Resumen de Japan's Nippon seeks rare earths in Jamaica's red bauxite mud
Paul J MorrisA pilot project to investigate whether rare earths can be commercially extracted from Jamaica's red mud bauxite waste has been launched by the island's government, Jamaica Information Service reported in February.
Nippon Light Metal believes that the concentration of rare earths in Jamaica's red mud is "significantly greater" than other international red mud sites and it hopes to eventually extract around 1,500 tpa rare earths, according to the island's Energy Minister, Phillip Paulwell.
Parris Lyew-Ayee, chairman of the Jamaica Bauxite Institute, said that he believed no public consultation was necessary however, and that it would be simple and safe to harvest rare earths from Jamaica's red mud containment ponds.
