GENERAL CEPAL/CARIB 81/11 22 September 1981 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR LATIN AMERICA OFFICE FOR THE CARIBBEAN INVENTORY OF MINERAL RESOURCES IN CDCC COUNTRIES TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGES LIST OF EXPLANATORY NOTES TO SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS i - ii INTRODUCTION iii - iv THE INVENTORY TABLES 1-37 ANNEX I - BACKGROUND NOTES ON SELECTED MINERALS 1-37 Bauxite 1-13 Copper 14 - 17 Nickel 18 - 20 Gold 21 - 23 Diamonds 24 Salt 25 - 26 Other Minerals 26-27 Statistical Data 28 - 37 ANNEX II - CHEMICAL TERMS AND SYMBOLS i - ii LIST OF REFERENCES i -iii ß> V) LIST OF EXPLANATORY NOTES TO SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS oz - ounce cu.yd. - cubic yard dwt. - pennyweight ft. - foot/ft. tons - long tons (2,240 pounds/(lbá.) lb(s) - pounds (avoirdupois) MT - metric ton m - metre km - kilometre LDT - long dry ton M - million (106) ... - not available - nil billion - one thousand million g - gramme e - estimate p - preliminary neg - negligible E - ECLA estimate mfrs - manufactures SITC (R) - Standard International Trade Classification (Revised) (United Nations) UNDP - United NationsTDevelopment Programme CDCC - Caribbean Development and Co-operation Committee IBA - International Bauxite Association ALCOA - Aluminum Company of América JAMALCAN - Jamaica Alean Aluminum Limited ALPART - Aluminum Partners of Jamaica Limited SURALCO - Suriname Aluminum Company -Ii - JAMALCO - Jamaica Aluminum Company DEMBA - Demerara Bauxite Company H BIDCO - The Bauxite Industry Development Company Limited GUYBAU - Guyana Bauxite Company Limited BEKMINE - The Berbice Mining Enterprise Limited COMECON - Council for Mutual Economic Assistance & 9 li> - iii - INTRODUCTION The countries constituting the Caribbean Development and Co-operation Committee (CDCC) are still basically producers of primary goods (agricultural and mineral commodities). While land is still relatively abundant in the area taken as a wholes the volume of mineral resources (so far as is known) is : relatively scarce, with a few exceptions, notably hydrocarbons (severely limited presently to four countries), bauxite (more widely distributed) and a few less important minerals including the construction minerals. However, it should be noted that there appears to be a considerable amount of unexplored potential. Economic development efforts would of necessity have to focus largely on utilising indigenous resources to the best advantage. It is in this context that the First Session of the CDCC stressed the importance of a "better knowledge of indigenous raw materials, with a view to their industrial utilization". }j The purpose of this document is essentially in partial fulfilment of a s^ac specific directive that emphasis of the Work Programme of the CDCC in Natural Resources should be on mining.^/ A necessary first step in the task assigned the Secretariat is to comprehend the nature and quantum of these resources, their location^ possibilities of further discoveries etc. Considerably more detailed data, including information on existing and planned initiatives of governments ' and organizations are of course required in-order to complete even this preliminary stage. Unfortunately, work in this area cannot proceed as rapidly as desired since resources available to the Secretariat for this sub-project are limited. The Secretariat has been assembling data and establishing contacts in countries and among national and international agencies. Data utilized in preparing this peport have been collected over a period of more than two years from the documentation resources of the CDCC library, from resources of other libraries and from data provided to the Secretariat staff during field visits (missions). V Report of the Caribbean Development and Co-operation Committee, Havana, Cuba, 31 October - 4 November, 1975 (E/CEPAL/1010). _£/ Report of the Second Session of the Caribbean Development and Co-operation Committee, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 16-22 March 1977. - iv - Questionnaires have been left with appropriate government departments in several countries but responses to these have been very limited and/or incomplete. The gaps in the data will be easily observed by officials and others.iam'i'lr'iarwith the subject in the various countries. The main part of the document is an "Inventory" which consists of a number of tables showing a range of mineral resources 3/ data by country including occurrences, location, estimated reserves, etc. It will be observed that this kind of information relating to most minerals are lacking for many CDCC countries. An Annex titled Background Notes constitutes the minor section of the paper. The largest part of this Annex deals with bauxite, copper and ferronickel. Apart from the construction minerals (earth and stone) and salt, most of the other minerals appear to be limited to few countries only. ft Data on production, extraction, quarrying, etc. of crude minerals are w> shown in.the Annex-«Table 8. An obvious deficiency of these tables is the fact that the data are not current (most relating