Mining and Logging Industry [Archive]

-TC-

June 9th, 2007, 01:56 PM

On December 1, 2004, the Supreme Court declared all provisions on foreign participation--including the Financial and Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA)--of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 constitutional by a vote of ten to four with one abstention. This reverses the High Court's January 27, 2004 decision.

In a 246-page decision, penned by Associate Justice Artemio V. Panganiban, the High Court ruled that the provisions of the Mining Act and its Implementing Rules and Regulations, and the FTAA of WMC Philippines do not contravene with the Constitution.

This was the big headline then…

SC upholds the Philippine Mining Act of 1995

In a move that it said would benefit the greatest number, the Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the constitutionality of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 by a vote of ten to four with one abstention, reversing its January 27 decision.

“This Court has therefore weighed carefully the rights and interest of all concerned, and decided for the greater good of the greatest number,” the High Court said in a 246-page decision penned by Associate Justice Artemio V. Panganiban.

The SC ruled that the Mining Act and its Implementing Rules and Regulations contained in the DENR Administrative Order 9640, and the Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA) dated March 30, 1995 executed with Western Mining Philippines Inc. (WMCP), do not contravene with the Constitution.

The High Court had previously ruled to nullify all provisions of the Mining Act concerning the FTAA and other permits that can be granted to foreign corporations such as the exploration permits, mineral processing permits and declared the FTAA of 100-percent foreign owned WMCP, as void, on the ground that these violate the principle of sovereignty stipulated in the Constitution.

These were reversed by the High Court saying that the Mining Act and its IRR the State remains in full control and supervision over the exploration, development and utilization of mineral resources.

Overall, the High Court said the decision considered and weighed the various interests of all concerned.

“The need for an appropriate balancing of interest and needs—the need to develop our stagnating mining industry and extract what NEDA Secretary Romulo Neri estimates is some US$840 billion (approx. P47.04 trillion) worth of mineral wealth lying hidden in the ground, in order to jumpstart our foundering economy on the one hand and on the other, the need to enhance our nationalistic aspirations, protect our indigenous communities and prevent irreversible ecological damage,” the decision read.

“Verily, the mineral wealth and natural resources of this country are meant to benefit not merely a select group of people living in the areas locally affected by mining activities, but the entire Filipino nation, present and future, to whom the mineral wealth really belong.,, JUSTICE FOR ALL, not just for some; JUSTICE FOR THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE, not just for the here and now.

Aside from Associate Justice Panganiban, those who voted to reverse the January ruling are Chief Justice Hilario G. Davide Jr; Associate Justices Reynato S. Puno; Leonardo A. Quisumbing; Angelina Sandoval Gutierrez; Alicia Austria Martinez; Renato C. Corona; Dante O. Tinga; Minita Chico Nazario; and Cancio C. Garcia.

Those who dissented were Associate Justices Yñares Santiago; Antonio T. Carpio; Conchita Carpio Morales; and Romeo J. Callejo. Associate Justice Adolfo A. Azcuna did not take part because he was a former counsel of one of the parties.

The decision is expected to give much-needed boost to the current program of the government led by the DENR to revitalize the minerals industry, which is eyed to help prop up economic growth and development.

The DENR was recently given by President Arroyo the green light to operationalize the Minerals Action Plan, a comprehensive strategy involving all agencies of government and the stakeholders of the minerals industry that would revitalize minerals development in the country with due consideration to environmental protection, economic growth and social equity.

The Arroyo administration has tapped mining as one of the sectors to help generate investments and jobs on the back of the country’s rich mineral resources.

These are now...

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/0608&092007/economy01.html

Current Mining Growth Can Make RP a ‘Mining Country’
By Jonathan L. Mayuga
June 8, 2007
Business Mirror

WITH the bright prospects for the mining industry, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Angelo Reyes said the Philippines could be a “mining country” by 2010 if the country’s metallic-producing mines could sustain its growth at its current pace.

Reyes made the bullish projection based on the Mines and Geosciences Bureau’s (MGB) earlier report that metallic production value grew by 56 percent during the first quarter of the year from P11.13 billion to P17.38 billion of the same period last year and the country’s mineral production value has been on an uptrend since 2002 due to the demand-driven rise in world metal prices.

“With the continuing increase in production value, we are optimistic on achieving a projected 8.6-percent mining exports share to total exports by 2010—a figure that would elevate the Philippines to a ‘mining country,’” Reyes said.

Based on a 2002 World Bank study, a country can be called a “mining country” if it has a large domestic sector and its mining industry contributes at least 6 percent to the total exports.

The DENR-MGB had initially projected that mining’s contribution to exports
would be on an upward trend beginning next year at about 2.8 percent and at 2.9 percent in 2009.

A big jump in exports contribution is projected in 2010 at 8.6 percent with all of the priority mining projects already on stream. The projections were based on production and exports data of current producing mines and the schedules set by the 23 priority minerals development projects.

However, MGB Director Horacio C. Ramos, who presented an update on the country’s minerals industry at the ongoing Asia Pacific Mining Conference and Exhibition (APMCE) 2007 in Makati City, said the growth in mining exports had already began last year as total exports of mineral and mineral products reached about US$2.06 billion, more than double of 2005’s $820 million, increasing the industry’s percentage share from just 2 percent to a remarkable 4.5 percent.

Exports value of all commodities except for chromium skyrocketed last year because of the country’s improved production. Data showed that exports of copper metal rose from $361 million to $1.1 billion; copper concentrates increased from $37 million to $84 million; gold swelled from $58 million to $227 million; iron ore agglomerates increased from $110 to $153 million; and other commodities including nickel ores and concentrates almost doubled from $257 to $402 million. Exports from chromium were flat at $5million.

Ramos said the government is optimistic that the growth in production and exports would be sustained as more and more mining projects go on stream and expand their production this year.

The Palawan HPP Project of Coral Bay Nickel Corp. and the Canatuan Gold Project of TVI Resources Development Phils. are expanding production, while Berong Nickel Project of Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corp. and London-listed Toledo Mining Corp. recently came on stream.

The Adlay-Cagdianao-Tandawa (ACT) Project of Surigao Integrated Resources Corp. is scheduled to start producing late this year for test shipment, while the Didipio Copper Project of OceanaGold and the Masbate Gold Project of Filminera Resources Inc. are eyeing to produce by the second quarter of 2008. The Carmen Copper Project of Atlas Consolidated Mining Corp. is coming on stream by the fourth quarter of next year.

Ramos earlier emphasized in his presentation during the mining sector regional gathering the achievements of the government’s revitalization program, particularly in terms of attracting some of the world’s biggest mining players to invest in the country.

“Two and half years into the government’s revitalization program, we believe that we have made substantial inroads,” Ramos said.

“A total of $694 million in investments have been placed in the local mining industry during the past two and a half years of the program. This is projected to rise in the coming years with significant inflow anticipated in 2008 to 2010,” he added.

Investment inflow is projected to reach $348 million this year. Some $154 million will come from the expansion of the Palawan HPP Project in Palawan, $23 million from the construction of the base metal plant of the Canatuan Project in Zamboanga del Norte, $21 million from the construction and development of the Didipio Copper-Gold Project in Nnueva Vizcaya; $36 million from the Masbate Gold Project in Masbate Island and $97 million from the continuing rehabilitation of the Carmen Copper Project in Cebu.

Since the start of the revitalization program, around 6,500 new jobs have been generated with an additional 3,000 plus jobs are projected for 2007. Another 30,000 plus is projected between 2008 and 2010. Employment in mining is currently pegged at 141,000, up from 2002’s 101,000.

The minerals industry’s estimated gross production value as of 2006 is P68.4 billion which is almost double from 2002’s P35.2 billion, while contribution to the gross domestic product in 2005 was equivalent to P14.8 billion or 1.2 percent of the national GDP.

Taxes, fees and royalties from mining totaled to P3.1 billion, slightly higher from 2005’s P2.9 billion but more than double from 2002’s P1.4 billion.

Ramos, however, stressed that while the Philippines is bullish on its prospects for the minerals industry, the government remains cautious of the challenges that comes with increasing mining activities.

“The bottom line, we in the government believes, is that for as long as done responsibly, mining can be pro-people and pro-environment in creating wealth and improving the quality of life of the Filipinos,” Ramos said.

The Revitalization of the Minerals Industry Program, which is anchored on the principles of sustainable development, was launched in 2003 in line with the President Arroyo’s policy shift from tolerance to promotion of responsible mining. The policy shift considered the potential of mining as a catalyst to economic growth and development, and helping poverty reduction particularly in the countryside.

http://business.inquirer.net/money/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=70124

RP Plans to Become ‘Mining Country’ by 2010
Mining seen accounting for 8.6% of exports
By Amy R. Remo
Inquirer
06/08/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippines can become a “mining country” by 2010 if production of minerals keeps growing at its current pace, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Angelo T. Reyes said Thursday.

“With the continuing increase in production value, we are optimistic on achieving a projected 8.6-percent mining exports share to total exports by 2010,” Reyes said.

Based on a 2002 World Bank study, a country can be called a “mining country” if it has a large domestic sector and its mining industry contributes at least 6 percent to total exports.

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) had initially projected that the mining sector’s contribution to exports would hit only 2.8 percent next year and 2.9 percent in 2009.

But because of the influx of investments into the mining sector, the contribution of the mining sector to exports went up to 4.5 percent last year.

At this pace, the sector was confident that the contribution would go up to 8.6 percent by 2010 when all the priority mining projects start production.

The projections were based on production and exports data of current producing mines and the schedules set by the 24 priority minerals development projects.

"The growth in mining exports had already begun last year as total exports of mineral and mineral products reached about $2.06 billion, more than double 2005's $820 million," said MGB Director Horacio C. Ramos.

Ramos added that the exports value of all commodities, except for chromium, skyrocketed last year because of the country's improved production.

Ramos also noted the increasing production from existing mines.

These include the Palawan HPP Project of Coral Bay Nickel Corp. and the Canatuan Gold Project of TVI Resources Development Philippines. Berong Nickel Project of Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corp. and London-listed Toledo Mining Corp., on the other hand, have just started commercial production.

The Adlay-Cagdianao-Tandawa Project of Surigao Integrated Resources Corp. is scheduled to start producing late this year for test shipment, while the Didipio Copper Project of OceanaGold and the Masbate Gold Project of Filminera Resources Inc. plan to produce by the second quarter of 2008.

The Carmen Copper Project of Atlas Consolidated Mining Corp. is coming on stream by the fourth quarter of next year.

In his presentation, Ramos also stressed the achievements of the revitalization program, particularly in terms of attracting some of the world's biggest mining players to invest in the country.

"Two and half years into the government's revitalization program, we believe that we have made substantial inroads," Ramos said.

"A total of $694 million in investments have been placed in the local mining industry during the past two and a half years of the program. This is projected to rise in the coming years with significant inflow anticipated in 2008 to 2010," he added.

Since the start of the revitalization program, around 6,500 new jobs have been generated with an additional 3,000 jobs projected for 2007.

Another 30,000 jobs are expected to be added between 2008 and 2010.

Taxes, fees and royalties from mining totaled P3.1 billion, slightly higher than 2005's P2.9 billion, but more than double 2002's P1.4 billion.

-TC-

June 9th, 2007, 02:05 PM

Some more...

http://business.inquirer.net/money/columns/view_article.php?article_id=69954

Double Mining
By Conrado R. Banal III
Inquirer
06/07/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- Three foreign mining moguls -- billionaires all -- are here in Manila for the ongoing Asia-Pacific mining conference.

They are David Lowell (owner of the US firm Lowell Mineral Exploration), Owen Hegarty (managing director of the $4-billion Australian firm Oxiana Ltd.) and Dato Mohd Ajib Anuar, president of the Malaysian Chamber of Mines.

No wonder, security was tight at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel!

Nobody can tell if the world’s mining moguls and their executives love to come here simply because they enjoy our sweltering weather.

To the local mining people, anyway, their presence has double meaning. Sure, mining guys never stop looking for prospects. But this cute administration of Gloriaetta is also smiling secretly over their coming over, because the Palace is dead serious in trying to “revive” the mining industry.

The Asia-Pacific conference previous to this one was also held here in Manila a little more than a year ago. You know, double in two years!

It seems the choice of conference venue has something to do with Chamber of Mines of the Philippines president Phillip Romualdez.

He also happens to be the president of the ASEAN Federation of Mining Associations. Usually, the federation president serves for only a year. Romualdez is in his second one-year term. The other member countries insisted on his staying.

Why is that? I really think that this country is on the way to a mining revival.

* * *

For the sake of the remaining movie stars in the Senate, Lowell Mineral Exploration has joint venture exploration programs with major mining companies in Chile, Ecuador and Mexico.
As its owner, Lowell works as a consultant for more than a hundred companies and governments in some 25 countries.

His record shows seven major “finds” so far -- and still counting!

The Australian firm Oxiana, whose managing director is here, produces gold and copper from two mines in Laos.

At the moment, it is also doing exploration work in China, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia.

I think you can easily figure out why its managing director is here in Manila.

* * *

According to Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Angelo Reyes, mining companies have already committed P20 billion for environmental protection and management programs.

Moreover, they committed to set aside some P500 million for livelihood, educational and health programs in their mining areas.

The secretary estimates that the programs will benefit around 400 villages.

The programs can help this cute administration defend its policy to revitalize the mining sector before the so-called “civil society.”

This cute administration is targeting investments in the sector to reach $6.5 billion until Gloriaetta steps down in 2010, hopefully.

In the last two-and-a-half years, actual investments reached only $700 million.

That’s $5.8 billion more to go!

* * *

The Tampakan copper and gold mines in Mindanao is the largest development project so far of the $56-billion Australian group Xstrata. That’s the word from Xstrata CEO Charlie Sartain, who just gave a talk in the ongoing conference.

From what I gathered, the Tampakan mines actually cover the municipalities of Tampakan (South Cotabato), Kiblawan (Davao del Sur) and Columbio (Sultan Kudarat).

Studies done by a company called Sagittarius Mines Inc., or SMI, which is the original local claim holder, confirmed mineral resource of almost 2 billion tons, containing 11.6 million tons of copper and 14.7 million ounces of gold.

Last December, SMI received the Presidential Mining Industry Environmental Award, the highest award to be given to a mining company by the Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association.

The award recognizes the efforts of mining companies in environmental protection projects and community development.

As a policy, according to Sartain, Xstrata sets aside at least one percent of its pre-tax profits for programs for the communities on its mine sites.

Xstrata thus landed last year on the roster of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

Companies in the index are selected based on how they integrate “long-term economic, environmental and social aspects in their business strategies while maintaining global competitiveness and brand reputation.”

In short, business with a conscience!

http://business.inquirer.net/money/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=70126

Aussie Mining Firm to Invest $600M
By Amy R. Remo
Inquirer
06/08/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- Australia’s Rusina Mining Ltd. plans to invest $600 million for a heap leaching processing facility in Zambales province and a nickel smelting plant on Semirara Island.

At the sidelines of the 7th Asia Pacific Mining Conference and Exhibition, Rusina CEO and managing director said that the mining firm’s partner, European Nickel PLC, had already infused $10 million for a feasibility study on the heap leaching facility.

In all, the facility would require capital expenditure of $500 million, while the smelting plant would require $100 million.

Gregory said that, by putting up the two plants, the firm would be in a position to provide value added services.

“Aside from just shipping nickel ore, we can now process it here through these two facilities,” he said.

“We have enough nickel for these two projects.”

The facilities, he added, are meant to ensure that the firm’s operating costs would be kept within manageable levels in the event of a slump in nickel prices.

Gregory also said that, by the third quarter of this year, Rusina would ship to China a trial bulk of 50,000 tons of nickel ore from its Acoje nickel mine in Zambales.

Rusina, through Zambales Diversified Metals Corp., develops and processes nickel from the Acoje mines, which is estimated to have reserves of up to 33 million tons.

Rusina earlier formed a joint venture with DMCI Holdings to put up Zambales Diversified.

The company recently acquired an environmental compliance certificate for the commercial operations of the Acoje project.

“We are planning to increase our volume of production to two million tons from our current target of 1 million tons,” Gregory also said.

Part of the revenue from the nickel shipments, he added, would be used to explore and drill for platinum, and eventually chromite.

http://business.inquirer.net/money/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=70367

Mining Confab Generates Greater Investor Interest
By Amy R. Remo
Inquirer
06/09/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- As the Seventh Asia Pacific Mining Conference and Exhibition, held in Manila this week, gave a big boost in terms of greater investor interest and confidence in the Philippine mining industry, the Philippines now needs to get down to serious work to transform these into actual investments, a top industry official said.

“The country has a competitive edge but this doesn’t last forever so we have to move. We cannot rejoice and simply enjoy the high metal prices. We have to start working and get those investment projects in operation,” said Benjamin Philip Romualdez, president of the ASEAN Federation of Mining Associations.

Mining companies should now take advantage of the strong government support, stable investment climate, and rich mineral resources, said Romualdez, who is also president the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines.

“With stability, investors feel more confident and secure in placing their money in the country,” he added.

As foreign investors at the conference “tell their own stories about projects here in the country, many have seen that the Philippines is the mining destination,” Romualdez said.

He said “issues here have stabilized,” as the government has included the mining sector as one of the major drivers of economic growth after the Supreme Court affirmed the validity of a law that allows foreign ownership of mining projects.

“The major consensus we have for the Philippines is that we have made major developments in our legislation, ahead of our ASEAN neighbors,” Romualdez said.

He said that for investors the top concern was security of tenure and investments, which he said the government had pledged to protect.

Romualdez said the Philippines still had a lot of catching up to do in putting most of the projects into operation.

“What we need now is the political will from the national to the local levels to implement the mining law to the letter and the public support to push through with the projects,” he said.

“We have to make sure each project gets proper support from the national down to the local government levels,” he said. “There must also be sincerity in providing benefits to local communities and in mitigating environment and social impacts.”

smokingunmanila

June 9th, 2007, 02:12 PM

Ang haba..hirap basahin..**** summarize naman..

all i know is..I think we have so much nickel here in Mindanao..the 3rd I think biggest...

smokingunmanila

June 9th, 2007, 02:20 PM

duplicate pala ito..kala ko na close yung kagad ito....

MilkyXplosion

June 9th, 2007, 02:21 PM

FrancisXavier

June 9th, 2007, 02:24 PM

Ang haba..hirap basahin..**** summarize naman..

all i know is..I think we have so much nickel here in Mindanao..the 3rd I think biggest...

on the contrary, nag iimport ang mga power plants ng nickel from Indonesia.

-TC-

June 9th, 2007, 02:25 PM

Ang haba..hirap basahin..**** summarize naman..

all i know is..I think we have so much nickel here in Mindanao..the 3rd I think biggest...

Oo nga sorry mahaba nga yung compilation ng mga articles pero if you look at recent news you will see that we've already come a long, long, long way from when the SC reversed its own decision on December 1, 2004. That 246-page reversal, penned by Associate Justice Artemio V. Panganiban (current SC Chief Justice) declared all provisions on foreign participation including the FTAA of the Philippine Mining Act (PMA) of 1995 constitutional.

You have to thank the PMA and the SC reversal for the current boom in the Philippine mining industry... and likewise for the high-flying mining stocks in the PSE. It's not just the real estate and BPO industry booming in the country you know. :cheers:

-TC-

June 9th, 2007, 02:27 PM

duplicate pala ito..kala ko na close yung kagad ito....

No the other one was created when I accidentally hit the submit button 2x. This thread is ok. Sorry about that.

-TC-

June 9th, 2007, 02:35 PM

Ask ko lang po,majority of my earnings on the past few months is about mining stocks. I know how mining companies seems to be hot these days. Pero few days ago we were overflying somewhere in Quezon and we saw a mountain that was completely carved by half!. I know how mining can be horrible to the envronment but was profitable for guys like us kaya po medyo nakakaguilty. In what way po ba nakakabenefit yung government natin at Ilang percentage po ba yung cut nila? that is kung meron.

A very thorny issue indeed... but if you see part of the article "Double Mining" below:

Last December, SMI received the Presidential Mining Industry Environmental Award, the highest award to be given to a mining company by the Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association.

The award recognizes the efforts of mining companies in environmental protection projects and community development.

As a policy, according to Sartain, Xstrata sets aside at least one percent of its pre-tax profits for programs for the communities on its mine sites.

Xstrata thus landed last year on the roster of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

Companies in the index are selected based on how they integrate “long-term economic, environmental and social aspects in their business strategies while maintaining global competitiveness and brand reputation.”

In short, business with a conscience!

That's how it should be done. :okay:

smokingunmanila

June 9th, 2007, 02:48 PM

-TC-

June 9th, 2007, 03:12 PM

Honestly, I am ignorant on these matters since I am really against mining deep inside my soul...but!...of course, I know our country will earn so much if mining will be allowed to operate.

