Tonnes of manufactured sand to be exported in coming weeks
Published:Wednesday | September 26, 2018 | 12:00 AM
In a landmark move on Wednesday, Lydford Mining Company made its first export shipment of 3,000 tonnes of manufactured sand and 1,600 tonnes of construction grade aggregate to Aruba from Ocho Rios, St Ann, as it joins the cadre of companies trying to address the worldwide problem of unavailability of natural sand for construction.
Director Edgar Cousins called the export a gate opener as the shipment is being done through an American company and indicated that more shipments like this are expected in the coming weeks.
"Next week, we have a shipment of 20,000 tonnes of FGD (Flue-gas desulphurisation) materials going to Chile, and three weeks from now, actually, we have a shipment of 40,000 tonnes going to the US," said Cousins.
Cousins told The Gleaner that the company has invested US$3 million to construct a sand manufacturing complex at Blackheath, St Ann, to
supply washed specification grade concrete aggregate, construction sand, beach sand, and road sub-base.
According to the director, this facility will support the beach-resuscitation programmes being carried out by hotels.