Jamaica’s mining industry took another step towards better transparency. With the launch of the Jamaican Mining Cadastre (JAMinCAD) based on an open-source software, the government can manage its mineral resources efficiently, effectively and transparently.
 
Jamaica’s miningi ndustry is important to the economy and JAMinCAD represents an important step in attracting and reassuring investors. The sector accounts for 2.2% of GDP (2020) and employs 6,000 workers, mostly Jamaicans, earning the most foreign exchange for the country in 2020 (during the COVID 19). There are approximately 500 licensed mining operations in Jamaica and mining accounted for 51% of exports. Jamaica has abundant mineral resources – limestone, bauxite, clay, shale, hard volcanic rocks, and marble – which lie close to the surface, which makes for cost-effective and efficient extraction. In 2020, approximately 17 million tonnes of minerals were produced with over US$1.14 billion in export value.
 
“The Mining Cadastre provides a client-focused, user-friendly interface to investors and other end users of the system,” said Audley Shaw, Jamaica’s Minister of Transport and Mining at the launch of the cadastre.
 
Previously, Jamaica relied on a paper-based system for mining licensing, with a few digitized maps and with transactions mostly recorded on paper ledgers or through proprietary software, with high licensing costs.
 
The new mining cadastre now allows the Ministry of Transport and Mining to easily record and track mining titles throughout the country. It enables the government and industry to know the types, location, and quantity of mineral resources in the country. The cadastre is a key tool for regulating the operations of mining operators and artisanal enterprises. JAMinCAD was developed and deployed in only 5 months and it features a free and open software system that is upgradeable while also permitting localized hosting of the Government’s datasets. Importantly, the government has enabled public access to the system.
 
An efficient mining cadastre makes it easier for investors to locate different types of known mineral deposits and channel funds to promising projects. In this sense, it is useful not only for large-scale mining companies, but also for artisanal and small-scale miners and quarry operators.
 
The JAMinCAD was made possible through funding provided by the ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme, funded by the European Commission, and implemented by UNDP.