Question: so does it mean that mining companies are now operating 100% full capacity? are there new guidelines wherein the environment is being protected? wag article answer mo ha...yung alam mo nalang para short...

Existing Philippine mining companies are taking advantage of record prices and demand to export in bigger volumes to countries like China for example. But this is only the tip of the iceberg therefore not yet hitting 100% of our potential as a mining country. We all know that this particular industry needs a huge amount of capital so the recent headlines of investments coming into the country is indeed welcome.The SC decision to finally uphold allowing foreign participation in the Philippine mining industry opened the doors to these companies and they are now coming in droves.

Question: what do you think is our future with mining? in your opinion..will you allow foreign companies such as china to operate here in our country>

Our future is bright if you see that all the biggest mining companies in the world are setting up shop here and pouring in the dollar$$$. These Canadian, Australian, Chinese, American investors can come and invest. Why not? They have the funds. We have the gold.

pushstars

June 9th, 2007, 03:27 PM

Honestly, I am ignorant on these matters since I am really against mining deep inside my soul...but!...of course, I know our country will earn so much if mining will be allowed to operate.

Question: so does it mean that mining companies are now operating 100% full capacity? are there new guidelines wherein the environment is being protected? wag article answer mo ha...yung alam mo nalang para short...

Question: what do you think is our future with mining? in your opinion..will you allow foreign companies such as china to operate here in our country>

According to someone I know in the mining industry, there is no mine operating at full capacity. The industry still needs more capitalization and more investments. All the news lately are just press release. If these investments materialize ever, it will have lag time and probably feel it two or three years.

Mining will be good for the economy but I hope we do not rely too much on it because it will give more revenues to the government still job creation will be limited (your just making the large mining firms rich as well) and there is high risk of incurring social and environmental costs.

jonno

June 9th, 2007, 03:59 PM

-TC-

June 9th, 2007, 04:20 PM

Philippines is the 3rd or 5th mineralized country in the world. We have huge potential; our country definitely need the revenues from mining. Of course, we have to ensure that environmental regulations are followed. Mining would create a lot of jobs in the countryside and support other industries. Mining is a very risky investment that requires huge capital. Only big mining companies with the latest equipment and have several drilling operations all over the world can possibly mine profitably. Have you ever wondered why the Ayalas, Lopezes and many of our business tycoons have never directly ventured into mining???

Well, there's tycoon Danding Cojuanco, Jr. thru SMC or his proxy Ramon Ang who have plans to go into mining. Sorry @smokingun but here is an article about it... hehe edited naman.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=79979

San Miguel says yet to apply for mine permit

San Miguel Corp., Southeast Asia's largest food and drinks firm, said on Thursday it has yet to apply for a mining exploration permit and would seek stockholder approval first for any mining venture.

"Until that authority is granted by the stockholders, the studies being made by the company on mining as a business are exploratory," San Miguel said in a statement to the Philippine Stock Exchange.

"The company has not filed any application for exploration rights with the Department on Environment and Natural Resources."

Environment Secretary Angelo Reyes told Reuters on Tuesday San Miguel wanted to explore for iron, gold and copper in Mindoro province south of Manila.

But another environment official had said San Miguel president Ramon Ang had filed for an exploration permit in an individual capacity, along with a sister firm of San Miguel which he did not name.

Ang has personal investments in other sectors such as cement and is part of a consortium that tried to bid for the Philippines' national electricity grid in February.

San Miguel -- the Philippines' second-largest listed firm -- announced last month it would invest in non-allied ventures such as power, infrastructure and mining after dominating the home market for beer, liquor, dairy, poultry and processed food for decades... (check link for more)

jonno

June 9th, 2007, 04:31 PM

Well, there's tycoon Danding Cojuanco, Jr. thru SMC or his proxy Ramon Ang who have plans to go into mining. Sorry @smokingun but here is an article about it... hehe edited naman.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=79979

San Miguel says yet to apply for mine permit

San Miguel Corp., Southeast Asia's largest food and drinks firm, said on Thursday it has yet to apply for a mining exploration permit and would seek stockholder approval first for any mining venture.

"Until that authority is granted by the stockholders, the studies being made by the company on mining as a business are exploratory," San Miguel said in a statement to the Philippine Stock Exchange.

"The company has not filed any application for exploration rights with the Department on Environment and Natural Resources."

Environment Secretary Angelo Reyes told Reuters on Tuesday San Miguel wanted to explore for iron, gold and copper in Mindoro province south of Manila.

But another environment official had said San Miguel president Ramon Ang had filed for an exploration permit in an individual capacity, along with a sister firm of San Miguel which he did not name.

Ang has personal investments in other sectors such as cement and is part of a consortium that tried to bid for the Philippines' national electricity grid in February.

San Miguel -- the Philippines' second-largest listed firm -- announced last month it would invest in non-allied ventures such as power, infrastructure and mining after dominating the home market for beer, liquor, dairy, poultry and processed food for decades... (check link for more)

Well maybe San Miguel could but even a giant like San Miguel would surely require huge foreign funding. As to whether they could make money as much as the big mining firms do - I wonder. Mining works on the law of large numbers - i dunno the exact probabilities but say 1 profitable drilling site for every 7 drills. That would work for companies who could afford a lot of drillings for the probability to come about.

smokingunmanila

June 9th, 2007, 04:53 PM

-TC-

June 9th, 2007, 05:12 PM

to anybody..

Is it true what Jonno said..that we have so much minerals here in our limited land area country? if so..what are these? iron, gold, nickel, copper?

Right now, which company is making so much money from mining? is it Philex?

Yes @jonno is correct...

At this time, the government has 23 or 24 priority mining projects (check this link (http://www.mgb.gov.ph/revitalization_files/revitalization_23projects.htm)) nationwide expected to value more than $6 billion in 2010, but has still been seeking new investments that are seen to contribute to the goals of the mining revitalization program.

The Philippines has been touted as a country rich in minerals such as gold, copper, iron, chromite, nickel, cobalt, and platinum.

j.r.

June 9th, 2007, 05:20 PM

smokingunmanila

June 9th, 2007, 05:24 PM

yes..how much does the government get in terms of shares from the mines?

j.r.

June 9th, 2007, 05:31 PM

maybe i hav 2 do more research. kaso three night shifts ako eh. next week siguro. better yet, baka meron dyang me alam about the topic...:)

-TC-

June 9th, 2007, 05:42 PM

i hav a friend who told me last year when i went home about the locals of manito, albay who opposed mining operations there for health and environmental reasons. there was a case against the mining corporations as well. don't know though what happened next.

>> question is, does the economic gain outweigh the environmental hazzard we get from mining? more importantly, who gains from these mining operations? coz if it's the mining corporation mostly, maybe we hav to rethink about how we view these mining operations...

Let me try to answer you by quoting from the speech DENR Secretary Angelo T. Reyes delivered during the 7TH Asia Pacific Mining Conference and Exhibition held on June 5, 2007 at the Makati Shangri-la Hotel. This speech was titled “RESPONSIBLE MINING: KEY TO THE SUSTAINED GROWTH OF THE PHILIPPINE MINERALS INDUSTRY (http://denr.gov.ph/article/view/4367)”. Check the link for his full speech or read my summary below:

1) He said that the best recognition of mining’s role in sustainable development is in paragraph 46 of the World Summit on Sustainable Development’s plan of implementation, which states that “mining, minerals and metals are important to the economic and social development of many countries. Minerals are essential for modern living…”

2) That the hallmark of the government’s revitalization program for the industry is not anchored purely on the potential economic gains but in its commitment to the establishment of a responsible and sustainable local minerals industry

3) That the Philippines has defined what responsible/sustainable mining should be for the local mining industry with the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations which have embedded:
a. The principles of sustainable mining;
b. Built-in protection for the indigenous peoples (IP);
c. Sharing of the benefits of mining among the major stakeholders; and
d. Strict environmental and social provisions.

4) Finally with respect to environmental management and the integration of the concept of planning for mine closure/integrated mine closure planning, (DENR) believes that abandoned mines or problems associated with inactive mines will be a thing of the past. To date, an estimated PhP20 billion has been committed by mining companies for environmental protection and management programs and activities to be implemented over the life of their mines.

By providing for social development and management programs, sustainable mining communities can be developed and sustained long after the closure of the mine. To date, almost PhP500 million have been committed by mining companies for the implementation of livelihood, educational and health programs benefiting around 400 barangays.

In doing so, (the government is) just being consistent with (its) pronounced objective that “mining projects that cannot absorb the environmental and social costs of modern mining shall not be allowed to proceed”.

jonno

June 9th, 2007, 05:54 PM

-TC-

June 9th, 2007, 05:55 PM

Yes @jonno is correct...

At this time, the government has 23 or 24 priority mining projects (check this link (http://www.mgb.gov.ph/revitalization_files/revitalization_23projects.htm)) nationwide expected to value more than $6 billion in 2010, but has still been seeking new investments that are seen to contribute to the goals of the mining revitalization program.

The Philippines has been touted as a country rich in minerals such as gold, copper, iron, chromite, nickel, cobalt, and platinum.

Just to add... buried in the article "Current Mining Growth Can Make RP a Mining Country" are some stats according to Mining and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Director Horacio C. Ramos, who presented an update on the country’s minerals industry at the ongoing Asia Pacific Mining Conference and Exhibition (APMCE) 2007 in Makati City. He said the growth in mining exports had already began last year (2006) as total exports of mineral and mineral products reached about US$2.06 billion, more than double of 2005’s $820 million, increasing the industry’s percentage share from just 2% to a remarkable 4.5%.

Export value of all commodities except for chromium skyrocketed last year (2006) because of the country’s improved production:
- copper metal rose from $361 million (2005) to $1.1 billion (2006);
- copper concentrates increased from $37 million to $84 million;
- gold swelled from $58 million to $227 million;
- iron ore agglomerates increased from $110 to $153 million; and
- other commodities including nickel ores and concentrates almost doubled from $257 to $402 million.
- chromium was flat at $5million.

Ramos said the government is optimistic that the growth in production and exports would be sustained as more and more mining projects go on stream and expand their production this year.

j.r.

June 9th, 2007, 05:58 PM

thx 4 the quick reply. hopefully these principles r really put into practice. otherwise kawawa naman yung what they call IP and the future generation. Fingers crossed then!! :)

-TC-

June 9th, 2007, 06:00 PM

yes..how much does the government get in terms of shares from the mines?

Aside from the foreign exchange and the investment dollars are taxes, fees and royalties from mining which totaled to P3.1 billion, slightly higher from 2005’s P2.9 billion but more than double from 2002’s P1.4 billion! :cheers:

-TC-

June 9th, 2007, 06:06 PM

thx 4 the quick reply. hopefully these principles r really put into practice. otherwise kawawa naman yung what they call IP and the future generation. Fingers crossed then!! :)

Hehe I am quite glad to read all your thoughts here as well just a few hours after I created this thread. I know people know about the real estate boom in the Philippines but might not be aware of the potential of our mining industry to really push our economy forward. Our GDP of 6.9% in 1Q07? It'll be more than that if this takes off.

j.r.

June 9th, 2007, 06:36 PM

yeah, it just happened that i've heard about this controversy about the topic and i just thought it was my duty to bring out this concern. to lay the card on the table, so to speak.

>>as they say, there really are two (or more?) sides to an issue. but whatever is good for the people and the economy at the end of the day, syempre dyan tayo. :)

dinabaw

June 10th, 2007, 09:03 AM

Footprints By Tony Vn. Figueroa
Two faces of mining

The pro-environment advocates and anti-mining sectors may argue against this, but mining, given the liberalism it has received over a year after the Supreme Court came out with a more friendly decision towards it, is on the rise.

Its vibrancy can be attributed to encouraging factors that are already in place.

Among them are the investment guidelines that have become more rational, the economic policies are easier to comply given the approved laws that control responsible mining, and the incentives offered are attractive and feasible.

Even the parochial San Miguel Corp. whose thrusts are mainly confined to food beverage, the idea of diverting to mining has already caught interest in the board. In fact, the first area of prospecting and exploration will be Mindoro, Vice President Noli de Castro’s home province.

Ironically, with the biggest mining firms in the world wanting to invest locally, issues on protecting the environment, prosecuting violators of mining law, and resolving conflicts in small-scale mining areas remain unresolved.

For instance, the Diwalwal problem, which has been on the hot seat for decades now, continues to shame government declarations that soon the state will handle its development. After hundreds of lives lost in the name of the controversy, the state is nowhere close to even brining in their mining paraphernalia.

The lack of a well-defined mechanism that allows for a smooth, transparent, and easy resolution of mining concerns-that is, from filing of papers to transport of ores-has only validated the long held suspicion the country is really not prepared for big-time and long-term mining investments.

The Chamber of Mines can say what it wants and expects, but the government is eternally slow in appreciating the real problems that need to be addressed on the ground.

With perception of graft and corruption as deterrent, we may be left only in the months to come with mining proposals that are not taking off anytime soon.

Responsible mining deserves a serious focus because in it hinges one of the pillars of national growth. It can also translate into more revenues, better job opportunities, upgrade economic ratings, contribute to a more expanded informal sectors, and its multiplier effect positively affecting residual families.

This year alone, if projections and predictions come true, mining export revenue will hit $2 billion or higher, the experts say, ‘provided that the current mining investment climate remains stable, and once revenues from the big-ticket projects start to kick in.’

The figure, however, is only a fourth of the $8 billion its neighbor, Indonesia, is expecting to shovel into public coffers. With demand in the world market for metals such as gold, nickel, copper and silver, figures can always soar unpredictably.

Back to Diwalwal, a mining region that the government claims to hold over $25 billion in gold assets, the implementation of mining and environmental laws is not just the primary problem that confronts it.

The result of the recent election in Compostela Valley should alarm the authorities and warn the government that everything is not right in the gold rush.

For one thing, the fight to dominate Mt. Diwata is a long-known ambition, but was only stalled when the Brillanteses took hold of the local governance and instituted reforms that favor the public coffers.

As a result of this strict agenda and the desire to pursue legalization in the gold rush, dozens of lives have already been sacrificed, foremost of whom was the assassinated mayor of Monkayo, Joel B. Brillantes.

So far, two pro-peace men were gunned down a day after Mayor Manuel Brillantes Jr. was reelected. The alleged suspects: the henchmen of a well-known congressman, whose recent rival for a House seat is Joselito Brillantes, brother of Joel and Manuel.

An observer needs not be a rocket scientist to understand that the move to sow terror in Monkayo has become an indispensable agenda. The main key here is the return of well-known fugitives to the Diwalwal scene.

And God knows what trouble awaits those who are locked in the crosshairs.

http://www.mindanaotimes.com.ph/column.php?id=2830

dinabaw

June 10th, 2007, 09:12 AM

BHP Billiton looks at US$1b investment in Philippines: official
Posted: 04 June 2007 1622 hrs

MANILA: BHP Billiton, the world's biggest miner, is looking to invest up to US$1 billion in a nickel project in the southern Philippines, a senior mining industry official said Monday.

The project is at the "conceptual" stage and BHP chief executive, Chip Goodyear had discussed it during President Gloria Arroyo's recent trip to Australia, said Benjamin Philip Romualdez, president of the Philippine Chamber of Mines.

Arroyo met mining executives during her brief visit to Australia last week.

Romualdez, who was present at the meeting, said the site is located near Mati on the southeast coast of the mineral rich southern island of Mindanao.

BHP Billiton officials said the project would require investment of up to a billion dollars, he added. No timetable was laid out.

Romualdez said foreign mining companies have invested about US$700 million in the Philippines over the past three years after the Supreme Court upheld a 1997 mining law that allowed foreign entities to skirt constitutional restrictions on foreign investment in key sectors of the economy.

He said the sector expects fresh investments of between US$400 million and US$500 million this year

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific_business/view/280163/1/.html

============================================================================

June 8, 2007 | 8:40 am
$1-billion mining investment eyed in Mati

According to officials from the mining inudstry, the Philippines’s potential for growth in the sector remains good. In fact, BHP Billiton, the world’s biggest miner, is interested in investing up to a billion US dollars in a nickel mine project in Mati, Davao Oriental, according to Benjamin Philip Romualdez, president of the Philippine Chamber of Mines. Romualdez said at the Asia-Pacific Mining Conference in Makati City this week that foreign companies have invested nearly $700 million in the Philippines in the past three years. But environmentalists, who protested the conference, have warned of environmental destruction.

http://davaotoday.com/2007/06/08/1-billion-mining-investment-in-mati-eyed/

============================================================================

sana hindi tayo padalas dalas about this. we need to check mining firms before we venture into it, kung hindi maging Marinduque tragedy uli, .
We need to see "responsible mining" or track records of foreign mining firms . Sa sobra dami baka hindi na natin ma check ang pinag gagawa , are we capable of checking them w/ our lack of manpower and resources?

sandrn

June 10th, 2007, 11:25 PM

Mining can be lead engine for growth – GMA
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=80384
By MARIANNE V. GO
The Philippine Star

President Arroyo is optimistic that the mining industry could serve as the leading engine for revenues and economic growth of the country if the current uptrend in exports and investments continues.

At the closing dinner of the 7th Asia Pacific Mining Conference and Exhibition hosted by Mrs. Arroyo Thursday night at Malacañang, the President said that mining could be a top player for sustainable economic development in the country.

In a speech, the President noted that "your theme captures it all: ‘Sustaining the momentum for renewed growth’ for the Philippines and for the Asia Pacific." President Arroyo had just arrived from China in time to host the reception which capped the ASEAN Federation of Mining Associations’ (AFMA) campaign to restore investor confidence in the mining sector in the region.

The three-day conference at the Makati Shangri-La was organized by AFMA and hosted by the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines.

Aside from leaders of the ASEAN mining sector, the conference attracted top executives from the world’s top mining companies – Xstrata Copper, Oceana Gold, Lowell Mineral, Crew Gold, BHP Billiton, to name a few.

The President pointed out that Asia Pacific benefits from the economic growth of China, India, Japan and South Korea which are major consumers of minerals and mineral products.

She went on to say that "the Philippines too can benefit from this growth. It can lift up our nation, the 5th most endowed country in the world in terms of mineral resources."

The government launched a program to revitalize the minerals industry in 2003, the year world market prices of minerals and mineral products began to surge.

The program reflects President Arroyo’s policy shift from tolerance to the promotion of responsible mining.

Mrs. Arroyo, however, reminded foreign mining firms that mining activities must also "add to rather than subtract from the quality of life of the people." She added, "you must also be good stewards of the environment and model employers."

Furthermore, Mrs. Arroyo said, "you must make sure that your initiatives are not only commercially viable but also meet safety and health standards."

The government, the President assured, has put measures in place that include involving the local communities so that economic benefits as well as cultural, environmental and other concerns are jointly addressed.

Benjamin Philip Romualdez, president of AFMA and the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines, said "the Philippines will be a major contributor to the expansion of mining in the Asia Pacific region."

He projects that mineral exports of the country may hit $2 billion by the end of this year. Likewise, he projects the industry’s dollar earnings would reach as high as $10 billion by 2012 or even sooner, by 2010.

The Chamber of Mines expects a mining boom in 2008 and 2009 with investments forecast at $1.55 billion in 2008 and $2.76 billion in 2009, compared with a projected $348 million this year. The year 2010 is significant in that it will be the period when most of the 24 priority minerals development projects will be on stream.

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Angelo Reyes shares the optimism. He said the Philippines could be a mining country by 2010 if the metallic producing mines sustain their output growth at its current pace. Reyes sees mining exports surging to 8.6 percent of total exports by 2010.

He cited a 2002 World Bank study that defines a "mining country" as one that has a large domestic sector and a mining industry that contributes at least six percent of total exports.

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) had also reported that an uptrend in exports of mineral and mineral products has began in 2006 with revenues of $2.06 billion, more than double the $820 million earned in 2005.

The increase is due to the spike in export value of all commodities except for chromium.

The bureau expects the mining industry to account for 2.8 percent of total exports in 2008 and 2.9 percent in 2009.

bloodyred

June 11th, 2007, 05:33 AM

Mining haters are hypocrites.
That's according to this article from PSEM (Phil. Society of Mining Engineers).
http://www.psem.ph/readarticle.php?article_id=12

I certainly have no time for Imelda Marcos. Why she isn?t in jail entirely escapes me, but for once she got it right. The Philippines is rich in the mineral wealth it owns but remains poor because it doesn?t exploit it.

One of the reasons it doesn?t exploit it is because of the strong opposition to it by various groups, including, sadly, the Church. I say ?sadly? because the Church?s role could be a positive one, not the negative one it now is.

Those who oppose mining are, quite simply, hypocrites. They use mined products yet want to ban mining for the very products they use themselves. This is mental dishonesty, duplicity, call it what you will they?re people who don?t deserve to be listened to.

So I will not argue with anyone who opposes mining carte blanche, yet uses mined products. They are not credible, they can?t be against something they use themselves. And they can?t say: ?Do it somewhere else.? That?s about as un-Christian as you can get. Or selfish, and neither is acceptable to me.

