Issued to commemorate 50 years of Suriname’s bauxite industry, this two‑stamp set highlights both the physical labour of ore extraction and the industrial infrastructure that transformed bauxite into one of the country’s most important economic resources. Together, the stamps form a narrative arc: from manual mining in the red earth to the mechanised refining complexes that powered Suriname’s mid‑20th‑century aluminium production. As a pair, they offer a concise visual history of a national industry deeply tied to geology, labour, and global trade.
Stamp Details
Country: Suriname
Year of Issue: 1966
Denominations: 20c and 25c
Subject: 50 Years of the Bauxite Industry
Theme: Mining / Industrial Geology / Economic History
Set Name: 50 Jaar Bauxietindustrie
Set Size: 2 stamps
Stamp Numbers in Set:
- 20c – Early bauxite mining (manual labour, ore extraction)
- 25c – Industrial processing (refinery worker and plant)
Catalogue Notes
- The 20c stamp depicts a miner working with a pickaxe in a bauxite‑rich landscape, with a ship and port facilities in the background — a nod to Suriname’s export‑driven economy.
- The 25c stamp shifts to the processing stage, showing a refinery worker with a wrench in front of storage tanks and chimneys, symbolising the industrialisation of the aluminium sector.
- Both stamps use a limited, earthy colour palette that reflects the red‑brown tones of bauxite ore.
- Issued during a period when Suriname’s bauxite output was globally significant, largely through Suralco (Alcoa).
- No major varieties or reprints are widely recorded.
- Postally used examples often show strong cancellations due to the light backgrounds.
