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Sustainability in Suriname
Suriname is a country rich in bauxite reserves and hydropower potential, and Alcoa is working with local stakeholders and joint venture partners to ensure sustainable practices are incorporated in mining, energy, and refining activities while also providing a higher quality of life for the citizens of this developing South American country.
To obtain environmental information on areas within eastern Suriname that are being explored for potential bauxite mining, Alcoa's Suriname Aluminum Company (Suralco) and the BHP-Billiton Maatschappij mining joint venture engaged Conservation International (CI) to conduct a biodiversity survey in late 2005. A central component of the partnership was initial biodiversity assessment and planning conducted by CI to both increase understanding of these areas' ecosystems and socio-economic dynamics and provide recommendations for incorporating biodiversity considerations in the earliest stages of decision-making for Suriname's next generation of mines.
The CI team, which included experienced tropical biologists from regional, national, and international institutions, surveyed the Nassau and Lely areas. A two-day multi-stakeholder workshop after the survey focused on making preliminary recommendations for the conservation of biodiversity in these important areas.
Other sustainable activities undertaken by Alcoa in Suriname include the following:
- We conducted a stakeholder workshop to develop closure criteria for re-vegetated legacy mines in the Marowijne concession area.
- We are investigating other land uses, such as farming and aquaculture, that can be developed in other mined-out areas.
- In conjunction with local and national stakeholders, we are exploring the socio-economic aspects of mine closure in east Suriname in an effort to transition the region from mining toward viable and sustainable economic activities.
- We are exploring opportunities to assist in the development of tourism-based industries. For example, we completed a nature walk across from Suralco's Paranam refinery to introduce the country's interior to visitors and schoolchildren from the city. Included are rest stop facilities that are the first in the country. A bauxite mining exhibit will be built in the project's second phase.
- We are working with local indigenous and semi-indigenous communities in acquiring basic living needs, such as clean water and power, that are not only necessary for a higher quality of life but also for the development of small and micro businesses in those communities. We have already provided financial support to the Rotary Club for a water project in the village of Guyaba that will hopefully serve as a model for other villages. In addition, we are in the beginning phase of a biodiesel project in the Guyaba area to provide enough locally made fuel—derived from jatropha shrubs—to sustain 24-hour power generation to the community. Presently, the community has only two to four hours of generation each day.
We are also taking the lessons learned from our early engagement with stakeholders in Suriname, as well as the continuing, regularly scheduled consultations between the Suralco/BHPB joint venture partnership leaders, indigenous leadership of west Suriname, and governmental and non-governmental organizations, to create a more robust and inclusive formal engagement process that will ensure closer relationships with the local communities.
Case Studies
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Suriname Country Page
Learn more about Alcoa's presence in Suriname
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