Today?s modern world cannot exist without metals (or cement and other quarried products) and the people who oppose mining live in this modern world. If they are to be true to themselves and their ideals ? of stopping mining ? then they must stop using mined products. But how are they going to live?

Like a stone-age man? Because that?s their only option. If they honestly believe in stopping mining, then they must be true to themselves and give up everything that comes from a mine.

As a start, what will they live in. Cement is quarried, so is sand and gravel. You can?t live in a wooden house because that means cutting down trees. A cotton tent perhaps. I?m not being facetious, I?m deadly serious. You can?t oppose something and yet use it. No more spoon and fork, no gold chalice for communion. Or a wedding ring. And if they want to wear clothes they will have to be only of natural fibers hand-sewn with a bone needle.

But I think I?ve made my point, the modern world is totally dependent on mined products. So we can?t stop it. What we can do, and should do is see to it that the least possible damage to the environment is done. And that the land is restored once the mine is finished.

This is called ?responsible mining.? And part of that responsibility includes sustainable development. The Church, which currently wishes to ban mining, could instead be a most effective force in ensuring that mining is done responsibly. Which means not only minimal damage to the environment but also development of the local community ? creating jobs and building schools and hospitals, roads and bridges. And developing alternative income sources for when the mine finishes. That?s sustainable development, introducing into the local community business activities that can go on beyond the life of the mine. This is something the Church is in an excellent position to do: Be a positive force in ensuring that mining is done responsibly rather than a negative force trying to stop something they use themselves.

The government should also act in a much more transparent manner, and put in place systems that automatically remit to the local governments and the local indigenous people the percentage of the royalties the law mandates they get.

If it did, the government could gain better acceptance of mining, particularly if it took the royalties (and maybe taxes) mining companies pay and applied them to specific community development projects. Not just dump them into the national treasury. A good example of this would be to build schools. We need 40,000 classrooms at the moment. A classroom costs P250,000 to build. That means P10 billion is needed to build those schools. On a royalty of 1 percent, that would need mining revenues of P1 trillion. An entirely achievable amount given that the export potential of mining is estimated to reach $24 billion over the next few years ($4 billion annually in the next six years). Twenty-four billion dollars is P1.4 trillion. So it?s there.

Saudi Arabia is a rich country because it has an asset it can sell: oil. The Philippines is a poor country because it has an asset it doesn?t sell: mineral products. The country is the fifth most mineralized country in the world. It is one of the richest sources for gold, copper, nickel and chromite in the world. It ranks second in gold and third in copper. And it has 20 percent of the world?s nickel resources. Yet it doesn?t take advantage of it to uplift the rural poor out of poverty, as it could do. Mining accounted for less than 2 percent of the country?s total exports during the past five years. It could be 25 percent as it was in the ?70s, or more.

As to ecological damage, yes there is some, it?s unavoidable. But it can be minimized and the land can be put back into serviceable state once the mine is finished. Mines have a limited life, once the ore has been extracted the mine is finished. The Philippine Mining Act mandates this. Mining companies must put aside an amount equal to 3 to 5 percent of their annual direct mining costs to be used to rehabilitate the area after the mine closes.

The Supreme Court has confirmed that foreign companies can develop a mine and initial interest has been high. But whether that will develop into the major industry it could be ? an initial US$6.5 billion of direct investments within the next six to 10 years, with annual exports reaching US$3 to 4 billion ? is up to the Filipino.

The national government under President Arroyo, is fully supportive but many local governments are not. Yet they?re the very ones who?d most profit from a mine in their area ? they?d get reelected by people who?ve finally got a well-paying job and a vibrant community.

It makes no sense that they oppose, yet they do. Encouraged, too often, by imported NGOs that care not a whit that Filipinos have a decent life, only that a tree be saved. Well I want trees to be saved, too (and I?ve been active in stopping illegal logging and planting trees so I can talk with some moral authority). Too many of the NGOs I?ve seen just want to stop something, and offer no alternatives. This is irresponsible opposition. Responsible opposition would offer viable, specific alternatives. I have no time for people who oppose without offering something else.

Over half the Philippine population lives in poverty (the real number, not the government-fabricated one). If mining is developed that number will be dramatically reduced. If mining is stopped those poor will remain poor ? unless the oppositors provide an alternative income. If they don?t then they must accept that it is they, no one else, who is keeping 40 million or so Filipinos without even enough food to eat, let alone educate their children, heal their sick, provide adequate shelter, etc.

Mining companies will do all of that.

So, you who oppose, you provide all that or do something far more worthwhile for the country and the community. Turn your attention, and energies to stopping illegal logging and getting actively involved in planting trees on the five million hectares of denuded forests.

Be a positive force in the community not the negative one as now.

-TC-

June 11th, 2007, 05:41 AM

dinabaw

June 11th, 2007, 07:58 AM

REVEILLE
Voice from the past

By Ramon J. Farolan
Inquirer
Last updated 01:53am (Mla time) 06/11/2007

MANILA, Philippines - The great thing about tomorrow, June 12, aside from being Independence Day, is that it marks the 107th birth anniversary of my father, Modesto Farolan.

With only a high school diploma, he rose from being a lowly cub reporter at the old Manila Daily Bulletin to become editor and publisher of the Philippines Herald. From being the nation's first consul general to Honolulu in 1947, he ended a diplomatic career as ambassador to Indonesia where he spent his last years in public office, after serving six Philippine presidents from Manuel Roxas to Ferdinand Marcos.

His work in the field of tourism would earn him the title of "Father of Philippine Tourism" and a posthumous award bestowed by President Corazon Aquino for his lifetime advocacy concerning the development of our nation's tourism potential. Today, tourism is not only one of the nation's biggest dollar-earners; it is also in the forefront of the effort to preserve much of our cultural heritage as well as to protect our environment.

A few weeks ago, rummaging through some of his old papers, I discovered another of his advocacies, this one pertaining to the sustainable development of our forestry resources.

In March 1957, he delivered the commencement address before the graduating class of the UP College of Forestry in Los Ba¤os. He talked of the wealth of our natural resources, particularly that of our forests and the importance of conserving, preserving, and even increasing their value for the benefit of future generations.

He began by saying that, "All guest speakers on occasions like this are expected to solemnly stress upon the graduating class, their grave responsibilities and their crucial importance to the future of the country. Without belittling any of the learned and respected professions, I must say that I, personally, would find it difficult to tell our next 5,000 lawyers or accountants or pharmacists that the fate of the nation depended upon their individual or collective contribution. For if I do, I would not be saying what I believe, which is, that we can well afford to omit one or more graduating classes in certain overcrowded professions."

As can be gleaned, he would oftentimes say exactly what was on his mind, a trait which did not endear him to a number of people.

He continued, "I shall not be burdened by this obstacle in addressing you today. It has been my long-held conviction that in our country's struggle for economic advancement and stability, upon which hinges all future national progress and prosperity, our greatest natural assets are in our land and its forests, and that any planning for the years to come which neglects or fails to give positive emphasis to these resources is bound to meet with only negligible, even disastrous results."

He called attention to the 1955 figures provided by the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. At that time, those major areas of activity, agriculture and natural resources, were under one roof and the word "environment" was not yet part of the vocabulary of the day. He said, "The total amount of the country's natural resources, in use and potential, is given at P34 billion. Of this total, some P300 million consists of fishery resources. Land accounts for a little over P4 billion; mineral resources, about P1.5 billion. The balance, almost P28 billion, is in forest resources alone. Let me emphasize that out of a total of P34 billion in resources, P28 billion, or over four-fifths, lies in our forests. I don't see how you can make the point more clearly. Given these resources, is it even necessary to ask which way we should turn for economic development? If we developed everything else to the utmost possible efficiency and productiveness, everything, except our forests, we would still be barely scratching the surface of our rich potentials and be rated as miserably underdeveloped."

The wealth of our country continues to remain in the hands of a few families. Some of the fabulous fortunes which were made in the past few decades came from the ruthless exploitation of our forest resources and we are now being made to suffer for those excesses just as future generations are going to be deprived of the benefits of these resources. A simple check of government records would probably show who were awarded forestry concessions and timber license agreements, and checking out these areas would also provide information as to who have been religiously observing conservation and replanting measures. In terms of 1955 values, P28 billion is a tremendous amount of money.

He pointed out the bright prospects for economic development in connection with the use of our forestry resources, but he also stressed the equally important task of proper use and conservation: "Unlike minerals, forests are ever-renewable. Once having extracted every ounce of metallic ore from the bowels of our earth, there is nothing left. On the other hand, it is not inconceivable that in years to come, having exploited P28 billion worth of forests and their products, there would still be P28 billion left, or more; provided, we follow a sound plan for protecting our forests and replenishing them with new growths. Doing so, we shall not be protecting merely our timber wealth; we shall be protecting and enhancing our agricultural wealth, for it is our forests that keep down the destructive floods and unnecessary loss of valuable soil through erosion of our cultivated areas."

He also looked upon our forests in terms of tourism as a source of revenue for the nation. All that was needed was "to cooperate a little with Nature and do what we can to preserve and accentuate the beauty and grandeur of our surroundings." He spoke of our country "being blessed with landscape of a majesty and magnificence rarely equaled in this world and of fields, of rivers and mountains of many-splendored loveliness."

It is not too late for our officials to heed this voice from the past. There have been too much greed and rapacious exploitation of our natural resources without replenishment activities that would ensure continuing benefits for our children and grandchildren. All it takes is political will, a strong determination and a sense of community to put into effect necessary measures which would result in the sustainable development and utilization of our nation's wealth and assets.

http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view_article.php?article_id=70565

dinabaw

June 11th, 2007, 08:00 AM

The nation's last resource

By John J. Carroll, S.J.
Inquirer
Last updated 01:52am (Mla time) 06/11/2007

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines is a nation of rich resources." True or false? False! It was once a nation of vast natural resources, even when I first arrived here in 1946. But that is a thing of the past, however much it may be repeated in school textbooks copied from other textbooks. The nation's forests are gone; forest cover is far below that needed to retain precious rainwater and to stabilize hillsides against erosion and landslides. Millions of tons of precious topsoil have been washed into the sea. The rivers are dead, polluted and unable to sustain life. The coral reefs are in bad shape, and fish catches have plummeted due to overfishing. The air we breathe is polluted. About the only natural resource left is the nation's minerals, and foreign mining firms are falling over each other, with the connivance of the current administration, in their efforts to get their hands on them.

http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view_article.php?article_id=70564

bukid

June 11th, 2007, 09:10 AM

Those who oppose mining are, quite simply, hypocrites. They use mined products yet want to ban mining for the very products they use themselves. This is mental dishonesty, duplicity, call it what you will they?re people who don?t deserve to be listened to...

So, you who oppose, you provide all that or do something far more worthwhile for the country and the community. Turn your attention, and energies to stopping illegal logging and getting actively involved in planting trees on the five million hectares of denuded forests.

Be a positive force in the community not the negative one as now.

i don't wear any metal jewelry. i very seldom buy watches. i dont have golden chalices. i eat with my hands when possible. i live a very simple life. it is because i believe i have to help protect our world (not just the visayas) from over-exploitation. many of us are buying things which we don't really need and then we end up using it for a while and then throw it away.

although i live in a concrete cemented house, i would still prefer a nipa hut because it's cool and the materials are renewable. the only thing that probably had metals are my watch, my cellphone, our television, our computer and some appliances. that way i help save the earth from too much waste product later.

there is nothing wrong with using wood if the wood is not taken from the virgin forest. we can plant trees and materials that can be harvested in a year or in 6months.

the use of paperless/coinless transaction is also good because it reduce the use of coins and paper. and i do support such system. and let's reduce, reuse and recycle. don't buy things that you like but don't really need.

i hope many will also be more aware of what they can contribute to the health of our environment. The one who get most from these mining are the mining companies. remember this is an investment. if they invested 1billion in it. they expect to get a profit of 10billion from it. so who gets most from it? it is the mining companies and their politician padrinos. the losers are always the people.

When all the trees have been cut down,
when all the animals have been hunted,
when all the waters are polluted,
when all the air is unsafe to breathe,
only then will you discover you cannot eat money.
-Cree prophesy

I do not think the measure of a civilization
is how tall its buildings of concrete are,
But rather how well its people have learned to relate
to their environment and fellow man.
-Sun Bear of the Chippewa Tribe

jonno

June 11th, 2007, 09:48 AM

i don't wear any metal jewelry. i very seldom buy watches. i dont have golden chalices. i eat with my hands when possible. i live a very simple life. it is because i believe i have to help protect our world (not just the visayas) from over-exploitation. many of us are buying things which we don't really need and then we end up using it for a while and then throw it away.

good living

although i live in a concrete cemented house, i would still prefer a nipa hut because it's cool and the materials are renewable. the only thing that probably had metals are my watch, my cellphone, our television, our computer and some appliances. that way i help save the earth from too much waste product later.

personally not my style but there are benefits if other people copy your lifestyle

i hope many will also be more aware of what they can contribute to the health of our environment.

well, if you really are that concerned about the environment, would you agree that instead of "jungle living" it would be much helpful for example:

if we fast track bio fuels

if we replace pollutiong vehicles (eg.jeepneys) with lesser polluting ones (eg. new buses) or even better trains

if we promote family planning (less people, less pollution)

The one who get most from these mining are the mining companies.

Assuming mining companies won't get anything from mining, would you support mining?

remember this is an investment. if they invested 1billion in it. they expect to get a profit of 10billion from it.

i see, so you are basically against the profit or capitalist system. are you proposing a North Korean communist type system?

so who gets most from it? it is the mining companies

so should we close down Mc Donalds, Globe, Smart, Mercury drug, Starbucks because they get something from their operations?

and their politician padrinos

if politicians wont benefit from mining, would you support mining?
the losers are always the people.

Why do you say that? What system do you propose where people wont always lose? Like the one in North Korea?

jonno

June 11th, 2007, 10:27 AM

The nation's last resource

By John J. Carroll, S.J.
Inquirer
Last updated 01:52am (Mla time) 06/11/2007
http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view_article.php?article_id=70564

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines is a nation of rich resources." True or false? False!

I disagree Fr. John Carroll, resources are simply not the environment; it could be the people. Japan and Singapore for example hardly have any "natural resources" yet they are rich countries. Why? Their greatest resources are their people! Their people are "knowledge workers". They create wealth out of their knowledge and technology.

(Philippines)... was once a nation of vast natural resources, even when I first arrived here in 1946. But that is a thing of the past, however much it may be repeated in school textbooks copied from other textbooks. The nation's forests are gone; forest cover is far below that needed to retain precious rainwater and to stabilize hillsides against erosion and landslides. Millions of tons of precious topsoil have been washed into the sea. The rivers are dead, polluted and unable to sustain life. The coral reefs are in bad shape, and fish catches have plummeted due to overfishing. The air we breathe is polluted.

I agree Fr. Carol, that's why we here are proposing practical solutions such as for example banning jeepneys in major roads to produce cleaner air. Would you agree that our environment is being stretched to the limit by our increasing population? Why don't you campaign for family planning Father?
About the only natural resource left is the nation's minerals

1.So Fr. Carol, you equate preserving gold, copper, nickel and other minerals under the soil with cleaner air, cleaner rivers and lots of trees in the Philippines?

2.If it could be proven Father Carol that mining would have minimal or zero effect on overall ecological sustainability in the Philippines, would you be OK with mining here?

and foreign mining firms are falling over each other,

let's say it's local firms that are mining it, would that change your position?

with the connivance of the current administration, in their efforts to get their hands on them.

assuming it's the erap administration, would that change your position?

or let's say it's the administration of Jose Maria Sison and the New People's Army, would it change your stance Father???

If you don't mind Father, PM me your phone number so I could enlighten you.

MilkyXplosion

June 11th, 2007, 10:34 AM

@ioanno (post no 36) not all people who opposes mining are communist who wanted to turn this country like North Korea,that would have been bigotry:ohno: Its like saying all who opposes war on terror is a terrorist and all who oposes Gloria is anti-progress. c'mon! If there is somebody who is profitting big time from mining that would be me and my parents since most of the money that we profitted with in the PSE came from mining stocks. BUT!!!! WE DO HAVE CONCIENCE and we understand its limits. Were not totally opposed to mining but what we wanted is a well controlled and regulated mining industry in which indeed people get the most out of it and the nature well taken cared of. How many nations who had flourished in mining and ended being bankrupt and environment disaster Zone? Would like us to be the next Nauru?

I would like to quote you on your post in 37
I disagree Fr. John Carroll, resources are simply not the environment; it could be the people. Japan and Singapore for example hardly have any "natural resources" yet they are rich countries. Why? Their greatest resources are their people! Their people are "knowledge workers". They create wealth out of their knowledge and technology.
You already have your answers why I dont just believe that mining is the saving grace of this country

I would like to quote my wise grandmother
"The True Riches of the Earth is not the one's that came from beneath it,but are the one's that is over it and the ones that grows in it"

bukid

June 11th, 2007, 10:37 AM

personally not my style but there are benefits if other people copy your lifestyle

well, if you really are that concerned about the environment, would you agree that instead of "jungle living" it would be much helpful for example:

if we fast track bio fuels

if we replace pollutiong vehicles (eg.jeepneys) with lesser polluting ones (eg. new buses) or even better trains

if we promote family planning (less people, less pollution)

^^ i support those projects.

and no i don't hate capitalism. what i'm trying to point out is greed. they exploit the environment, they earn very much but give so little back to the community. that is what i'm saying. people who are not satisfied with 10million and wants more and would not think twice in exploiting our resources for their own self-interest and benefits.

i have to live a very simple lifestyle because of social responsibilty. e don't have to be like a communist country or a north korea to be environment friendly. there is nothing wrong with getting a profit from your investment. what is wrong is getting much profit at the expense of the environment and the communities affected by such enterprise.

jonno

June 11th, 2007, 10:49 AM

@ioanno (post no 36) not all people who opposes mining are communist who wanted to turn this country like North Korea,that would have been bigotry
true, i never said they are all are..

If there is somebody who is profitting big time from mining that would be me and my parents since most of the money that we profitted with in the PSE came from mining stocks.

Assuming that is true, good on you. But that does not NECESSARILY mean your stance on mining is correct.

BUT!!!! WE DO HAVE CONCIENCE and we understand its limits.
So you are saying we who support responsible mining have no conscience and are going beyond the limit? What made you say that?

Were not totally opposed to mining but what we wanted is a well controlled and regulated mining industry in which indeed people get the most out of it and the nature well taken cared of.

That's what we want too and that's what we are having now. How is this relevant?

How many nations who had flourished in mining and ended being bankrupt and environment disaster Zone?
So you are saying they are bankrupt because of mining??? How could that be so?
Would like us to be the next Nauru?

Definitely not. What made you ask that?

I would like to quote you on your post in 37

You already have your answers why I dont just believe that mining is the saving grace of this country

No one factor can be the saving grace of anything. Manny Pacquiao does not ONLY rely on his good coach as the saving grace of his future fighting bouts. Do you think GMA is relying only on mining as the saving grace of this country?

I would like to quote my wise grandmother
"The True Riches of the Earth is not the one's that came from beneath it,but are the one's that is over it and the ones that grows in it"

Good point. That's why we want to intelligently utilize the minerals beneath our soil so we could move our economy forward faster. Millions of Filipino children are awaiting a better tomorrow, would you agree that their welfare should be our utmost priority???

jonno

June 11th, 2007, 11:26 AM

^^ i support those projects...and no i don't hate capitalism.

That's good, thank you.

...what i'm trying to point out (that I don't agree) is greed...
But the whole capitalist system more or less works on greed, you agree?

...they exploit the environment (that's why I oppose mining)...
If it could be proven that mining is not really "exploiting" the environment, would you support it?

... (mining companies)they earn very much but give so little back to the community...
1.how much do you think they should be giving back? rough estimate
2.What figure (rough estimate) would you consider earning "too much"?
3.If it could be shown that they don't really earn that much for their investment, could you see yourself supportive of mining?
.
.. that is what i'm saying. people who are not satisfied with 10million and wants more ... would not think twice in exploiting our resources for their own self-interest and benefits...

i see, so if it would be people with less than 10 million (pesos or dollars?) mining, you would be happy with it?

there is nothing wrong with getting a profit from your investment. what is wrong is getting much profit at the expense of the environment and the communities affected by such enterprise.

1.I agree. So if it could be shown that mining here would have minimal or nil effect on the overall environment and community, you could see yourself supporting it?

2. How much roughly is not getting much profit ( estimate)?

bukid

June 11th, 2007, 01:34 PM

dinabaw

June 11th, 2007, 02:32 PM

I disagree Fr. John Carroll, resources are simply not the environment; it could be the people. Japan and Singapore for example hardly have any "natural resources" yet they are rich countries. Why? Their greatest resources are their people! Their people are "knowledge workers". They create wealth out of their knowledge and technology.

