Delegates from the Czech Republic recently paid a courtesy call on Laurence Broderick, minister of state in the Ministry of Energy, Mining and Telecommunications, to discuss the ongoing Mineral Resources Development Project - a bilateral development assistance project involving the governments of the Czech Republic and Jamaica.

Czech executing agency - GET Limited - and coordinators - the Mines and Geology Division (MGD) - have been working on the project since 2001 to identify, develop and exploit Jamaica's industrial mineral deposits for commercial use.

Endorsed efforts

Broderick endorsed the efforts of the bilateral agreement, currently in its second phase, which began in 2006, to be completed in 2010. The second phase of the project involves the implementation of a quality management system for MGD's laboratory; knowledge transfer of industrial minerals deposit appraisal and evaluation techniques and quarry/mine planning, restoration methodology; upgrading of MGD's technical equipment for improved evaluation of value- added mineral deposits; and the development of a marketing plan for Jamaica's industrial minerals.

Prior to this, the project upgraded the technology used for minerals processing; completed topographic maps for specific areas in St Ann and submitted rock samples from selected sites throughout the island for testing in the Czech Republic. Additionally, the Czech Government donated two pieces of equipment to the MGD.

The project also completed work on the skid-resistant aggregate deposits on the Ocho Rios to Port Antonio leg of the North Coast Highway and developed quarry plans for selected materials found in the development areas along the corridor of Highway 2000 from Portmore to Clarendon Park.