Operation Grasshopper
The West Suriname Plan was an economic development plan for the western part of Suriname. As originally conceived, it includes the extraction of bauxite in the Bakhuis Mountains, the construction of a hydroelectric power plant on the Kabalebo River and the construction of a port and an aluminum smelter in Apoera.
For the exploration of, among other things, mineral resources, the interior needed to be opened up and so the plan was conceived to build various airfields at the most important places in the interior. This project was named Operation Grasshopper. In 1958 and afterwards, 7 airfields were built that had only one purpose, namely to make the interior accessible for exploration activities. After these airfields were built, exploration work could be started. During these activities in West Suriname, it was soon discovered in 1963 that the Bakhuis Mountains were very rich in bauxite. An estimate showed that this involved approximately 300,000,000 tons.
After the signing of the Brokopondo Agreement with the Suralco (a subsidiary of Alcoa), it was very important for the future government to know whether there was also the potential to build Hydroelectric power plants in other locations. For example, the foreign engineering firm Harza Engineering Company International was commissioned to make a study for the whole of Suriname. This study showed that not only large bauxite reserves were present, but also great opportunities for the generation of hydroelectricity in West Suriname. These two factors gave the impetus to the development of West Suriname.
West-Suriname Project
In the 1970s the U.S. company Reynolds did extensive exploration which provided further insight into the reserves; unfortunately, a commercial joint venture of Reynolds Surinam Mines and the local Grassalco failed to get off the ground, and the Surinamese government came up with the West Suriname Plan to develop the region by the government. The Dutch government agreed to help implement the plan as part of the development grants that would be provided after Suriname gained independence in 1975. The Commission Development Cooperation Netherlands – Suriname, known as CONS for short, was set up. This committee would supervise the West-Suriname plan and make the necessary funds available. Between 1976 and 1978, a railway line was built between Apoera and the Bakhuis mountains by Morrison-Knudsen as main contractor and local companies as subcontractors. A road was built from Witagron on the Coppename River to Camp 52, a central location where the other activities were coordinated. From Kamp 52 a 52 km long road was built to Apoera, which would become the capital of West Suriname. Fuel supply, provisions for the transport of heavy equipment, a modern sawmill to set up the sleepers to lay the railway to the Bakhuis Mountains, etc. were realized.
The West-Suriname plan was not only limited to the extraction of the bauxite reserves, but also to the exploration of other minerals such as copper and nickel that were demonstrable during the exploration of the Bakhuis Mountains. Plans for projects in the agricultural sector, including oil palm, the forestry sector, including charcoal, and the horticultural sector, were also in preparation. The Planning Department of the Ministry of Public Works and Traffic had designed a structure plan, allotment plans and drainage plans based on a detailed zoning plan for the development of the city of Apoera. The derived Indian villages a.o. Wasbo e.e. would be reunited with the city of Apoera, which would have a population of about 50,000. There were many requests from individuals, businesses and institutions that could set up shops, banks, cinemas, hotels and other businesses there. With regard to Kabalebo hydropower, the tender documents were ready and the World Bank was 100% behind this project. In the first phase, power could be supplied starting in 1985.
Unfortunately, in 1980, the military coup d’état took place, which froze Dutch development funds and the project was discontinued. Furthermore, the rulers of that time found the West-Suriname plan unrealistic, so all activities were stopped Low bauxite market prices in the 1980s also led to doubts about the economic viability of the project. This resulted in looting of materials and equipment already invested in.
Industry Multinationals
At the end of the nineties, the West Suriname Plan was revived. On January 6, 2003, BHP Billiton, Suralco and the Surinamese government signed two Memorandums of Understanding to explore the possibility of developing bauxite mining in West Suriname. Extensive studies were conducted, including Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs), engineering studies, etc. Talks between the Surinamese government and BHP Billiton failed however in October 2008.
Upon closure of Suralco’s activities, Alcoa intended to perform a feasibility study (despite the prior research already done) which would take up a couple of years. However, the Government did not sign that agreement with Alcoa since it would place the intellectual property rights of that study with Alcoa. Even as recent as February of 2023, Alcoa has explicitly mentioned not being interested in expanding their current upstream asset base and thus developing Bakhuis.
Contemporary Efforts
The Surinamese government remains enthusiastic about developing West Suriname, and is seeking investors through the Presidential Commission West-Suriname Bakhuis Bauxite Development.