[B]

I agree Fr. Carol, that's why we here are proposing practical solutions such as for example banning jeepneys in major roads to produce cleaner air. Would you agree that our environment is being stretched to the limit by our increasing population? Why don't you campaign for family planning Father?

1.So Fr. Carol, you equate preserving gold, copper, nickel and other minerals under the soil with cleaner air, cleaner rivers and lots of trees in the Philippines?

2.If it could be proven Father Carol that mining would have minimal or zero effect on overall ecological sustainability in the Philippines, would you be OK with mining here?

let's say it's local firms that are mining it, would that change your position?

assuming it's the erap administration, would that change your position?

or let's say it's the administration of Jose Maria Sison and the New People's Army, would it change your stance Father???

If you don't mind Father, PM me your phone number so I could enlighten you.

How come this issue became communism ?

Your first answer is very true , Japans greatest assets are their disciplined and hard working people, not only Japan but also some European countries so we don't need to depend on our natural resources we just copy Japan , our people are hardworking too , but the problem is in our govenrment.

I hope you understand it's not all rosy venture in mining , it's not like say rice you can replenish it .Mining is not only dealing w/ environment , your talking of the people's health , dispacement of there homes ,security etc.

Here are facts , The Philppine govenrment still can't resolve the Marinduque tragedy , the Mt. Diwalwal problem .Even countries w/ strict mining laws still have environmental problems , tayo pa?Mahirap na magsissi sa huli.

Here's what i observed in our gov't. Once GMA attended an environment affair , i think an earth day convention , the next day she inagurated coal firing plant somewhere in Northern Mindanao. Yan presidente , pano pa yung iba? Govenrment is advocating environment protection , no to global warming but entertaining ideas of nuclear power plant. You see even in consistency wala sila.So you want to gamble in mining? Tapos karamihan puro chinese mining firms, they have the worst mining record in the world.

It's so different in writing mining laws w/ all the environment and security measures, than to implement those laws in actuality.

dinabaw

June 11th, 2007, 02:35 PM

jonno

June 11th, 2007, 03:58 PM

Why don't you show us how minimal would be the effect of mining to our environment?

in other words, convince us that our environment will remain as good as before or even better and that our land and community will not be exploited. give us the strong convincing reason why we should allow mining in the philippines.

remember marcopper and the boac river.

You did not answer my questions like how would you define "exploitation"?
What sort of convincing do you want? The economic benefits are pretty obvious. You said you oppose mining for environmental reasons. I asked you if you would support mining if it could be proven that the overall effect of it with regards to ecological sustainability would be minimal or nil and you chose to ignore that question. Are you suggesting that it's wrong for countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, etc. to mine their greatest natural resource (oil)???

Why don't you show us how minimal would be the effect of mining to our environment?

Have you heard about about Saudi Arabia (oil), Iran (oil), United Arab Emirates (oil), Venezuela (oil), Australia (assorted minerals), East Timor (oil), UK (oil), Mexico (assorted minerals), etc., etc.????? Do you think their environment is seriously damaged? We're much much more polluted than Dubai!

le Reine

June 11th, 2007, 05:01 PM

^you also forgot to mention Chile. Chile is now also a progressive country from being just being third world.

jonno

June 11th, 2007, 05:05 PM

Your first answer is very true , Japans greatest assets are their disciplined and hard working people, not only Japan but also some European countries so we don't need to depend on our natural resources we just copy Japan , our people are hardworking too , but the problem is in our govenrment.

Interesting. Would you also advise the government of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, Brunei to cease mining their oil and just copy the Japanese hard work?

I hope you understand it's not all rosy venture in mining , it's not like say rice you can replenish it .Mining is not only dealing w/ environment , your talking of the people's health , dispacement of there homes ,security etc.

So your saying that in Saudi Arabia for example, their people's health, homes, security, etc. were destroyed by their oil mining?????????
Here are facts , The Philppine govenrment still can't resolve the Marinduque tragedy , the Mt. Diwalwal problem

So? Are we going to stop crossing the street because someone got run over it?
.
Even countries w/ strict mining laws still have environmental problems , tayo pa?Mahirap na magsissi sa huli.

Ok, tell me an environmental problem in Australia that got something to do with mining>?

Here's what i observed in our gov't. Once GMA attended an environment affair , i think an earth day convention , the next day she inagurated coal firing plant somewhere in Northern Mindanao. Yan presidente , pano pa yung iba? Govenrment is advocating environment protection , no to global warming but entertaining ideas of nuclear power plant. You see even in consistency wala sila.So you want to gamble in mining?
I see. Would you feel differently if its Erap?
Tapos karamihan puro chinese mining firms, they have the worst mining record in the world.

Really, I thought its mostly Australian firms. Let's say it's ALL Australian firms, would that change your attitude to mining?

It's so different in writing mining laws w/ all the environment and security measures, than to implement those laws in actuality.

1. I see, your basing that in the experience of countries such as Suadi Arabia, Australia, Venezuela, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, UK or just your little angels or devils?
2. But suppose i could show you that it could be implemented in actuality, would that change your opposition to mining?

bukid

June 11th, 2007, 05:10 PM

You did not answer my questions like how would you define "exploitation"?
What sort of convincing do you want? The economic benefits are pretty obvious. You said you oppose mining for environmental reasons. I asked you if you would support mining if it could be proven that the overall effect of it with regards to ecological sustainability would be minimal or nil and you chose to ignore that question. Are you suggesting that it's wrong for countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, etc. to mine their greatest natural resource (oil)???

where is that proof?!? show us.

Have you heard about about Saudi Arabia (oil), Iran (oil), United Arab Emirates (oil), Venezuela (oil), Australia (assorted minerals), East Timor (oil), UK (oil), Mexico (assorted minerals), etc., etc.????? Do you think their environment is seriously damaged? We're much much more polluted than Dubai!

you should look at where those minerals and oil are being mined. many of those places are barren deserts. how can you damage a barren dessert?!? if we have a desert like those in australia and the middle east and people want to exploit it, then let them. it's a barren desert that has black gold under it. it is very unlike our country. you can do quarrying in pampanga in those lahar area. i won't see anything wrong with it. but if you are to destroy a beautiful mountain and take away what is in it. that's another story.

the marcooper incident had showed us that it is not only about destroying a beautiful mountain. they not only destroyed the mountain, they also filled the place with toxic and harmful chemicals and by-product of mining which also resulted in the death of the boac river and that includes the fishes and the creatures including people that is sustained by that river.

let me re-echo what dinabaw posted:

Here are facts , The Philppine govenrment still can't resolve the Marinduque tragedy , the Mt. Diwalwal problem .Even countries w/ strict mining laws still have environmental problems , tayo pa?Mahirap na magsissi sa huli.

Here's what i observed in our gov't. Once GMA attended an environment affair , i think an earth day convention , the next day she inagurated coal firing plant somewhere in Northern Mindanao. Yan presidente , pano pa yung iba? Govenrment is advocating environment protection , no to global warming but entertaining ideas of nuclear power plant. You see even in consistency wala sila.So you want to gamble in mining? Tapos karamihan puro chinese mining firms, they have the worst mining record in the world.

It's so different in writing mining laws w/ all the environment and security measures, than to implement those laws in actuality.

jonno

June 11th, 2007, 05:37 PM

where is that proof?!? show us.
The proof is the fact that in countries such as Australia, UK, Saudi, etc., etc. mining is by and large safe and do not threaten their ecological sustainability. Where is your proof that in most mining countries, there were ecological damage?

you should look at where those minerals and oil are being mined. many of those places are barren deserts. how can you damage a barren dessert?!? if we have a desert like those in australia and the middle east and people want to exploit it, then let them. it's a barren desert that has black gold under it. it is very unlike our country. you can do quarrying in pampanga in those lahar area. i won't see anything wrong with it. but if you are to destroy a beautiful mountain and take away what is in it. that's another story.

I see so to repeat what you said if it's a desert that we would be mining - you won't see anything wrong with it because it's barren and you are not destroying something beautiful. Good!!!!

1. Mining would be limited to specific areas in the Philippines, it would cover less than 0.5% of Philippine land - after the mining operations, the place could be more or less restored to its original state.

2. What's the difference between taking black gold (oil) and taking copper minerals? You see no problem with the former but a problem with the latter?

3. We all want to preserve beauty. Who wants to disturb a beautiful view of a hill, with birds singing, fresh air, nice and quiet? But would you agree with me that the welfare of our nation - the millions of Filipino children trapped in poverty - is much more important than the lost of SOME (less than 0.5%) beautiful places were you could enjoy your jungle lifestyle?

4. It is quite insulting to Arabs to say that their desert is just a barren environment. It has oasis in it and any Arab would tell you that no desert are exactly the same. Considering that Arabs have very limited oasis area, it could be argued on the contrary that they should by all means NOT risk damaging their very limited livable habitat by engaging in mining. The Philippines on the other hand has an abundance of livable land, rich in flora and fauna and you are saying NO we shouldn't take the risk the Arabs took in mining? You are like an Australian saying "I don't want to risk killing and eating this Kangaroo because we might ran out of them"??????? Which jungle are you from???

bukid

June 11th, 2007, 05:53 PM

1. Mining would be limited to specific areas in the Philippines, it would cover less than 0.5% of Philippine land - after the mining operations, the place could be more or less restored to its original state.

first, show us where that would be? give us a specific location.

2. What's the difference between taking black gold (oil) and taking copper minerals? You see no problem with the former but a problem with the latter?

obviously, one is oil, the other is metal, that's one difference. then there is the question of how you extract those resources. you drill a hole into the land to get oil. will you also drill a small pipe into the land to get copper?!? how about the toxic chemicals needed to extract them?

3. We all want to preserve beauty. Who wants to disturb a beautiful view of a hill, with birds singing, fresh air, nice and quiet? But would you agree with me that the welfare of our nation - the millions of Filipino children trapped in poverty - is much more important than the lost of SOME (less than 0.5%) beautiful places were you could enjoy your jungle lifestyle?

yes, we should look after the welfare of the nation, not only those of the present generation but also of those of the future.

4. It is quite insulting to Arabs to say that their desert is just a barren environment. It has oasis in it and any Arab would tell you that no desert are exactly the same. Considering that Arabs have very limited oasis area, it could be argued on the contrary that they should by all means NOT risk damaging their very limited livable habitat by engaging in mining. The Philippines on the other hand has an abundance of livable land, rich in flora and fauna and you are saying NO we shouldn't take the risk the Arabs took in mining? You are like an Australian saying "I don't want to risk killing and eating this Kangaroo because we might ran out of them"??????? Which jungle are you from???

their oasis remained an oasis. only the desserts were expoited for oil. the oasis are where they get their water, that's the place where they have wells for their people and their camels.

and there is no problem with eating kangaroos because they can give birth to more kangaroos while with minerals.. Once having extracted every ounce of metallic ore from the bowels of our earth, there is nothing left. will the little mineral left by those mining firm give birth to more minerals later?

dinabaw

June 12th, 2007, 03:49 AM

Interesting. Would you also advise the government of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, Brunei to cease mining their oil and just copy the Japanese hard work?

So your saying that in Saudi Arabia for example, their people's health, homes, security, etc. were destroyed by their oil mining?????????

So? Are we going to stop crossing the street because someone got run over it?
.

Ok, tell me an environmental problem in Australia that got something to do with mining>?

I see. Would you feel differently if its Erap?

Really, I thought its mostly Australian firms. Let's say it's ALL Australian firms, would that change your attitude to mining?

1. I see, your basing that in the experience of countries such as Suadi Arabia, Australia, Venezuela, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, UK or just your little angels or devils?
2. But suppose i could show you that it could be implemented in actuality, would that change your opposition to mining?

FYI oil extraction is diff. from ore mining , do you know how big area mining an ore than extracting oil? you need an open pit for copper mining an "ant tunnels" like for extracting gold that weakens the mountain and totally destroys it.So how would you preserve it? no country can restore an ant hill , the mountain is dead after mining. btw if oil can be extracted in waste land or off shore the better .

I hope you can understand not all oil countries are rich like Saudi in what your percieving , look @ Sudan , or in some South American countries , people still starved in this countries , why? bec this countries have unstable or corrupt gov't. , high population . Even you have the largest oil and mineral deposits in the world but your gov't is unstable and corrupt your still end up dirt poor , so now you know what i mean?

As Bukid said show as proof (Philippine gov't) how they can resolve the marinduque and other mining debacles before they can convince the Filipinos that we are matured in mining industry.

dinabaw

June 12th, 2007, 04:05 AM

Interesting. Would you also advise the government of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, Brunei to cease mining their oil and just copy the Japanese hard work?

Really, I thought its mostly Australian firms. Let's say it's ALL Australian firms, would that change your attitude to mining?

Every country has each own laws in mining , Arab countries and brunei have good environmental laws , i dunno about Venezuela .

Well since 2000 the chinese gov't are eager to mine bec way back then both countries have an agreement which include mining.
Here , why i don't trust our gov't in mining , they approved SMB to go mining... a brewery company now venturing in mining? saan sila kukuha ng mga tao na may experience? , sa ibang company na hawshaw , yung mga na
alis sa ibang company dahil sa neglignece ?so convince me how would you trust our gov't.

smokingunmanila

June 12th, 2007, 06:16 AM

From these interactions, I will vote for yes ...continue mining in our country. While the prices of mineral ores are skyrocketing in the world market.

jonno

June 12th, 2007, 06:43 AM

first, show us where that would be? give us a specific location.

Sure. If I do that, would that change your position on mining or it's just another one of your questions designed to evade discussion of substantial issues? You chose to ignore most of my questions.

obviously, one is oil, the other is metal, that's one difference. then there is the question of how you extract those resources. you drill a hole into the land to get oil. will you also drill a small pipe into the land to get copper?!? how about the toxic chemicals needed to extract them?

I see, so the bottom line is you find oil extraction much safer than mineral mining - one reason you approve of oil mining but not of mineral mining. So if it could be proven that mineral mining would be as safe or even safer than oil mining, then that would change your mind about mining in the Philippines, is that correct?

yes, we should look after the welfare of the nation, not only those of the present generation but also of those of the future.

1.True. So you feel that the best way to look after the present and future generation is by preserving nature 100% to its purest state and not also economic growth, the creation of jobs, more business, etc, etc.???

2. I would assume you also oppose the building of more factories, BPO centers, shopping malls, subdivisions, resorts, office buildings, etc. because it affects the 100% preservation of nature to its natural state, is that right?
their oasis remained an oasis. only the desserts were expoited for oil. the oasis are where they get their water, that's the place where they have wells for their people and their camels.

I see. Let's say the places where we would mine here in the Philippines are deserts (like in Saudi, UAE, etc.) then it's logical to say now that you would support mining in those places in the same way you support oil mining in Saudi Arabia, right??? (are you going to ignore these questions again)

and there is no problem with eating kangaroos because they can give birth to more kangaroos while with minerals.. Once having extracted every ounce of metallic ore from the bowels of our earth, there is nothing left. will the little mineral left by those mining firm give birth to more minerals later?

Interesting. Tell me why do you fear so much utilizing some of our minerals under our soil? Are you also against utilizing some of our trees and natural resources to build houses, factories, etc?

jonno

June 12th, 2007, 07:00 AM

FYI oil extraction is diff. from ore mining , do you know how big area mining an ore than extracting oil? you need an open pit for copper mining an "ant tunnels" like for extracting gold that weakens the mountain and totally destroys it.So how would you preserve it? no country can restore an ant hill , the mountain is dead after mining. btw if oil can be extracted in waste land or off shore the better .

Same question, if our mining operations here in the Philippines would be in desert areas like in Saudi, Jordan, Kuwait, etc. then you would support it in the same way you support oil mining in Saudi Arabia, right?

I hope you can understand not all oil countries are rich like Saudi in what your percieving , look @ Sudan , or in some South American countries , people still starved in this countries , why? bec this countries have unstable or corrupt gov't. , high population . Even you have the largest oil and mineral deposits in the world but your gov't is unstable and corrupt your still end up dirt poor , so now you know what i mean?

Answer my questions. If we have a government that in your standards is stable and not corrupt; could you see yourself supportive of mining???

As Bukid said show as proof (Philippine gov't) how they can resolve the marinduque and other mining debacles before they can convince the Filipinos that we are matured in mining industry.

Who's they??? Are you saying that the mining companies responsible for those so called mining debacles would be the same companies that would be mining again in other areas?

Every country has each own laws in mining , Arab countries and brunei have good environmental laws , i dunno about Venezuela .

So you are OK with mining as long as good environmental laws are enforced, right?

Well since 2000 the chinese gov't are eager to mine bec way back then both countries have an agreement which include mining.

So you would be supportive of mining as long as it's not Chinese companies right?

Here , why i don't trust our gov't in mining , they approved SMB to go mining... a brewery company now venturing in mining? saan sila kukuha ng mga tao na may experience? , sa ibang company na hawshaw , yung mga na
alis sa ibang company dahil sa neglignece ?so convince me how would you trust our gov't.

Ok, so based on your post above, you are basically saying that mining is good as long as we could trust the government implementing it right?

bukid

June 12th, 2007, 07:08 AM

^^ it is you who is evading the important questions by asking another question instead of going directly to giving us the answers. i'm sure everyone are able to observe what you are doing. you are acting like a lawyer.

now, why don't you tell us where you plan to do mining so we would know if it is a barren desert.

I would assume you also oppose the building of more factories, BPO centers, shopping malls, subdivisions, resorts, office buildings, etc. because it affects the 100% preservation of nature to its natural state, is that right?

location, location, location. where will they build it. that's the important question. will they build the subdivision in an open field or will they build it on top of the chocolate hills? that is the question. what factories will they build? is it a factory for chicharon? or is it a factory for toxic harmful chemicals? what office building will they build and where will they build it? those are the questions. so will you please show us where and how you will do the mining and stop evading the question. that's all we are asking you. and if we are not convinced by your evidence we will oppose it. end of the debate.

bukid

June 12th, 2007, 07:36 AM

you want me to answer this? here is my answer.

But the whole capitalist system more or less works on greed, you agree?

you say "more or less". yes, more or less.. the less the better.

If it could be proven that mining is not really "exploiting" the environment, would you support it?

it does exploit the environment. dinabaw already posted the answer.

1.how much do you think they should be giving back? rough estimate
2.What figure (rough estimate) would you consider earning "too much"?
3.If it could be shown that they don't really earn that much for their investment, could you see yourself supportive of mining?

i see, so if it would be people with less than 10 million (pesos or dollars?) mining, you would be happy with it?

environment must be the priority not money. and the point is, no mining investor will go into mining just earning 10million when he can get a billion from it. they earn at the expense of the environment and the community.

1.I agree. So if it could be shown that mining here would have minimal or nil effect on the overall environment and community, you could see yourself supporting it?

show us first that it has minimal effect. dinabaw already showed you how to extract copper. you kill the mountain and weaken its structure.

show us the proof and not another question. do not evade the question. tell us where you plan to do the mining and we will go and see if it is a barren dessert. we will study its eco-system. are there river within the area? are there falls? are there rare flora and fauna in that area. does the place have a fertile soil? is it a virgin forest? is the place important in protecting the community from typhoon and flood? those are some of the things we must look into.

Tell me why do you fear so much utilizing some of our minerals under our soil? Are you also against utilizing some of our trees and natural resources to build houses, factories, etc?

plant trees and utilized it but do not cut trees from the forest that had already been there even before you were born. use trees that had been planted by man for building houses. as zubiri had proposed. the woods must come from what man had planted for building houses. don't just go to the forest and cut trees that had already been there for many years. kung gusto mong kumain ng pichay, magtanim ka ng pichay at yan ang anihin mo.

dinabaw

June 12th, 2007, 09:00 AM

Remember Marinduque Mining Disaster! The polluter Placer Dome just left without answering for their environmental crime.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o271/totopurz/mining%20experiences/Photo1.jpg

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o271/totopurz/mining%20experiences/Photo13.jpg

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o271/totopurz/mining%20experiences/Photo9.jpg

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o271/totopurz/mining%20experiences/Photo4.jpg

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o271/totopurz/mining%20experiences/Photo3.jpg

pls. jonno stop asking question we need anwsers , answers like how would you rehabiltate this ? how would you rehabilate people who are poisoned or disabled and some who died .from the photos do you think the Phil. govt' is prepared catastrophes like this? do you think mining companies will pay for this?

i asked totpurz about phil'.mining ...here's his answer ...

Mining operations would depend on the type of mineral deposits. For high grade 'lodes' (veins) they do tunneling but we have predominantly epithermal deposits (low-grade scattered by volcanic activities) that are extracted by open-pit mining operations.

After they mined? . . . this is where the industry could demonstrate what they call 'responsible mining' . . . sa ngayon wala akong alam showcase of rehabilitated mined-out areas.

dinabaw

June 12th, 2007, 09:26 AM

Same question, if our mining operations here in the Philippines would be in desert areas like in Saudi, Jordan, Kuwait, etc. then you would support it in the same way you support oil mining in Saudi Arabia, right?

you mean mining of ore ? yes why not.wala naman nutrient yang desert , it only needs to recreate the landscape.but sorry my friend we are blessed w/ rich forests.

Answer my questions. If we have a government that in your standards is stable and not corrupt; could you see yourself supportive of mining???

as long they can preserve the mountians why not . but irons(coppers, nickel etc.) is part of the nutrient of a mountain , if we need iron in our body the trees and vegetations of the mountain also need it .yun rin patay pa rin ang iyong mountain.

Who's they??? Are you saying that the mining companies responsible for those so called mining debacles would be the same companies that would be mining again in other areas?

the gov't and the mining companies .. if you seen the list of this mining corp. , just an handful who you can say have a good record .

So you are OK with mining as long as good environmental laws are enforced, right?

as i said as long as they can preserved the mountain as it is.

So you would be supportive of mining as long as it's not Chinese companies right?

same answer.

Ok, so based on your post above, you are basically saying that mining is good as long as we could trust the government implementing it right?

as long as they implement responsible mining .

MilkyXplosion

June 12th, 2007, 04:12 PM

Assuming that is true, good on you. But that does not NECESSARILY mean your stance on mining is correct. That basing on the reckless record of the mining companies here in the Philippines.
So you are saying we who support responsible mining have no conscience and are going beyond the limit? What made you say that? I didnt say that.That's based on you perception. If ever there was such a thing in this country as "responsible mining" I would support mining but based on the records the goverment must be more stringent now than before
So you are saying they are bankrupt because of mining??? How could that be so? You didnt read the whole thing, I said we could become like Nauru,it became entirely dependent on mining without discretion and in the end they became bankrupt and was left nothing but a huge environmental burden because their previous governement did not manage mining funds well and invested them in wrong ventures instead. Considering how idiots and stupid our leaders in investing our funds I clearly doubt whether our royalties will be spent wisely.

@jonno If you would look at our replies here it entirely boils down on the credibility of our goverment to prptect the environment. This is not actually unique to this thread. This issue I believe had been raised in one of the PSE Investors meeting that I had attended before. Many investors were certainly happy profiting from the mining boom but none of us is blind and deaf we understand how disatrous it could become and was calling for parameters. When we asked officials from DENR and BOI they could not give out any possible anwers on our querries except "were definitely looking on that issue". For God sake how many times did we suffer because of carelessness of DENR and some mining companies both local and international.How many times have we seen Pasig river turn brown because mine tailings from mining pits in Antipolo and Taytay which is not properly closed down. Again I support mining as it benefits me and creates jobs as well but I would definitely push that the next mining boom to be properly managed and its proceeds be spent properly.

For the record: Please guys dont be blinded by the words like "$2B will be invested" That is BS :puke: Most guys here knows hows the trick of the trade. Those amounts were just fed to the editors of business newpapers to the tune of 100k to 500k a pop.(Are you still wondering how come BW and BM can live side by side judging its small market?) In reality less than half of it is actually spent and less than five percent of that half is actually being spent on labor and job creating activities. If you want jobs I suggest government should rather focus on modernizing our agricultural sytem and save our dying manufacturing sector. Even if they just happen to open half of the closed factories in the past ten years unployment would be less than 2%(the lowest suggested level) by then.

To those in mining investments:
Question? WTF is happening at AT?...its not moving!!!!!!!!!!!!!:bash:

jonno

June 12th, 2007, 06:18 PM

you mean mining of ore ? yes why not.wala naman nutrient yang desert , it only needs to recreate the landscape.but sorry my friend we are blessed w/ rich forests.

Aha! let's re-state our exchanges here:

1. You agree with mining oil minerals in deserts like in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, etc.
2. You disagree with mining in the Philippines; one major reason is because mining would be conducted here in a NON -desert.
3. If mining here in the Philippines would be conducted in a desert; you would support it.
4. You yourself said that the Philippines is "blessed with rich forests". I agree.

QUESTIONs:

1.Why would it matter if mining is conducted in a desert or a non - desert? Would you go to a mining pit for bird watching, trekking, fishing, etc.? A mining pit is a mining pit. You said you would support mining here in the Philippines if it's in a desert - then why not just imagine our future mining pits are deserts?

2. What's wrong with dedicating a tiny portion of our land (less than 0.5%) to mining considering that the Philippines is using your own words "blessed with rich forests" anyway?

3. Would you agree that what's really important (environmentally speaking) is NOT whether we are mining in a desert or non desert BUT RATHER the other areas that are NOT affected by mining?

4. Would you agree that the PHilippines compared to other countries where you support mining such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, etc. have a much more abundance of not only forests but other resources such as water, flaura and fauna?

5. Since what is really important to most ordinary Filipinos (ENVIRONMENTALLY SPEAKING) is NOT whether the tiny mining areas are deserts or non deserts but the environment outside the tiny mining areas; would it be fair to say that the Philippines in a sense can afford mining MORE than countries such as Saudi Arabia, etc. since our country, unlike them have a relatively much more abundance of trees, water and other natural resource???

6. How can you therefore support mining in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Brunei (VERY Limited trees, water, forests, etc.) and oppose mining in the Philippines (RELATIVELY much more trees, water, forests, flora and fauna)??

as long they can preserve the mountians why not . but irons(coppers, nickel etc.) is part of the nutrient of a mountain , if we need iron in our body the trees and vegetations of the mountain also need it .yun rin patay pa rin ang iyong mountain.

So why don't you oppose deep wells? You are taking out precious stones, soil, mineral and water when you make one.

the gov't and the mining companies .. if you seen the list of this mining corp. , just an handful who you can say have a good record .

Assuming the government and the mining companies would, in your standard, have a good record; you would support mining??? Answer the question and don't evade it.

as i said as long as they can preserved the mountain (I would support mining)

But your definition of "preserving" a mountain is not taking any minerals out of it right? In other words any sort of mining by your requirements would not preserve the mountains, right?

same answer (as above - as to whether I would support mining if it's NOT conducted by Chinese companies)

same question/answer as above

as long as they implement responsible mining (I would support mining)

but your definition of "responsible" mining is not taking any sort of minerals out of the earth, correct???

jonno

June 12th, 2007, 06:38 PM

[QUOTE]pls. jonno stop asking question we need anwsers , answers like how would you rehabiltate this ? how would you rehabilate people who are poisoned or disabled and some who died .from the photos do you think the Phil. govt' is prepared catastrophes like this? do you think mining companies will pay for this?

Really. I've answered your questions much more than you've answered mine. But I would be happy to answer again your questions above if you could just do me a favor and tell me if:

Would you now support mining if it can be proven that the government and mining companies have a rehabilitation/preparation/contingency and compensation plan in the rare event that a mining accident occurs???

bukid

June 12th, 2007, 07:13 PM

So why don't you oppose deep wells? You are taking out precious stones, soil, mineral and water when you make one.

there is a big difference between a deep well and a pit for mining mineral ore. the difference is as big as the difference between the pacific ocean and the body of water found in our neighbor's pool.

there is a difference between removing a small pebble and an entire mountain.

and i've heard some people from another country wants to dump their toxic waste in the philippines because like the way you think. they believe that filipinos have bigger population and it won't have that much effect if some of our filipino countrymen would die from being poisoned by the foreigner's toxic waste since unlike them whose population are small and are mostly old people our country have more abundance of people. they argued, "filipinos are numerous, let's not worry about them getting sick because they have more abundance of people."

dave_m

June 12th, 2007, 07:21 PM

there is a big difference between a deep well and a pit for mining mineral ore. the difference is as big as the difference between the pacific ocean and the body of water found in our neighbor's pool.

there is a difference between removing a small pebble and an entire mountain.

and i've heard some people from another country wants to dump their toxic waste in the philippines because like the way you think. they believe that filipinos have bigger population and it won't have that much effect if some of our filipino countrymen would die from being poisoned by the foreigner's toxic waste since unlike them whose population are small and are mostly old people our country have more abundance of people. they argued, "filipinos are numerous, let's not worry about them getting sick because they have more abundance of people."

lang ka kwenta kwenta yang kwentuhan niyo - syempre di dapat babuyin ang nature pero kung kunti lang yung mining site - oo naman - pwede hipo di pwede pasok sabi nga nung kapit bahay kung intsik- ang yaman ngayon wala na sa nature - pwera na lang kung lahi ka ni tarzan - dapat ngayon gamitin natin yung minerals para maging maunlad tayo

bukid

June 12th, 2007, 07:47 PM

dave_m

June 12th, 2007, 07:57 PM

^^ ang mga mineral sa lupa natin mas lalaki pa ang halaga nyan kung iwanan muna natin dyan. dahil balang araw sira na ang nature ng lahat ng bansa at konti na rin ang mineral na kanilang namimina habang lumalaki ang demand. ang resulta lalaki ang presyo ng kung ano man ang nasa ating lupa.

ang pag-unlad ng isang bansa ay hindi nasa pagmimina lamang. maraming bansa na walang minahan ngunit sila ay maunlad dahil maganda ang pamamalakad ng kanilang systema.

ang malaking porsyento ng pera ng bansa ngayon ay hindi naibibigay para ikauunlad ng mga mamamayan. ito ay nasa bulsa lamang ng mga politiko at kanilang mga kasosyo. kung ayusin natin ang systema natin siguro hindi ganito ka desperado ang ilan sa atin na papasukin ang mga mining firm dahil sa paghahangad ng maraming pera na itutulong daw kuno sa ikauunlad ng bansa.

di nga e kahit mangyari yang sinasabi mo na mahal na yung value niya e ganun din - ayaw niyo rin pabenta yung mineral sa ibang araw..yun na nga pwede pa la tayung umunlad kahit walang mineral e di hayaan mong ibenta na yan - pwede pa la kahit wala naman yan. panu naman yang pagaayus na you are suggesting, laos na yan, kahit sino umupo diyan may konting pitik palagi yan..kahit pumuti na bolbits natin ganun pa rin..ok lang yan mining..mahilig ka ba sa nature? patayo ka na lang ng resort sa tabi ng beach - daming chicks - tapos inom tayo ng san mig light, pulutan sisig..wag mo lang sasama si risk taker..baduy yun...corny yun..hehehe..relax lang, wag mo intindihin yan si jonno, nagtritrip lang yan..ako nga nature lover din ako..minsan nga yung mga tsiks ko sa nature ko siya ni-nature..baka may mapapakilala ka diyan, gusto ko tisay, tsaka sexy..:)

bukid

June 12th, 2007, 08:09 PM

^^ hehehe, oo mahilig ako sa nature. at mahilig ako sa tsiks na aggressive, yung mahilig sa mountain climbing. yung lahat ng bundok gustong akyatin. mas sexy ang mga ganyan kasi grabe yung workout pagnagmountain climbing ka.

puede tayong umunlad kahit walang mineral sa pamamagitan ng pagpapanatili sa likas na yaman ng bukid. sapagkat ang bukid ay nangangailangan din ng mga mineral na sya namang nagbibigay sa atin ng ating lakas. kailangan din ng bukid ang mga mineral sa loob upang manatiling matatag upang sa kanyang dibdib ay matatag ding mananahan ang mga puno na sya namang magiging tirahan ng iba't ibang ibon at hayop.

-TC-

June 13th, 2007, 02:52 AM

http://business.inquirer.net/money/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=70762

Canadian firm reports ‘significant’ gold-copper find
By Amy R. Remo
Inquirer
06/12/2007

Olympus Pacific Minerals Inc., a Canadian mining firm, has found “significant” amount of gold and copper resources in two additional drill holes in the Capcapo Project in the northern province of Abra, its Philippine partner said.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, partner Abra Mining and Industrial Corp. said Olympus had found its Capcapo mines to have similarities in terms of copper and gold resources to the Baguio-Mankayan Gold-Copper District.

Located 85 kilometers from Capcapo, the Baguio-Mankayan mine has about 60 million ounces of historic production and current resources.

Abra Mining said that following “excellent results from the first hole it drilled, the second and third holes on the main Capcapo deposit continue to show “significant shallow depth gold and copper mineralization.”

According to the disclosure statement, the second hole intersected 2.07 grams of gold per ton of ore, 0.60 percent copper and 7.75 grams of silver per ton over a core width of 134 feet, while the third hole intersected 2.55 grams of gold per ton, 0.55 percent copper and 3.49 grams of silver per ton over a core width of 89 feet.

This deposit is available for expansion and drilling, the statement said.
It said that this year Olympus’ projects would consist of step-out drilling to expand significantly the mineralized zone and ground exploration to test other prospective target areas in the 43-square-kilometer Capcapo property.

Preliminary mapping results had shown a lot of potential areas in Capcapo that could still be explored. (click link for more)

dinabaw

June 13th, 2007, 03:23 AM

Aha! let's re-state our exchanges here:

1. You agree with mining oil minerals in deserts like in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, etc.
2. You disagree with mining in the Philippines; one major reason is because mining would be conducted here in a NON -desert.
3. If mining here in the Philippines would be conducted in a desert; you would support it.
4. You yourself said that the Philippines is "blessed with rich forests". I agree.

QUESTIONs:

1.Why would it matter if mining is conducted in a desert or a non - desert? Would you go to a mining pit for bird watching, trekking, fishing, etc.? A mining pit is a mining pit. You said you would support mining here in the Philippines if it's in a desert - then why not just imagine our future mining pits are deserts?

2. What's wrong with dedicating a tiny portion of our land (less than 0.5%) to mining considering that the Philippines is using your own words "blessed with rich forests" anyway?

3. Would you agree that what's really important (environmentally speaking) is NOT whether we are mining in a desert or non desert BUT RATHER the other areas that are NOT affected by mining?

4. Would you agree that the PHilippines compared to other countries where you support mining such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, etc. have a much more abundance of not only forests but other resources such as water, flaura and fauna?

5. Since what is really important to most ordinary Filipinos (ENVIRONMENTALLY SPEAKING) is NOT whether the tiny mining areas are deserts or non deserts but the environment outside the tiny mining areas; would it be fair to say that the Philippines in a sense can afford mining MORE than countries such as Saudi Arabia, etc. since our country, unlike them have a relatively much more abundance of trees, water and other natural resource???

6. How can you therefore support mining in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Brunei (VERY Limited trees, water, forests, etc.) and oppose mining in the Philippines (RELATIVELY much more trees, water, forests, flora and fauna)??

So why don't you oppose deep wells? You are taking out precious stones, soil, mineral and water when you make one.

Assuming the government and the mining companies would, in your standard, have a good record; you would support mining??? Answer the question and don't evade it.

But your definition of "preserving" a mountain is not taking any minerals out of it right? In other words any sort of mining by your requirements would not preserve the mountains, right?

same question/answer as above

but your definition of "responsible" mining is not taking any sort of minerals out of the earth, correct???

LOL .. i dunno what your points are ... this is just a simple arithmetic kung ang mining ay naka tulong kay sa na kakasira sa atin i'll support it , but the way things are going walang mapakitang solusyon ang gobyerno , if they are really serious in mining clean and rehabilitate those mining damages , let that be a showcase to the Filipino people that they intend to .

come again, imagine future mining pits as desert? are you out of your mind! Do y ou know why Australians ,USA and Canada and other big nations mine other places? Do you think Japan have no mineral products? It's because there people protect FIRST there environment and reserve their precious minerals. Do you think USA have no oils in there own backyard ? Alaska and and Texas have bigger oil reserved than other countries .Kasi marunong silang mag tago para sa kanilang FUTURE.

You said mining only affect 0.5 % of the land , alam mo ba that 0.5% can affect our eco-system ? I think you know how the eco-system works , it's not like a dead desert FYI. poisoning our soil , rivers and seas maybe the damage is 10-fold or more!

jonno

June 13th, 2007, 07:01 AM

^^

...

Am I out of my mind? Long time ago...:lol:

Ok, we are not being productive here. Instead of evading questions and raising and raising new topics, why don't we stick to the ones we are actually discussing. I would rephrase again some of my questions just for you, please answer:

Would you agree that the PHilippines ( where you do NOT support mining) have a much more abundance of not only forests but other resources such as water, trees, lakes, mountains, hills, flaura and fauna, etc. THAN countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, etc. (where you totally SUPPORT mining)?

I'll do you a favor by responding to the new issue you've raised thou we haven't settled the previous ones:

...Do y ou know why Australians ,USA and Canada and other big nations mine other places? Do you think Japan have no mineral products? It's because there people protect FIRST there environment and reserve their precious minerals....

1. If I could show you that Australia at present have a significant mining operations in their own land ( one reason why their economy at present is robust because they export it to China), would that change your mind about mining or you would again evade this question and raise other issues???

2. If I could show you that the Philippines (3rd or 5th most mineralized country in the world) has much, much more mineral than Japan (least mineralized country on this planet), , would that change your mind about mining or you would again evade this question and raise other issues???

bukid

June 13th, 2007, 07:52 AM

http://gina.ph/CyberDyaryo/features/f2000_0127_01.htm

Concrete examples

Taking about concrete situations, Reoma talked about Itogon, a municipality in Beguet province in the Cordillera region, which was a second-class municipality before it hosted Benguet and Philex mining companies. Now, it has deteriorated into a sixth class municipality.

"Is this progress?" Reoma asked. The mining operations in Itogon have left behind barren mountains and "migrant indigenous peoples" who were displaced by the activity.

"They are telling us theories," remarked Reoma on the new mining technologies that Brimo said are meant to prevent another disaster like Boac. "We need to see how those technologies work. Can they give us a classic example? Can they show us that they can clean up communities after these have been abandoned by mining operators? Can they re-create a mining site into the same community that it was, and give it back to the indigenous peoples?" he asked.

Reoma charged that government doesn't have the will to intervene decisively or represent aggrieved people and communities. He cited the Boac in Marinduque, the site of a major mining disaster in early 1996. A toxic spill affected four barangays, and, according to him, the local people are still living and dying from the effects of the spillage. However, until the present, only 100 victims have been compensated the meager amount of P7,000 each.

"Did the government do anything other than what the mining company was willing to pay?" he asked. "Did the government do anything about the spillage in Hinatuan, Eastrern Samar? In Sipalay, Negros Occidental?"

Reoma also brought up other issues such as the lack of clear guidelines in determining the participation of communities and local government units in land use allocations. The government, he said, generally lacks consistency in policy coherence and socio-economic development. In addition, he said there should be greater accountability within the mining industry in terms of policing its own ranks.

No, Reoma said, for as long as communities are dislocated, local people are disenfranchised, and their lives threatened by mining operations, an understanding or reconciliation of the mining perspectives among the industry's main stakeholders, can never be reached.

- Pan-Philippine News and Information Network Inc.

bukid

June 13th, 2007, 08:07 AM

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=jojoRobles_apr01_2005

Dear Mr. Robles,

I don’t care about the Church. I don’t care if they don’t have alternatives to offer though (to mining as a means of livelihood in places like Samar). I know of some areas where the Church is helping communities get alternative livelihood but I’m not going to argue with you on this.

I cannot just simply swallow your blunt statement about mining improving the lives of Samarenos. Are you in dreamland? It was the people and not the Church that opposed mining in the island because they knew that clean water, clean air and the bountiful land cannot be replaced by any mining revenues they will get. They have experienced floods and devastation already brought about by logging and mining in some areas, that is why they are opposing mining.

Have you ever been or lived in an area that is being mined or was mined? I would suggest you try it first — consider living in Marinduque.

Seventy percent of Filipinos depend on natural resources to survive. Most of us farm and if the soil is still good, it gives bountiful harvest. Most of us are dependent on fishing, and if the coral reef is healthy, nobody I think would be lacking fish on their tables. Sad to say, only 5 percent of our coral reef is healthy! And yet Apo Reef in Mindoro is a favorite diving spot of foreign tourists and earns money for the government.

And yes, some of us earn from harvesting timber and non-timber forest products. Not all of us are professionals or employees like you are who can depend on a monthly income. Most of our countrymen’s lives are connected to nature, to the ecosystem.

The forest and the sea are interconnected. Maybe this is hard to comprehend for a city dweller but for those in the countryside, this is very true.

If you mine a small delicate island like Samar, you forever lose the ecosystem. There are continents like Australia and Africa and countries like Canada and Peru that have become rich from mining, but Samar would be just a dot in the map compared to them. They can afford to mine those areas because they are in the desert or are far away from settlements. Where can you find an area in the Philippines that doesn’t have any settlement? Even protected areas have settlements.

Those are big continental land masses they are mining. The Philippines has small, delicate island ecosystems. If you mine in the desert, it doesn’t rain there. You can confine the chemicals in a big pond and let them stay there forever! Our islands are different. Most of them are disaster-prone areas, have mountainous topography, and are home to a number of critically endangered species that are vital in maintaining the balance of nature.

