Jamalco is a joint venture between General Alumina Jamaica Limited and Clarendon Alumina Production Limited (CAP) with a focus on bauxite mining and alumina production.

The entity started as a bauxite mining venture by Alcoa in 1959 and exported its first shipment of bauxite in 1963.

The venture began alumina production at a new refinery in Halse Hall, Clarendon in 1972 with a production capacity of 500,000 metric tonnes per year (mtpy), which it exported from its port facility at Rocky Point.

 

The refinery’s capacity was upgraded to 1 million mtpy in 1999 and then to 1.25 million mtpy in 2003.

The completion of a further upgrade in March 2007 lifted the production capacity of the refinery to [1,416,700] million metric tonnes per year.

 

In 1988, the Government of Jamaica acquired a 50 percent share in the operations.

The resulting joint venture was named Jamalco, with Alcoa as the managing partner.

Following the 2007 expansion, Jamalco’s ownership structure changed with Alcoa owning 55 percent and the Government of Jamaica, 45 percent.

In December 2014, global commodities company Noble Group (SGX N21) acquired Alcoa’s 55 percent stake in Jamalco, while Clarendon Alumina Production Limited (CAP) retains its 45 percent ownership of the joint venture.