to 1975 and earlier). It will be observed too that data are not available for some countries ahdtthat one or only a few country names appear under some minerals. VAlue of import and export data for certain broad categories of minerals are given for some countries as it was not possible to secure these data at a more meaningful level of detail. This document is a revised version of the document "Preliminary Draft Inventory of Minerals in CDCC countries "(CARIB/INT/80/3). The revision is less comprehensive than was hoped. Many countries still have not responded to the Secretariat Questionnaire and'other requests for data. In some cases data are unavailable. It is a fact that there is great need for more 5< comprehensive exploration. There are also indications that archival", records relating to mineralogy are very inadequate in some countries. Search and ^ acquisition of such records where they exist would be a useful step in mineral exploration and development in these countries. dJ Fossil Fuel resources are excluded. These were covered in document E/CEPAL/CDCC/65 dated 28 May 1980. THE INVENTORY TABLES LIST OF INVENTORY TABLES TABLE No. COUNTRY PAGES I ANTIGUA 1 II BAHAMAS 2 III BARBADOS 3 IV BELIZE 4-7 V CUBA 8-10 VI DOMINICA 11 - 12 VII DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 13 - 16 VIII GRENADA 17 IX GUYANA 18 - 23 X HAITI 24 XI JAMAICA 25-28 XII SURINAME 29 - 34 XIII TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 35 - 37 TABLE III COUNTRY: ANTIGUA MINERAL RESOURCES DATE RESOURCES MINERAL INDICATION OCCURRENCE REMARKS PROVEN POTENTIAL NON-METALLIC CLAY Underlying limetsone region Bellevue Used in Pottery Indus try St. Claire Production data given in Table 8 of the Annex. LIMESTONE North-east of line joining Most of limestone Wetherell Point and Willoughby quarried is used Bay. Bounded in the south by : locally. i a broken scarpment. M I OTHER ;No data is available MINERALS •to date on other mineral indication, activities,. \ \ i Source.: No. 18 of List of References TABLE II COUNTRY : BAHAMAS MINERAL RESOURCES DATA RESOURCES MINERAL INDICATION OCCURRENCE REMARKS PROVEN POTENTIAL NON METALLIC ARAGONITE Found in association with coralline Sandy Cay, some 50 miles During 1970, an agree- limestone, the basic geological off the Florida Coast. ment for the exploita- formation of the islands tion of thi's deposit was made between the Govern- ment and a commercial interest, to cover a period of 20 years. Production data given in Table 8 of the i Annex.. NJ SAND AND ... Production data not GRAVEL available to date. SOLAR SALT Inagua ... Produced by Morton Bahamas Ltd., in Inagua one of the world's largest solar salt complexes. OTHER Data on the presence and MINERALS economic feasibility of other minerals are unavailable. Source: No, "8 of List of References TABLE III MINERAL RESOURCES DATA COUNTRY: BARBADOS RESOURCES MINERAL INDICATION OCCURRENCE REMARKS PROVEN POTENTIAL NON-METALLIC LIMESTONE Eighty percent of surface area St. Andrew District Limestone is used for comprises coral limestone, through a variety of purposes which water percolates easily to' ranging from coral extensive uftderlying clay beds» building blocks to agricultural lime. Surplus is exported. SANDSTONE j ; Found in a north-east extension St„ Andrew District . 0 « 0 Used mainly in the CLAYS AND ; of the surface limestone, and pottery industry. 1 MARLS also in the underlying areas. Some is exported. w i OTHER 0 0 0 0 0 0 O 0 0 Data on presence and MINERALS economic potential of these minerals are not available. 1 Source: No. 8 of List of References COUNTRY: BELIZE TABLE IV MINERAL RESOURCES DATA ! ' 1 ' " " MINERAL INDICATION OCCURRENCE RESOURCES REMARKS --- - - PROVEN POTENTIAL - - METALLIC COPPER 0 o e Prospecting in the Maya Mountains during late I960's showed no economic finds. GOLD Sporadic alluvial occurrences„ Eastern Branch (Macal) of 2 dwts/cu yd to Belize River and several 7 dwts/cu yd i small creeks draining gravel. southern parts of Maya 1 Mountains. Only deposits of economic interest found ih tributaries of Ceibo Grande River. LEAD Results of prospecting carried out in Tatter half of 1970's in Maya Mountains unknown. Some indications of economic deposits. MOLYBDENITE • • • Presence identified since late 1800's and confirmed in the 1950's. COUNTRY : BELIZE TABLE IV (continued) MINERAL RESOURCES DATA RESOURCES MINERAL INDICATION OCCURRENCE REMARKS PROVEN POTENTIAL METALLIC MONAZITE Presence identified since late 1800's and confirmed in the 1950's. • • • « 0 • Results of prospecting SILVER carried out in latter' half of: 1970's in Maya Mountains unknown. Some indication of economic deposits. Traces of widespread occurrences / : Mountain Pine Ridge: 4 1/2 oz/ton to London Tin Corporation 1 01 TIN found as cassiterite, associated IPrevassion Creek and 6 oz/ton gravel carried out exploration ; with granite. (1 ton = 3/4 cu.yd] in: 1952. No success. 1 Prospecting done under :Little Vaqueros Creek. licence by private company in 1975-80 in Maya Mountains. Indica- tions of economic deposits. • • • ZINC • • • » • i Prospecting in the Maya Mountains during late I960's showéd no economic finds.