KINGSTON, Jamaica — Noranda Bauxite is insisting that there is no bauxite mining taking place in the protected areas of the Cockpit Country, contrary to recent reports.

According to the St Ann bauxite company, there have been rumours that the company is seeking to mine heritage areas such as Maroon Town and Accompong. However, the company, in a statement today, refuted the claims describing the rumours as “totally unfounded.”

“Noranda Bauxite respects and welcomes this declaration of a heritage protected area. The company is not, and has no intention of seeking to mine bauxite in that enclosed, protected area.

“In order to maintain needed bauxite reserves for our long term sustainability, we have applied for permission to mine an area outside of the protected area described as Special Mining Lease (SML) 173. This area is some 8,335 hectares and only 15 per cent of it is considered for bauxite mining,” the company noted.

Noranda added that if the Environment Impact Assessment study of this area is approved, “the country can be assured that the practice of responsible mining will be conducted with the traditional care and concern established by a company that values its long history of a strong partnership with Jamaica.”