We are in a tropical country and we have rainforests, which means we receive a lot of rain! When it rains in an island where the forest is being mined, the danger of tailings going into the streams, rivers, tributaries, mangroves, to the sea, to the coral reef is very high! And we have seen that happened in Sipalay, in Marinduque to name just two places.

Where will our people go after mining? Could you assure them to bring back soil fertility so they can continue farming? Could you bring back a healthy coral reef that takes a hundred years for just an inch to grow?

Please wake up. There are other options to mining. Thailand’s second largest earner is tourism and we have a good chance to do that. We have great potential to get a slice of the world bird tourism industry, which earns about $78 billion annually. We have 576 species of birds and we have 195 endemics (those that can only be found here in our country and some on specific islands only). We only have to open our eyes to other possibilities.

Can you tell me a mining area that has prospered? Don’t tell me about Baguio — it is an environmental disaster waiting to happen.

I could go on raving to you about other options but I think that it still boils down to greed and a twisted concept of development. It is the greed for more power and money that is driving us to push mining, while sacrificing the lives of our countrymen and the future of our children.

Sincerely yours,

Ruth Condeno

ravenhawk

June 13th, 2007, 11:19 AM

^^ thats a great argument pero sana kumita muna ako sa mining bagonila pigilan. I bought mining stocks today after it had gone very very low.

bukid

June 13th, 2007, 12:00 PM

^^ purbida! sige la, marami ka nang pera. okey lang yun. ako nga taga-bukid. nakatsinelas lang lagi at paggising sa umaga sa ilog lang naliligo. aloe vera ang shampoo, gata ang conditioner. pag-ahon di nakailangan ang hair spray o hair gel ayos na. pagkatapos sasakay na ako sa kalabaw, balik sa bahay, sa umaga ang almusal balanghoy, sa tanghali rice naman, sa gabi nilagang camote sura lawlaw. masarap ang buhay sa bukid. malinis ang hangin, matamis ang tubig, maganda ang mga tanawin, simple ang buhay... :cheers:

ravenhawk

June 13th, 2007, 12:10 PM

Liwat mano nakiki-ride on la ha mining boom! nyehehe! bangin maka-palit na ako hin tuna ha Calicoan eh di magriko pa kita hin duro kun matuon nga himuuon adtu nga next Bora. Sus bukid kuno if I know you live in White Plains or San Gerardo Heights hehehehehe!

bukid

June 13th, 2007, 12:17 PM

^^ :lol: di gad ak rico, kablas ga ak. gutiay la ngani it am balay nga ada dapit ha may bora (borayan, san jose)

maupay pa lugod himuon iton nira nga bora kaysa minahan pa nira.

it would be better if they make it into the next bora than to permit mining in those places.

-TC-

June 13th, 2007, 12:29 PM

http://business.inquirer.net/money/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=70550

Mining poised for takeoff, but old woes persist
By Daxim Lucas
Inquirer
06/10/2007
(First of two parts)

THESE ARE HEADY DAYS FOR THE LOCAL mining industry.

Given up for dead by foreign investors in the 1990s, Philippine mining firms are now riding the crest of an investment wave that could see equity inflows of as much as $6.5 billion over the next few years.

Driving this expected surge in investments is the combination of strong commodities prices on the world market, and a large deposit of metals and minerals that, in the region, is second only to that of Indonesia.

International experts at the just concluded 7th Asia-Pacific Mining Conference and Exhibition described the prospects of the industry in glowing terms, pointing to the strong demand from China, and the growing demand from India, as the factors that will sustain the ongoing boom for the next two decades.

“In these two countries, strong economic growth will fuel demand for metals until 2030,” said Citigroup’s Asia-Pacific head of metals and mining Alexander Molyneux. “This is the megacycle that we’ve been talking about.”

Already, metals prices worldwide have skyrocketed on the back of China’s frenetic economic growth, which has fueled demand for almost everything, from high- to low-grade ore from mining firms to scrap metal from junk shops.

As it stands, China’s voracious appetite for base metals like copper and nickel—for which it consumes about 15 percent of global production—is already enough to send prices to present record levels.

According to Molyneuz, this trend would continue and even accelerate in coming years, as he pointed to statistics showing that China and India would need as much as 150 percent of present-day global production levels of copper and nickel.

“By 2050, both countries would need as much as 200 percent of today’s [total] copper supply and 300 percent of today’s [total] nickel supply,” he said.

For Asean countries rich in these base metals and bulk commodities, the opportunities for profit are as clear as daylight.

These opportunities are especially clear for the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines, whose members have languished for a decade due to a dearth of interest and capital from foreign investors.

“The demand is there, and is set to increase further,” said Benjamin Philip G. Romualdez who head’s the industry’s lobby group. “It really depends on us if we can capitalize on these opportunities over the next few years.”

Romualdez, who also heads a firm that specializes in gold mining, pointed out that the country’s recently revamped regulatory and legal environment puts it ahead of mining powerhouse Indonesia, which is just beginning to struggle with issues that the Philippines had already hurdled.

This, he said, puts the local mining industry in a unique position to meet international demand for metals while Indonesia is still trying to get its act together.

“In many ways, we’ve already gone through what they’re going through now,” he said, pointing to the Indonesian government’s ongoing debate over issues like the environment, foreign investor protection and regulation, among others.

On the ground, however, old problems persist.

In an interview arranged by anti-mining advocates, Timuay tribal chief Jose Anoy claimed that he and other members of his tribe were evicted from their ancestral domain after Canadian firm TVI Resource Development Phils. Inc. opened its gold mining operation in Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte.

Anoy said he holds a valid title to a parcel of land that was awarded to him by no less than President Macapagal-Arroyo a few years ago. Since the entry of TVI, however, he lost access to his property and was forced to relocate after it was fenced off by TVI as part of its mining claim.

“Our rights, according to our indigenous laws and according to Philippine national laws, have been repeatedly violated and no one in authority has protected us,” he said.

His complaints, and others like his, are casting a pall on the mining industry’s celebratory mood, and posing tough questions to policymakers who must balance the competing interests of powerful lobby groups.

(To be continued.)

The continuation...

http://business.inquirer.net/money/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=70759

Industry cheers drown out anti-mining protests
By Daxim Lucas
Inquirer
06/12/2007
(Second of two parts)

Mount Canatuan in Siocon town, in the southern province of Zamboanga del Norte, is sacred to the Subanon tribe that inhabits the area.

According to legend, it was on this mountain where an ancient chieftain named Apu Manglang made a covenant with a deity named Apu Sanag to save the community from being ravaged by a disease.

Documents provided by anti-mining group Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) -- the Stop Mining Alliance -- also described the mountain as the Subanon’s venue for its “boklog,” the tribe’s highest thanksgiving ritual, held every seven years.

In the 1990s, small-scale miners searching for gold moved into the area, acquiring a government permit to prospect for precious metals.

This right was eventually transferred to Canadian firm TVI Resource Development (Philippines) Inc., which started large-scale mining activities for gold and silver in late 2004.

Tribal chieftain Jose Anoy said the Subanon people were never consulted and that they never agreed to the mining activities which have defaced their sacred mountain.

“I speak as a ‘timuay’ [tribal chief] of our people when I say we, the people of Mount Canatuan, never gave our consent to their operations according to our practices,” Anoy said in a press conference that shadowed last week’s Seventh Asia-Pacific Mining Conference.

Familiar refrain

Anoy’s complaint is a familiar refrain in a mineral-rich archipelago, where almost every mining site is covered by ancestral domain claims of tribal groups or indigenous people.

According to ATM national coordinator Jaybee Garganera, a 1998 study found that 53 percent of all ancestral domains nationwide were affected by mineral product sharing agreements (MPSAs) or mining permits issued by the government.

“We are talking about 25 million hectares directly affected,” he said, adding that the MPSAs also covered 61 percent of forests declared by the government as protected areas or ‘no-go’ zones.”

“If you mine those areas, our country’s forest cover will drop to below 10 percent, from the 19-percent when the study was made almost a decade ago,” Garganera said.

For all the group’s noisy protests, however, their message reached only the fringes of last week’s mining summit, where participants were in a congratulatory mood about the industry’s nascent recovery and excited about the demand that the powerhouse Chinese and Indian economies are
creating.

To some degree, the anti-mining groups have themselves to blame, especially after some overzealous members overplayed their pro-environment hand in the Rapu-Rapu Island mining accident in 2005.

In one incident, anti-mining groups presented as evidence fish allegedly poisoned by mercury that was leaked into the sea from the mines, even though no mercury was used in the mining firm’s operations. The discovery helped debunk criticism against the mine’s operator -- Australian firm Lafayette -- and eventually paved the way for its reopening, and gave a black eye to anti-mining groups.

ATM’s Garganera admits that there are differences of opinion on the mode of opposing mining within their broad coalition, some of which are hard line and extreme.

“We are not against mining per se,” he said, explaining that his group’s main concern covered mining firms that were unscrupulous in their dealings with local inhabitants and unconcerned about their environmental impact.

“What we’re against is the aggressive promotion of large-scale mining.”

China and India

At the mining summit, the criticism was drowned out by figures showing how ASEAN countries stood to benefit from China’s ongoing and India’s nascent economic booms.

In a presentation, Citigroup’s Asia-Pacific head of metals and mining Alexander Molyneux said the consumption of base metals and bulk commodities in both countries were expected to rise dramatically as their economies grew.

By 2030, Molyneux said, China will be the world’s second largest economy and India, the fourth largest. “Together, they would account for a combined 18-22 percent of total world GDP [gross domestic product],” he said.

This bodes well for Indonesia and the Philippines, which are ASEAN’s richest countries in mineral resources, he said. This, he added, was despite the strong anti-mining lobbies in both countries.

In absolute amounts, this could mean up to $6.5 billion in fresh equity investments for the country over the next four years, excluding the income that would be generated from the extracted minerals themselves.

Chamber of Mines of the Philippines president Benjamin Philip Romualdez was unfazed by the anti-mining groups, which continue to hold “as
I-told-you-so” examples of events that date back to 1996 when an environmentally destructive accident forced the closure of Marcopper Mining Corp. in Marinduque Island.

“We have to move forward,” Romualdez said, adding that enough safeguards were in place to protect the interests of all stakeholders.

“When one airplane crashed, you don’t stop the entire airline industry from flying.”

-TC-

June 13th, 2007, 12:33 PM

http://business.inquirer.net/money/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=70807

Mining boom amid buoyant metals prices
Agence France-Presse
06/12/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- Boosted by soaring ore prices, cheap capital and a more investor-friendly regime, mining companies are rushing in and snapping up tenements in the Philippines seeking to profit from the developing world's industrial boom, experts say.

From majors like BHP Billiton, Anglo-American and Xstrata to bare-bones exploration outfits, they are betting hundreds of millions of dollars that these investments, which could take up to 10 years, would hit paydirt before the unprecedented global metals demand flames out, they said.

The government expects fresh capital inflows of $348 million into the sector, on top of $694 million already sunk into the ground since the Supreme Court ruled two and a half years ago that the 1995 Mining Act, which opened the sector to foreign investors, did not contradict a constitutional provision on equity ownership limits.

"We seek out places with a good foreign investment climate, where the competition is limited but with a high density of mineral deposits and good hopes for both new discoveries and the political support to develop mines," said David Lowell, an American prospector credited with many of the world's largest copper discoveries.

"The Philippines has become such a place," he said. His Lowell Mineral Exploration LLC outfit plans to "acquire one or more late-stage exploration project in copper, gold or any other commodity. We will also consider going into good exploration targets."

BHP Billiton has briefed President Gloria Arroyo of the world's largest mining firm's intention to invest up to $1 billion in a nickel project on the southern island of Mindanao, Chamber of Mines of the Philippines president Benjamin Philip Romualdez said.

Anglo-American Plc is ramping up its exploration in the country to about $36.16 million this year, mainly for pre-feasibility studies on its significant Boyongan and Kalayaan copper-gold discoveries on Mindanao, country manager Patrick Waters said.

Charlie Sartain, head of the copper division of Xstrata Plc, said the Swiss-based firm was mulling a 43-percent increase in investment, to $2 billion, into its Tampakan project on Mindanao acquired last year.

"The Tampakan deposit represents one of the largest undeveloped copper-gold deposits in the region," with resource estimates of almost two billion tonnes, he said.

After metal prices collapsed in the 1970s and a major copper mine tailings dam spill in the mid-1990s, the Philippines mining industry hit the doldrums.

By 1997, with the Asian crisis and amid legal challenges to the mining act, capital dried up and most of the smaller mining firms pulled up stakes.

Despite the renewed interest, only 14 medium and large-scale mines are in the production stage -- five nickel, four gold, three chromite, one copper and one nickel, said Mines and Geosciences Bureau chief Horacio Ramos.

The volcanic Southeast Asian archipelago is "well-mineralized in copper, gold and nickel, and we are located next door to the voracious metal markets of China, (South) Korea, Japan, and increasingly India," said Tony Climie, president and chief executive of Canada-listed Mindoro Resources Ltd.

The government hopes interest would be sustained over the next five years when cumulative investments are seen to reach $6.5 billion, and the share of mineral ore to total exports reach nine percent. Mining now contributes just 1.2 percent to the gross domestic product.

"With more mining projects either expanding or going on stream in the next months, we could see the industry growing in terms of production, and the prospects of a mining boom next year is becoming more apparent,"
Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Angelo Reyes said.

Reyes this week approved 11 more mineral production-sharing agreements and exploration permits, including three offshore projects to a local unit of an Australian firm involved with marine diamond exploration.

Lowell, the copper expert, said the presence of a "well-trained" corps of mining engineers and skilled work force makes the Philippines an "even more attractive target."

Not all the news is good however. Romualdez, the local mining chamber head, is wary of long-term attempts by leftist legislators to overturn the mining law.

A number of local governments, backed by powerful environmental groups and some influential Roman Catholic bishops, have banned mining activities in their jurisdictions.

Waters of Anglo-American said "there are still issues on accessing land in the Philippines which have not really gone away."

He described his company's "tortuous process" of securing the backing of local officials, a requirement in the mining law, for its Manmanoc tenement in the northern Philippines, where the first exploration drillings will only take place later this year.

It took five years to sort out ancestral domain claims of local tribes and to secure permits to an area previously classified as a restricted forest.

A separate permit application for another copper-gold prospect in the area, called Nugget Hill, has been pending for seven years.

"You get your policies and procedures right and you get a lot of investment," he added.

bukid

June 13th, 2007, 05:13 PM

[/I]Mount Canatuan in Siocon town, in the southern province of Zamboanga del Norte, is sacred to the Subanon tribe that inhabits the area.

According to legend, it was on this mountain where an ancient chieftain named Apu Manglang made a covenant with a deity named Apu Sanag to save the community from being ravaged by a disease.

Documents provided by anti-mining group Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) -- the Stop Mining Alliance -- also described the mountain as the Subanon’s venue for its “boklog,” the tribe’s highest thanksgiving ritual, held every seven years.

In the 1990s, small-scale miners searching for gold moved into the area, acquiring a government permit to prospect for precious metals.

This right was eventually transferred to Canadian firm TVI Resource Development (Philippines) Inc., which started large-scale mining activities for gold and silver in late 2004.

Tribal chieftain Jose Anoy said the Subanon people were never consulted and that they never agreed to the mining activities which have defaced their sacred mountain.

“I speak as a ‘timuay’ [tribal chief] of our people when I say we, the people of Mount Canatuan, never gave our consent to their operations according to our practices,” Anoy said in a press conference that shadowed last week’s Seventh Asia-Pacific Mining Conference.

Familiar refrain

Anoy’s complaint is a familiar refrain in a mineral-rich archipelago, where almost every mining site is covered by ancestral domain claims of tribal groups or indigenous people.

According to ATM national coordinator Jaybee Garganera, a 1998 study found that 53 percent of all ancestral domains nationwide were affected by mineral product sharing agreements (MPSAs) or mining permits issued by the government.

“We are talking about 25 million hectares directly affected,” he said, adding that the MPSAs also covered 61 percent of forests declared by the government as protected areas or ‘no-go’ zones.”

“If you mine those areas, our country’s forest cover will drop to below 10 percent, from the 19-percent when the study was made almost a decade ago,” Garganera said.

For all the group’s noisy protests, however, their message reached only the fringes of last week’s mining summit, where participants were in a congratulatory mood about the industry’s nascent recovery and excited about the demand that the powerhouse Chinese and Indian economies are
creating.

that showed lack of respect for our indigenous people. that is one reason why many from outside of manila wants independence. some are already clamoring for an independent mindanao. some for an independent visayas. we are being sold to foreigners by greedy politicians and their kasosyo. after they suck our mountains dry. what's next? our people? :ohno:

dinabaw

June 14th, 2007, 02:40 AM

[QUOTE=jonno;13695553]^^

Am I out of my mind? Long time ago...:lol:

Ok, we are not being productive here. Instead of evading questions and raising and raising new topics, why don't we stick to the ones we are actually discussing. I would rephrase again some of my questions just for you, please answer:

Would you agree that the PHilippines ( where you do NOT support mining) have a much more abundance of not only forests but other resources such as water, trees, lakes, mountains, hills, flaura and fauna, etc. THAN countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, etc. (where you totally SUPPORT mining)?

evading ???we can ask forumers here who's docking questions ...can you simplify what is your point on the highligted question and if you can't comprehend in my explanations pls. refer to bukids article ;)

I'll do you a favor by responding to the new issue you've raised thou we haven't settled the previous ones:

1. If I could show you that Australia at present have a significant mining operations in their own land ( one reason why their economy at present is robust because they export it to China), would that change your mind about mining or you would again evade this question and raise other issues???

Yeah i don't deny Australia have one of the biggest mining deposits in the world and of course 1/4 or more Australia have desert wasteland .But how come they are eager to mine in our area? bec they need more to feed the Chinese and Indian economy !

2. If I could show you that the Philippines (3rd or 5th most mineralized country in the world) has much, much more mineral than Japan (least mineralized country on this planet), , would that change your mind about mining or you would again evade this question and raise other issues???

Lol... i never said that Japan have more mineral deposits than us , i said they have , but like there forests they conserve .

-TC-

June 14th, 2007, 02:21 PM

jonno

June 14th, 2007, 03:57 PM

[QUOTE]

----------------------------------

jonno

June 14th, 2007, 04:00 PM

[QUOTE]

evading ???we can ask forumers here who's docking questions ...can you simplify what is your point on the highligted question and if you can't comprehend in my explanations pls. refer to bukids article ;)

I see, I'll rephrase them for you:
Would you agree that the PHilippines ( a country where you oppose mining) have a much more abundance of water, trees, lakes, mountains, hills, flaura and fauna, etc. THAN countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, etc. (countries where you SUPPORT mining)?

Yeah i don't deny Australia have one of the biggest mining deposits in the world and of course 1/4 or more Australia have desert wasteland .

But if I could show you that Australia at present have a significant mining operations in their NON-desert land, would that change your opposition to mining here in the Philippines???

But how come they are eager to mine in our area? bec they need more to feed the Chinese and Indian economy !

Assuming that statement is correct, so?

Lol... i never said that Japan have more mineral deposits than us , i said they have , but like there forests they conserve .

Well it's good we both agreed that the Philippines (3rd or 5th most mineralized country in the world) have much, much more minerals than Japan (least mineralized country on this planet). It's not really that the Japanese are "conserving" their minerals; they simply haven't got enough of them to the point that it's not that profitable for Japan to conduct LARGE SCALE mining operations on their own land (but Japan do have mining operations on their own land).

jonno

June 14th, 2007, 04:15 PM

:okay:

... “We have to move forward,” Romualdez said, adding that enough safeguards were in place to protect the interests of all stakeholders.

“When one airplane crashed, you don’t stop the entire airline industry from flying.”

Exactly. We also have to get rid of our xenophobic attitudes: many people who oppose mining oppose it simply because of "foreign" involvement; it is this inward looking attitude that is keeping us from realizing our true potential.

bukid

June 15th, 2007, 07:26 AM

a person who have not lived in these communities could not understand why people oppose it. i'm sure if someone had a property full of stinking garbage next to your one and only home you would also complain about it.

mining 0.5% of philippine land is not small if you consider the little forest area left in our country. and what do you mean by "our natural resources". it is not "your" resources or the resources of the people of manila, it is the resources of the people of the entire nation, and the natural resources of those that live in those areas.

you don't know how those mountains protected the communities from the full force of the more the 10 typhoons that would visit us every year. you don't know how those mountains protected us from flooding and how it also provided water to our crops.

xenophobic attitude? even if the investor is a filipino. we will still oppose it because we don't think it is right to continue flying those planes if all of them crashed and not one of them successfully reached the proper destination.

dinabaw

June 15th, 2007, 10:49 AM

Exactly. We also have to get rid of our xenophobic attitudes: many people who oppose mining oppose it simply because of "foreign" involvement; it is this inward looking attitude that is keeping us from realizing our true potential.

LOL eh si Romualdez naman nag sabi nyan he live and die for MINING
maybe he said :“When one airplane crashed in my own backyard, you don’t stop the entire airline industry from flying.” ano kaya masasabi niya

puwede ba mag sabi ng Pope we change our religion to Islam.

dinabaw

June 15th, 2007, 11:02 AM

[QUOTE=dinabaw;13711575]

[QUOTE]I see, I'll rephrase them for you:
Would you agree that the PHilippines ( a country where you oppose mining) have a much more abundance of water, trees, lakes, mountains, hills, flaura and fauna, etc. THAN countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, etc. (countries where you SUPPORT mining)?

ay naku you never reprhased it .

But if I could show you that Australia at present have a significant mining operations in their NON-desert land, would that change your opposition to mining here in the Philippines???

show me and i'll show how the people of Aust. actively opposing mining in there own backyard.

Assuming that statement is correct, so?

that's only you can say ..so?

Well it's good we both agreed that the Philippines (3rd or 5th most mineralized country in the world) have much, much more minerals than Japan (least mineralized country on this planet). It's not really that the Japanese are "conserving" their minerals; they simply haven't got enough of them to the point that it's not that profitable for Japan to conduct LARGE SCALE mining operations on their own land (but Japan do have mining operations on their own land).

correct that's why i said , why can't we copy the Japs own style of progress . dapat ma utak rin tayo tulad nila they know how to CONSERVE .imo that's why great nations are great they know how to CONSERVE . we can match them now in ship building , in electronics, maybe we are not at par in their technology but certainly their a lot of Filipino inventors and scientists who are capable of what the japs are doing , but sad to say even our on gov't is not supporting them.

jonno

June 15th, 2007, 11:35 AM

[QUOTE=jonno;13721220][QUOTE=dinabaw;13711575]
ay naku you never reprhased it .

Ok, would you agree that the PHilippines have a much more abundance of water, trees, lakes, mountains, hills, flaura and fauna, etc. THAN countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, etc. (countries where you SUPPORT mining)?

show me and i'll show how the people of Aust. actively opposing mining in there own backyard.

Sure, but if I could show you that Australia at present have a significant mining operations in their NON-desert land, would that change your opposition to mining here???

that's only you can say ..so?

Yes, what's your point?

correct that's why i said , why can't we copy the Japs own style of progress . dapat ma utak rin tayo tulad nila they know how to CONSERVE .imo that's why great nations are great they know how to CONSERVE . we can match them now in ship building , in electronics, maybe we are not at par in their technology but certainly their a lot of Filipino inventors and scientists who are capable of what the japs are doing , but sad to say even our on gov't is not supporting them.

Like I said, it's not really that the Japanese are "conserving" their minerals; they haven't got enough of them to the point that they simply can not conduct LARGE SCALE mining operations on their own land. But Japan do have mining operations on their own land, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_mining_industry

bukid

June 15th, 2007, 11:54 AM

this is how our mountains will look after mining.

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dYnjH-CPypw

australians opposing mining

rBUEkuUera0

australia is a big landmass, and the weather is different. our island eco-system is more fragile.

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TXC28jZgJWg

y1v6Pn3zGR8

EDO0TPUkq-A

tafftrader

June 23rd, 2007, 03:39 PM

whilst you guys debate I'm going to invest 1.5 million pesos in mining stocks. its going to be my retirement fund.:cheers:

smokingunmanila

June 23rd, 2007, 05:51 PM

what mining stocks? be careful...they are very speculative

tafftrader

June 24th, 2007, 03:45 AM

what mining stocks? be careful...they are very speculative

That's why I'm only investing 1.5 mill php.

smokingunmanila

June 24th, 2007, 04:05 AM

@jonno...what is the status of the mining firms here in our country? are they in 100% capacity in terms of exploration and production? or there are hindrances in their operations?

tigidig14

June 24th, 2007, 04:18 AM

dapat tibagin ang mga ibang bundok sa pnas
tapos gamitin yun para maging tulay all over the islands
o i-barricade. anyway, its fact that the world is sinking two feet per year, greenhouse effect, glacier melting etc. etc. kaya 2loy wala na ang malabon ang next... buong pnas

jonno

June 24th, 2007, 09:24 AM

whilst you guys debate I'm going to invest 1.5 million pesos in mining stocks. its going to be my retirement fund.:cheers:

@jonno...what is the status of the mining firms here in our country? are they in 100% capacity in terms of exploration and production? or there are hindrances in their operations?

Well, some say it is a "wild card" since it could relatively make you a lot of money (compared to other stocks) but at the same time it is policy driven. Personally, I'm not so sure about it being "policy driven" when 1. the SC has already made a final decision about the constitutionality of foreign participation (one reason why there's a return of interest on Philippine mining) 2. Even if the government reverses on "promoting" responsible and sustainable mining - they should honor all their existing contracts agreements with mining firms.

The only hindrances I see is on individual mining sites, say there's a mining accident on area XXX, then the government (rightfully) can cease all operations on that site until the issue is resolved. By and large to answer your question, they are now in 100% capactity in terms of exploration and production.

-TC-

June 24th, 2007, 10:10 AM

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/june/24/yehey/top_stories/20070624top1.html
Are you for or against the coming mining boom?

Government, investors, domestic and foreign mining corporations are working to make ours a rich “mining country.” Some Filipinos want to make mining policy more pro-people and pro-ecology. Others want mining to end completely . . .

By Rene Bas
June 24, 2007
Manila Times

PRESIDENT Arroyo and her “mining czar,” Secretary Angelo Reyes of the Department of Energy and Natural Resources, are working with domestic and foreign mining corporations, local as well as foreign investors and the various components of the mining sector to revitalize the minerals industry.

Until recently, the government policy on mining was mere tolerance. Today’s policy is to aggressively turn mining into an engine of growth to help the administration create more jobs, earn more revenues and thereby rescue millions from their poverty-stricken fate and drive the nation nearer to First-World status.

To obliterate the possibility of repeating the Marcopper and Rapu-Rapu tragedies, Reyes—operating under the Mining Act which the President authored when she was a senator—is making sure that investors, corporations and all mining industry players follow the rules of “responsible mining.”

But just what is responsible mining? Reyes gives the answer (See related story that begins on this page): “It is responsibility shared by the government and the mining industry with the active participation of stake-holders. This, toward the common objective of minimizing the industry’s negative environmental and social impacts and increasing its positive contribution.”

Business and industry view

The mining industry leaders are happy with the new determination of the government to collaborate with it in making the Philippines a successful “mining country.”

The Philippines is the world’s fifth richest country in mineral resources.

By the time the year ends, Philippine mineral exports will total US$2 billion. The country’s top mining industry leader, both for owning the largest mining firm and for being head of the country’s Chamber of Mines, Benjamin Philip Romualdez, sees the mining industry earning US$10 billion a year by 2012, or maybe even earlier, by 2010.

The Chamber of Mines sees a mining boom in 2008 and 2009. The following years would also be even richer years for mining because most of the country’s grand mining projects—supported by major foreign investments—will go on stream in 2010.

The Mining Act has opened important aspects of the mining industry to 100-percent foreign ownership. This, according to free-trade economists, is what will launch the Philippines as a global mining giant.

Nationalist reformers

But there those who say they are not against mining as an industry. They want it to continue being a source of large export incomes and foreign investment. They just want the extant government policy to be reformed to include more protection of the environment, of the communities of human beings in the mining areas and of the national patrimony.

There is a possibility that government and mining industry activities would suddenly be stopped by the action of a group of lawyers who are seeing another way of getting the Supreme Court to declare a portion of the Mining Act unconstitutional.

The Court had earlier reversed its own decision about the unconstitutionality of Financial or Technical Assistance Agreements (FTAAs). Now the nationalist lawyers are moving to have Mineral Production Sharing Agreements (MPSAs) declared null and void and unconstitutional.

These critics of the current mining policy want to reform it. They do not want mining to stop.

But there are others—mainly cultural and tribal communities as well as strict environmentalists—who want mining activities to stop completely.

Where do you stand? Are you for or against the mining boom?

In the following days, we will publish more articles that form part of this special report:
• Remembering the Marcopper tragedy
• Words of caution from an industry expert with PASAR
• Boosting small-scale mining
• The legal side of mining and other stories.

-TC-

June 24th, 2007, 10:13 AM

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/june/24/yehey/top_stories/20070624top3.html

Community groups draft ‘the people’s mining plan’
By M.E. Corazon J. Jazmines, The Manila Times-Barangay News
June 24, 2007

EVEN with the advanced mining technology and experience of developed countries adequate protection of the environment and mining community has not been ensured. This reality provides the backdrop in the formation of the Defend Patrimony! Alliance in February 2005.

Defend Patrimony! Alliance is a broad network of mining-affected communities, people’s organizations and support groups united against the globalization of the mining industry, plunder and destruction in the country.

Defend Patrimony! Alliance has its beginnings in the First People’s Conference on Mining held in Baguio City on May 9, 2002, which resolved “to develop a mining industry within the framework of nationalist industrialization.” It also called for the scrapping of Republic Act 7942 or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, which liberalizes the mining industry in the Philippines.

The pro-foreign, anti-environment, antinational development and antipeople nature of the Philippine government’s mining policy, made it imperative that an alternative mining policy based on the principles of social justice, respect for people’s rights and welfare, environmental conservation, defense of our national sovereignty and patrimony and national industrialization be formulated.

Thus, the People’s Mining Policy (PMP) was drafted to be an alternative policy framework to the Philippine Mining Act of 1995. The drafting of the PMP was initiated by the Kalikasan-People’s Network for the Environment (K-PNE), a network of people’s organizations (POs), nongovernment organizations (NGOs) and environmental advocates. K-PNE aims to address environmental issues in such a way that primacy is given to the people, especially the grassroots people who constitute the overwhelming majority of the population. All environmental causes shall thus have the people’s interest at their core.

The K-PNE and the Defend Patrimony! Alliance worked hand-in-hand in developing and enriching the PMP draft. The draft was later presented and deliberated upon in different conferences (national, regional and sectoral) such as the Church People’s Conference on Mining, National Grassroots Conference on Mining, Cor-dillera Day 2005, Far South Mindanao Regional Conference on Environment and Development Aggression, Southern Mindanao Regional Conference on Mining. In deliberating on the PMP draft, the collective participation of different concerned sectors made sure that it would safeguard their interests. On June 10-13, 2005, the Second People’s Conference in Anti-polo City which was attended by mining affected communities, environmental advocates and representatives of peoples’ and sectoral organizations nationwide, adopted the People’s Mining Policy.

The basic premise of the People’s Mining Policy is that the government gives a premium to the fundamental interests of the nation, its people and environment over foreign or selfish interests. It should be a government that has a clear vision of ensuring social justice and a sound environment, respects human rights and welfare, safeguards national patrimony and independence and tirelessly pursues genuine national development. Actively advancing the PMP also means actively working for the kind of government on which it is premised.

Framework and basic principles

*Framework and Basic Principles of Pro-people and Pro-Environment Mining Policy as drafted by Kalikasan-Philippine Network for the Environment, Defend Patrimony! Alliance

We are not against mining. We are for the wise development and judicious use of our mineral resources, as a requisite to developing a strong, self-reliant and progressive economy founded on a healthy balance between agriculture and industrialization to break the cycle of underdevelopment.

* Mining is important in nation building. The mineral industry plays an essential role in establishing a progressive, independent and self-reliant economy.

Mining has been part of the historical development of societies. In the experience of industrialized nations, a prosperous mining industry is needed to supply the minerals needed by industries and support the production and flow of basic goods and services. The Philippines has a reliable base of minerals vital to industrialization. Genuine development can be achieved by wisely utilizing mineral resources and developing the mining industry as an aspect of an alternative program for economic development, in order to secure the livelihood of the people, satisfy their basic needs, ensure sustainable economic growth, and thereby become independent from foreign domination and control.

To achieve genuine development, the mineral industry must be nationalized. Genuine national industrialization is premised on the
(a) accumulation and reinvestment of capital within the country against profit repatriation by corporations,
(b) control over the utilization of available natural resources,
(c) harnessing of benefits from modern technology for the country’s own technological advancement, founded on the strong aspects of local knowledge systems,
(d) job generation and human resource upgrading.

-TC-

June 24th, 2007, 10:20 AM

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/june/24/yehey/top_stories/20070624top4.html

Industry will earn $2B this year, $10B p.a. in 2012
By Nora O. Gamolo Editor, The Manila Times-Barangay News
June 24, 2007

Mining is a high-capital venture that needs the unqualified support of its host government to get its projects off the ground.

Although it still has some complaints about government support, the Philippine mining sector is determined to help make this “a mining country” and usher in a mining boom. Industry executives are optimistic that it mining will generate earnings of at least $10 billion by 2012—or even as early as 2010. This figure dwarfs earlier forecasts, buoyed up by the recent influx of big-ticket projects.

Speaking to reporters at the start of the 7th Asia Pacific Mining Conference held recently at the Makati Shangri-La, the country’s top mining industrialist, Benjamin Philip Romualdez of Benguet Corp, who is president of the Asean Federation of Mining Associations (AFMA) and the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines, said the initial target of $400-million to $500-million new investments for the industry must be revised.

“It will go higher,” he said as he estimated 2007 investments alone to total $700 million as BHP Billiton expressed interest in infusing $1 billion, while Japanese firm Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. Ltd. signified interest in spending $1 billion for a nickel and cobalt smelter project in Mindanao.

Sumitomo said they are currently in the process of completing the expansion of its Coral Bay nickel mining and processing project in Palawan.

The expansion project, worth $300 million, is expected to double the project’s capacity by 2009.

Romualdez said “the Philippines will be a major contributor to the expansion of mining in the Asia-Pacific region.”

He projected that mineral exports of the country may hit $2 billion by the end of this year. Likewise, he projects the industry’s dollar earnings would reach as high as $10 billion by 2012 or even sooner, by 2010.

The Chamber of Mines expects a mining boom in 2008 and 2009 with investments forecast at $1.55 billion in 2008, and $2.76 billion in 2009, compared with a projected $348 million this year. The year 2010 is significant in that it will be the period when most of the 24 priority minerals development projects will be on stream.

Romualdez told the media that the robust mining industry in the Philippines is a result of the good partnership between the private sector and the government. “We are all working together toward the revitalization of the mining industry,” he said. He cited Aseancountries like Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam and Cambodia as best poised to serve the need for minerals of the fast-paced growth emerging economies and even the traditional establish users of minerals—Japan and Western Europe. Asean’s mining countries will provide a significant resource block in East Asia.

However, he conceded that there will be a lot of challenges ahead, specifically from non-government organizations that oppose mining in general. Just the same, Romualdez said that the mining sector is willing to work with “reasonable, moderate conservatives” but that the sector cannot please everyone.

The Philippines should immediately tap opportunities in the next two to three years to solidify potential investments in the mining sector, Romualdez added. In an interview with another paper, Romualdez pointed out that the Philippines currently has a short window of opportunity to overtake its closest rival, Indonesia, in terms of attracting mining investments and actual mineral production and export. Indonesia is currently in turmoil in terms of the legal structure for its mining sector.

The Philippines, on the other hand, has finally resolved legal impediments for the mining sector and is now ready to accept more investors in the sector, Romualdez said. He added that this policy direction is well set and the only way the Philippines could reverse this momentum is to change its current mining policies.

Romualdez said Indonesia currently earns about $7 billion from its mineral exports while the Philippines only earns $2 billion. Because of its current legal infirmities, Romualdez said, the Philippines should try to attract mining investments that could allow the country to overtake Indonesia.

Romualdez also noted that the Philippines also faces collective competition from the Indo-Chinese countries of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, plus Myan-mar, in attracting potential mining investments. But he maintained the Philippines is currently the best country for mining investments because of its current policies.

Besides existing policies, Romualdez stressed the need for the Philippine government to ensure that local governments adhere or follow the same policies to ensure that the individual mining companies don’t get irked into leaving.

On the part of the mining firms, Romualdez advised them to observe “best practices” to allay the fears of local, ethnic and indigenous communities.
Perhaps to allay some business concerns and prove that the government is moving heaven and earth to get mining projects started, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has lately approved additional 11 mineral agreements and exploration permits, a move designed to prop up more activities in the mining industry. From these projects alone, some P224.7 million in investments are expected to stream into the country in the next two years.

Expectedly, DENR Secretary Angelo Reyes made the announcement before global mining leaders in the Philippines for the Asia Pacific Mining Conference and Exhibition 2007 in early June. The conference was organized by the Asean Federation of Mining Associations and the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines to showcase the mining industries of the various Asia-Pacific countries, including the Philippines.

The Philippines is serious in its effort to build up a competitive mining industry, and to prove this, Secretary Reyes also announced three more crucial policy reforms that would facilitate the grant of mining contracts, as suggested by the industry.

Topping these reforms is the simplification of procedures in the grant of mining permits, particularly by reducing the time for posting of mining application, and streamlining the requirements on National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) clearance and endorsements from local government units.
To be continued

-TC-

June 24th, 2007, 10:23 AM

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/june/24/yehey/top_stories/20070624top5.html

Resistance to mining can derail the boom
By Nora O. Gamolo Editor, The Manila Times-Barangay News
June 24, 2007

Mining has become a major constitutional issue in the Philippines, with many sectors contending that with the government program to entice foreign investors to cash in on the country’s mining resources, the Philippine government is engaged in a “systematic sell-out of Philippine sovereignty.”

Now, anti-mining liberalization activists are all set to question again the constitutionality of the Mining Act which grants tremendous incentives to mining companies, following the “environmental debacle” of Rapu-Rapu Mining Corp. which dumped mine tailings in October 2005 on the waters surrounding the island where the mining site is located.

The Rapu-Rapu Fact-finding Commission formed by the DENR after the spillage discovered that the company has not paid the excise taxes it owes the government under the Mining Act, and has even under-declared its earnings from the project.

With the Rapu-Rapu experience, environmental advocates now say that the Filipinos will be left with only the pollution of mining companies, without any gain from the exploration, development and utilization of the country’s mining resources.

“We have started moves to question again the constitutionality of the Mining Law. We have contacted fellow advocates to ask them to co-sign the suit, and we have already signified our intent to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources,” said Frances Quimpo, executive director of the Center for Environmental Concerns (CEC), a nongovern-ment organization established in 1989.

The CEC, through its lawyers Howard Calleja and Ma. Margarita D. G. Mallari, has written DENR Secretary Angelo Reyes to ask the DENR to revoke all mineral production sharing agreements (MPSAs) issued under the Mining Act and stop the enforcement of the law concerning the issuance of all MPSA because “its continued enforcement violates the fundamental law of the land which guarantees the State real contributions to economic growth and general welfare of the people.”

The lawyers said that minerals are sensitive to over-exploitation since they
are nonrene-wable, and that the 2-percent guaranteed share of the government in the exploration, development and utilization of the mineral industry is “grossly disadvantageous to the State.”

As of January 31, 2006, the DENR has issued 228 MPSAs, some already in the commercial operation stage.

In its second decision promulgated on December 1, 2004, on the constitutionality suit on the Mining Act, the Supreme Court declared that all FTAAs are valid insofar as they are subject to the review of the State, through the President.

MPSAs unconstitutional?

Strictly speaking, the environmentalists who intend to file another constitutionality suit are not questioning the FTAAs this time, but the MPSAs issued under the Mining Act.

One of the findings of the Rapu-rapu Commission was that the mining project was not giving the national and local government any gain from the project based on the 2-percent excise taxes that the law has guaranteed. “This is grossly disadvantageous to the Filipino people,” said Quimpo, quoting their volunteer lawyers.

Authored by then-Sen. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, no less, Republic Act 7942 or the Philippine Mining Act enacted in March 1995, was designed to establish a legal framework for the mining sector, endeavoring to streamline the law to ensure that the Philippines can compete effectively for foreign investments in the mining sector. Within its first year of operation, the Act was succeeding since the number of foreign mining companies operating in the country increased from four in end-1994 to more than 20 in end-1996.

Applications for high-capital financial or technical agreements (FTAAs) were filed with the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) for 70 areas.

Under the new mining act, the old leasehold system was replaced with a service contract scheme whereby the Philippine government can grant a qualified contractor the exclusive right to conduct exploration and to develop and operate a mine in the contract area for 25 years, renewable for another 25 years.

For large-scale exploration and development under the new Mining Act, the government can enter into an FTAA with a 100-precent fully-owned foreign corporation. Until the passage of the new mining law, foreign companies were restricted to a 40-percent maximum ownership interest in mineral properties. Thus, most were reluctant to invest their time and money without having the decision-making authority guaranteed by the Mining Act. FTAAs were to be negotiated with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and mining proposals were to be filed with its MGB. The DENR was the primary government agency responsible for the conservation, management, development and proper use of the country’s natural resources, including its mineral deposits.

