Janet Silvera/Senior Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:
Jamaica is to be highlighted as a stable investment destination for copper, gold, and rare-earth metals during the Association for Mineral Exploration’s international virtual conference that begins Tuesday.

The island will be represented at the conference, dubbed 'Remote Roundup 21', by Geophysx Jamaica Ltd, a three-year-old locally owned company that has, so far, undertaken the largest and most extensive scientific sampling programme islandwide.

The programme included more than 30,000 geochemical assays and a thorough mineralogical assessment.

“It is one of the most important exploration shows of the year, and we have made potential discoveries that will be talking to potential partners about in more detail,” head of Geophysx Jamaica, Robert Stewart, said.

Proud of the ecologically friendly and sustainable exploration approach taken by his company, Stewart said all facets of his business are fully licensed by the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) and the Ministry of Transport and Mining.

Using only non-invasive and passive techniques, the Geophysx team has been able to highlight new mineral potential.

“We do not, of course, operate in any areas that are protected or environmentally sensitive – Cockpit, Blue Mountains, parks, reserves – these are not areas that we would assess,” he said.

Stewart revealed that Geophysx is working with the Jamaican Government to bolster investor confidence by impressing on the global industry that the island is a “safe and objectively-run destination” with globally sanctioned mineral exploration regulations.

Stewart said that Jamaica has regulations that are very similar to those in other parts of the world.

“We believe that Jamaica can show itself to be a destination where the regulations and the rules are applied soundly, and where investors will not view the risk as too high,” he told The Gleaner.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com [2]

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