
• Access to geological data is severely restricted, as most maps are only available in hard copy at the Mines and Geology Division offices in Kingston, and the database requires updating.
• Small-scale quarrying is largely formalized and integrated into the legal system, but these operations often suffer from poor compliance with occupational health and safety and environmental standards.
• Environmental standards for surface and groundwater in the quarry sector are not consistently enforced, and some national sewage effluent limits are less stringent than international standards.

APA

Crawford, A., Davis, N., & Bliss, M. (2020). Mining Policy Framework Assessment: Jamaica. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/jamaica-mining-policy-framework-assessment-en.pdf

Chicago

Crawford, Alec, Norman Davis, and Matthew Bliss. Mining Policy Framework Assessment: Jamaica. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2020. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/jamaica-mining-policy-framework-assessment-en.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Crawford |first1=Alec |last2=Davis |first2=Norman |last3=Bliss |first3=Matthew |title=Mining Policy Framework Assessment: Jamaica |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=June 2020 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/jamaica-mining-policy-framework-assessment-en.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{crawford2020mining, author = {Crawford, Alec and Davis, Norman and Bliss, Matthew}, title = {{Mining Policy Framework Assessment: Jamaica}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2020}, month = jun, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/jamaica-mining-policy-framework-assessment-en.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }