Jamaica’s bauxite refinery, Jamalco, was shut down after a major fire last weekend. The fire followed an explosion in the plant’s powerhouse, which also compressed air and steam for the refinery.
Sections of the plant have been damaged by the blaze and would take a while before operations are resumed, said a company spokesperson to local media.
The plant refines bauxite into alumina and has an annual production capacity of 1.4mn mt. Alumina is used for aluminum production. Fears of tighter supply post the incident lifted aluminium prices, globally, this week.
Jamalco is co-owned by General Alumina Jamaica, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based Noble Group, and Clarendon Alumina, a Jamaican state-owned company, with 55pc and 45pc stakes, respectively.