By end-December 1996, the Philippine government issued new environmental rules by revising the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Philippine Mining Act. The DENR announced that the revisions were designed to strengthen mining laws with respect to environmental protection and to address the concerns of indigenous communities who had been charging that many mining projects have caused their undue displacement from their communities and farms.

The revised IRR also provides that mining companies must establish post-operational land management plans for open pits, waste dumps and tailings dam. The companies must allocate 10 percent of their initial cost of a mine to environmental work, and set aside a sum equal to three to five percent of mining and milling operating costs for an environmental protection program. The fine payable for spillage of waste material was also raised to the equivalent of two US dollars per metric ton.

Sectors unhappy with the Mining Act brought a petition for prohibition and mandamus before the Court challenging the constitutionality of the Mining Act of 1995; its Implementing Rules and Regulations (DENR Administrative Order No. [DAO] 96-40); and the FTAA dated March 30, 1995, executed by the government with Western Mining Corp. (Philippines), Inc. (WMCP).

The case was a celebrated one since it challenged the very foundation of government’s policy in the administration and management of the country’s mineral lands and resources. The mining sector looked at the then petition as one of the major impediments to the growth of the Philippine minerals industry.

The petitioners included representatives of indigenous cultural communities led by the La Bugal-B’laan Tribal Association, Inc.; some of the framers of the 1987 Constitution that included former senator Wigberto E. Tañada, Ponciano Bennagen and Jaime Tadeo; civil libertarians and legal luminaries like law professor Marvic Leonen, himself a member of an indigenous cultural community.

The respondents in the suit were then-Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Victor O. Ramos; Director Horacio Ramos of the DENR’s Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB-DENR); then-Executive Secretary Ruben Torres; and mining company Western Mining Corp. (Philippines) Inc.

The petition is mainly for the nullification of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 and the Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA) entered into by and between the Philippine Government and WMC (Philippines), Inc., in 1995, for being unconstitutional.

The suit is also backed up by respected nongovernment organizations with high standing in the development community like Green Forum Philippines; Green Forum Western Visayas; Environmental Legal Assistance Center; Kaisahan Tungo sa Kaunlaran ng Kana-yunan at Repormang Pansaka-han; Partnership for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development Services, Inc.; Philippine Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in the rural areas; Women’s Legal Bureau: Center for Alternative Development Initiatives; Upland Development Institute; Kinai-yahan Foundation; Sentro ng Alternatibong Lingap Pan-ligal; and Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center.

January 2004: SC finds for the petitioners

The first time the suit was filed, the Supreme Court granted the petition, declaring on January 27, 2004, that certain provisions of RA 7942, DAO 96-40, as well as of the entire FTAA executed between the government and WMCP are unconstitutional. The Court held that FTAAs are service contracts prohibited by the 1987 Constitution. Hence, all provisions concerning the Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA) and other permits that can be granted to foreign-owned corporations such as the exploration permits, and mineral processing permits are null and void.
Unconstitutional and void, said the Court, all provisions of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 which allow the direct participation of foreign-owned corporations in mineral resources exploration, development and utilization in the country.

In addition, it also declared as unconstitutional and void all provisions of the Mining Act relating to the Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA) (Sections 33 to 41 and 81). This means that foreign-owned corporations are no longer eligible for any mining contracts in the country.

A foreign-owned corporation is a duly registered corporation in which less than 50 percent of the capital is owned by Filipino citizens.

Declared as void and unconstitutional are the Mining Act’s provisions pertaining to the rights and obligations of an Exploration Permit holder (Sec. 23) The provisions pertaining to the grant of an Exploration Permit were not assailed, but without Section 23, the Mining Act will be silent on what rights are being granted to, as well as the obligations of the permittee. This renders the grant of Exploration Permits untenable.

It also declared as void and unconstitutional the provision that allows the issuance of a mineral processing permit to foreign-owned corporations (Sec. 56) With this, mineral processing is now confined exclusively to Filipinos/Filipino juridical entities.

The Court also declared as void and unconstitutional the provision that grants incentives as provided for in Executive Order 226, the Omnibus Investments Code of 1987 (Sec. 90) Incidentally, this provision includes the grant of incentives to Mineral Agreements, including the mineral production sharing agreements (MPSAs).
To be continued

-TC-

June 24th, 2007, 10:28 AM

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/june/24/yehey/top_stories/20070624top6.html

Remembering the Rapu-Rapu Polymetallic Project fiasco
By Julie V. Tolentino TMT-Barangay News
June 24, 2007

“The exploitation of a country’s mineral resources can only be justified if it does not irreparably damage the environment and if it benefits the community and the nation as a whole. This is beyond all argument.–(From the DENR’s Summary Report on Rapu-Rapu)

The US$42-million (P2.2. billion) Rapu-Rapu Polymetallic Mining Project is intended to produce gold, silver, copper and zinc. Its operation will last six to seven years, from 2005 to 2011/2012.

The project site is situated on the southeastern tip of Rapu-Rapu Island, within the coastal barangay units of Malobago, Pagcolbon and Binosawan.

The Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) issued to the project covers 180 hectares or 3.2 percent of the island’s 5,589 hectares land area. Of the 180 hectares, 18 hectares (0.3 percent of Rapu-Rapu’s total land area) is dedicated to the open mine pit, and another 40 hectares (0.7 percent of total land area) for the milling plant.

The remaining 122 hectares (2.2 percent of the island’s total land area) is devoted to temporary quarters for personnel and various auxiliary facilities and environmental protection projects such as reforestation.

According to the Rapu-rapu website, the property covers 4,636 hectares, which is most of the island, and is owned and operated by Lafayette Mining Limited, plus the Ungay-Malobago claim of 408 hectares and the former Hixbar claim of 1,931 hectares. The eastern two thirds of the island are within the project area.

From the 1930s to 1960s, the Hixbar deposit was mined for copper and pyrite. The Ungay-Malobago deposit has been explored, and the Ungay ore body is currently being mined. The initial mine life is estimated to amount to at least eight years of open cut mining, processing one metric ton per annum (mtpa) of ore. The mine is expected to yield about 50,000 ounces of gold annually, 600,000 ounces of silver, 10,000 metric tons of copper concentrate and 14,000 metric tons of zinc concentrate a year. There is also potential to develop the Hixbar deposit, 2.5 kilometers to the west of the current mine.

Barangay units and ownership

The project directly affects barangay units within the one-kilometer radius like the barangay units of Pagcolbon, Malobago and Bino-sawan. The barangay units within one to five kilometers such as the barangay units of Sta. Barbara, Linao and Tinopan will also be affected. The project site is about 12 kilometers from the town of Prieto Diaz in Sorsogon, and 45 kilometers from Legazpi City in Albay.

Rapu-Rapu Mining, Inc. (RRMI) and the Rapu-Rapu Processing, Inc. (RRPI) operate the project. RRMI is involved in ore extraction activities, while RRPI conducts the ore processing and milling activities. The mother company Lafayette Philippines, Inc. (LPI) provides financial, managerial and technical services to both companies.

Rapu-Rapu Holdings Inc. (RRHI) owns 60 percent of RRMI, 60 percent of which is owned by F&N Holdings, Inc., and 40 percent by Lafayette Philippines, Inc. RRPI is a subsidiary of Lafayette Philippines Inc., which is totally foreign-owned—74 percent by Australians and 26 percent by Malaysians. Both the Australian and Malaysian companies are owned by Lafayette.

The October 11, 2005 incident

On October 11, 2005, about 20 tons of tailings that overflowed from the processing plant were discharged, contaminating the Alma and Pagcolbon creeks with cyanide and probably other heavy metals. This was caused by malfunctioning of pumps, lack of knife blades as safety valves, an event pond that was found to be 40-percent filled and therefore had very much reduced impoundment capacity, and silt fences and cement bunds that were damaged or have not yet been constructed. Poor organizational set-up, delayed reaction and indecisiveness of company officials and lack of emergency response procedures exacerbated the situation.

Heavy rainfall on October 31 filled up the tailings dam, which is supposed to be designed and constructed to be able to handle projected heavy rainfalls.

To ensure the integrity and safety of the dam, the company had to construct an emergency drain canal and release contaminated wastewater into the Hollowstone and Ungay creeks. Just like the first incident, about two cement bag-sizes of fish and other marine life were found dead in the coastal waters near the river mouths. It was evident that the dam and other support structures were not yet built according to DENR-approved plans and schedules. The dam height has not yet attained to its desired level. Storm drains to divert rainwater from the dams were insufficient. The dam also lacked spillways and drain canals to properly discharge water.

To reduce the level of water in the dam and ensure the safety and integrity of the dam, an emergency canal had to be constructed to release water from the dam. This caused the discharge of apparently contaminated wastewater and most probably, also some fine tailings materials.

The Summary findings of the DENR, which is largely based on the Rapu-Rapu Fact Finding Commission’s investigation resulted in five main points: the two tailing spills were preventable, Lafayette was guilty of lapses of an operational/technical and management nature, the Lafayette project does not appear to measure up to the standards of responsible mining and the sharing of benefits from the mineral exploitation of Rapu-Rapu island has clearly been grossly unfavorable to the Philippine government.

The finding resulted in top management change—12 out of 19 Australian expatriates have been replaced with Filipinos. Lafayette has owned up to its mistakes and has agreed to undertake the necessary corrective measures. The issue of revoking the PEZA certificate was brought out.

The Rapu-Rapu incident is an example of how corruption and gross negligence occur in the mining industry, where existing laws could be navigated and environmental concerns have become lip service. It showed that profit is the main objective, above the well being of the people and the environment.

-TC-

June 24th, 2007, 10:34 AM

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/june/24/yehey/opinion/20070624opi1.html

Mining boom on the way
A Manila Times Editorial
June 24, 2007

President Arroyo and her economic team optimistically see the mining industry serving as a leading engine for Philippine economic growth. It will soon become the source of a lot of revenues that will allow the administration to make good on its promise to begin seriously bringing down the mass poverty level.

At the 7th Asia Pacific Mining Conference and Exhibition last June 7, the President noted that the conference’s theme “Sustaining the momentum for renewed growth’ for the Philippines and for the Asia Pacific,” captured her confidence that mining would soon emerge as a top player in the game of bringing about sustainable Philippine economic development.

The President pointed out that, among several other ways, the Philippines and other Asia Pacific countries with mining industries all benefit from the economic growth of China, India, Japan and South Korea for these are major consumers of minerals and mineral products. Our country should benefit even more, since we are the world’s fifth richest in mineral
resources.

Most of the world’s greatest economies, those that have been calling the shots on this planet for centuries, owe their economic preeminence to their mining industry.

Benjamin Philip Romualdez, president of the Asean Federation of Mining Associations and the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines, reinforced the President’s optimism.

He said “the Philippines will be a major contributor to the expansion of mining in the Asia Pacific region” and that Philippine mineral exports at yearend 2007 will be US$2 billion.

He projects mining in this country to earn as much as US$10 billion per annum by 2012 or even by 2010.

The country’s Chamber of Mines expects a mining boom to start next year. Its members see investments in mining hitting US$1.55 billion in 2008 and US$ 2.76 billion in 2009. These are massive increases from the present level of investment in mining here: US$348 million by yearend 2007.

Sec. Angelo Reyes, as head of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, is the country’s “mining czar.” He sees the Philippines becoming a world mining leader by 2010 if the metallic mines sustain the current rate of their output increases. Reyes sees mining exports to make up 8.6 percent of total exports by 2010.

Quality of life

President Arroyo wants mining executives and tycoons to remember that the industry must add instead of subtracting “from the quality of life of the people.” She wants them to be “good stewards of the environment and model employers.” She wants to make sure that mining companies do everything to meet the high safety and health standards the government has set.

An industry leader, Angel Veloso Jr., the president of the mining-related Philippine Associated Smelting and Refining Corporation (PASAR) says, “Mining is one of the best catalysts for development.”

PASAR used to be a government-owned and controlled corporation. All of it was sold to an American firm in 1999 as part of the government’s privatization efforts. It smelts or refines copper ores for export as semi-finished products. It services a goodly portion of the mining industry.

Veloso rightly reminds all the participants in the mining industry that it is an extremely sensitive one and is closed to many sectors of Philippine society.
“If we do it [the push to develop a world-class mining industry] wrong, the ecology and the people will be harmed, perhaps irreparably,” Veloso warns.

The collateral damage on a wide sector of society will be terrible—“if we do it wrong.” He warns that it is greed that makes mining ventures “do it wrong.”

Because of fears that things will always go wrong in mining, some citizens are totally averse to it. They are against any form of mining industry whatsoever.

They are wrong!

Mining development plan

All serious businessmen and industrialists realize that a good part of their profits must be reinvested not only in the corporation but also in the social development of the immediate community and in environmental protection.
Philippine law provides that mining companies must establish post-operational land management plans for open pits, waste dumps and tailings dam. The companies must allocate 10 percent of their initial cost of a mine to environmental work, and set aside a sum equal to three to five percent of mining and milling operating costs for an environmental protection program.

The fine payable for spillage of waste material has been raised to the equivalent of two US dollars per metric ton.

Mining companies must allocate at least two percent of their earnings to the state in the form of excise taxes that can then be used for development.

Although the large local mining companies—and presumably the foreign ones that are investing billions of US dollars – have their own development plans to further their individual interests, there is really no detailed Philippine mining development plan that includes the most critical and trivial aspects of the industry, region by region.

Such a plan will ensure that after an area has been totally mined out, Mr. Veloso says, there will still be an economy left in place. This will safeguard the future of the people in the mining communities.

Developing the total plan is very hard work. Sec. Reyes and his assistants are tackling that now.

dinabaw

June 25th, 2007, 10:02 AM

Farmers oppose spa resort on Taal

By KATHERINE ADRANEDA
The Philippine Star

Inhabitants of the world’s smallest active volcano are up in arms against the impending construction of a resort spa on their island by a Korean-owned company, calling the attention of the national government to what they described as “a classic case of land grabbing.”

Farmers and locals warned of a violent eruption if municipal authorities and the Regional Mobile Group (RMG) evict them from their land to make way for the Taal Volcano SPA Resort project of Jung Ang Interventure Corp.

Resting Dimayuga, president of the Samahan ng mga Mamamayan sa Lawa ng Taal (SAMATAAL), said it remains a mystery how the Korean company managed to secure permits, including the environment compliance certificate (ECC) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), to put up a resort spa in a huge portion of the volcano.

“We have been here in the island of Taal since the 1920s and we have tilled the soil from then on. We will not allow any corporation to take away our land; we will defend it to death,” Dimayuga said.

According to Dimayuga, they only learned about the planned development of the area last June 14, or six days before a supposed meeting with local government officials at an elementary school beside the Department of Tourism (DOT) building in Talisay, Batangas.

He said that upon inquiring at the office of Talisay Mayor Florencio Manimtim, it was learned that the project is covered by a memorandum of agreement between the local government and the Korean company. They were also surprised to discover that the volcano was titled to four families, namely, Laurel, Mayuga, Manigbas and De Jesus.

“We have already set up barricades and campouts to stop the construction of a recreational facility for foreigners while we who till the land will become landless and hungry,” Dimayuga said.

Dimayuga claimed the development began from the top of the Taal volcano around third week of May. He said workers, through the use of backhoes, were excavating the land in preparation for a road.

Dimayuga also said that the construction began within a 100-hectare area in the volcano.

The construction, so far, has already affected around 2,000 people in two of the eight barangays in the island, as excavation already reached about a kilometer of the area, he added.

“We were never consulted about the project. And when the supposed meeting was called on June 20, we were all afraid to attend because when we got to the venue, we saw policemen and soldiers in full-battle gear,” Dimayuga said.

As this developed, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the whole island of Taal is categorized a “permanent danger zone” as the volcano is considered “active.”

Phivolcs’ supervising science specialist July Sabit recalled that DENR sought a “professional opinion” from Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum early this year regarding the project.

Sabit, who drafted the paper for Philvolcs, said they pointed out to the DENR that establishment of permanent structures in Taal island should not be allowed.

Sabit also said they even noted to the DENR that the island, volcano, and the lake around it have been declared a protected area under the category of Protected Landscape through Presidential Proclamation No. 906 dated Oct. 6, 1996.

“It (Taal volcano) was declared Alert Level 1 in 2005, and since then the alert level has never been lifted,” Sabit said.

Meanwhile, the DENR-Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in Region 4-A (Calabarzon) did not confirm or deny the alleged ECC issued to the Korean company.

EMB-Region 4-A Director Alan Leuterio said he is yet to check on the ECC, which, the farmers in Taal claimed, was signed by a certain Villanueva, among others.

However, Leuterio affirmed that Salvacion Villanueva used to be a division chief at the EMB-Region 4-A.

“I am not well-versed on the matter,” Leuterio said. “I have yet to check it at the office. So, as of now I cannot say yes or no— whether that ECC exists or not.”

Leuterio then quickly explained that an ECC is not a permit that would warrant the construction of a facility but a mere “planning tool to guide players relative to the project.” He said “players” will include the proponents of the project, local government unit, and national government.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryID=81845

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This is what i am afraid of , how irresponsible DENR .. is this what Sec. Angelo Reyes said "responsible mining "? eto lang ha this is a National Park but sad to say they "still checking its EEC" what ??? yan ba ang mature sa mining kung hundred's of mining are now operating can they guarantee "safe mining" ?:ohno:

how about this the local mayor said qoute ...." yes i granted the koreans the permit , they secure an EEC from DENR , theirs nothing wrong w/ it" :bash:

diz

June 25th, 2007, 12:30 PM

I say hells no to that spa as well.

gen1

June 25th, 2007, 03:46 PM

taal pops her cork every 20 years or so. an eruption is long overdue.

I say, let the stupid korean spend his money to build his spa. It'll be gone in flames in a few years anyway.

BTW, I'm supporting the project for selfish reasons. a taal volcano crater mud bath looks mighty inviting. :lol:

-TC-

June 25th, 2007, 05:05 PM

This is a mining thread so please stay on topic. Thank you.

Farmers oppose spa resort on Taal

By KATHERINE ADRANEDA
The Philippine Star

I say hells no to that spa as well.

taal pops her cork every 20 years or so. an eruption is long overdue.

I say, let the stupid korean spend his money to build his spa. It'll be gone in flames in a few years anyway.

BTW, I'm supporting the project for selfish reasons. a taal volcano crater mud bath looks mighty inviting. :lol:

-TC-

June 25th, 2007, 05:07 PM

http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view_article.php?article_id=73170

Revenue sharing for foreign mines to be imposed
Xinhua Financial News Service
06/25/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippine government is to impose a revenue sharing system while offering limited tax relief for large-scale, foreign-operated mining projects, an official said.

All new mining contracts under Financial/Technical Assistance Agreements (FTAAs) will have 50-50 revenue sharing after taxes and after capital costs have been recovered by the foreign miner, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said in a statement.

The scheme does not apply to projects run by Filipino firms, which have to pay more taxes but do not have to share revenues with the government.
The FTAAs, under which the foreign investor would effectively become a contractor for the government, was designed to attract foreign capital to large-scale projects requiring huge capital that cannot be mustered by smaller local players.

"The new regime will result in a more equitable sharing of benefits where the contractor gets a reasonable return on its investments while the government gets a reasonable share from the utilisation of the country's mineral resources," DENR Secretary Angelo Reyes said.

"This reform is crucial to our revitalization program because it will firm up the competitiveness of the FTAA as a form of mining contract, while at the same time ensuring the government and the communities get their proper share of benefits from such mining projects," he said.

In return, foreign miners would not have to pay national government taxes except for excise taxes of two percent of gross revenues during the first five years of mineral production, said Glenn Noble, chief of the mineral
economics section of the department's Mines and Geosciences Bureau.

"We looked at other countries and finally decided on the net revenue scheme," Noble told Agence France-Presse, adding that other major mining countries, such as Chile, "imposed additional taxes."

Manila feels the revenue-sharing scheme would guarantee "equitable sharing between the government and the investors, assure investors a return on their investments and ensure that the Philippines remains competitive," he added.

President Gloria Arroyo's government expects more than $300 million of fresh investments in mining this year, less than three years after the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the FTAA.

Some $700 million have been invested in fresh mining projects since then amid a metal prices boom, according to official data.

Officials of the local chamber of mines could not be reached for comment on the development.

-TC-

June 25th, 2007, 06:51 PM

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/june/26/yehey/top_stories/20070626top8.html

Marcopper tragedy revisited
By Lisa Ito
The Manila Times
June 26, 2007

More than a decade has passed since a tunnel in Marcopper Mining Corp.’s Tapian Pit collapsed on March 24, 1996, spilling 1.6 million cubic meters of mine tailings and causing the biologic death of the Boac River, the biggest and longest waterway on Marinduque island, Philippines.

Yet, according to environmental advocates and local residents, environmental justice, rehabilitation, and compensation for the disaster remain elusive for the residents of Marinduque.

Mining companies Mar*copper and Placer Dome Inc. are being held liable by local residents for the disaster. They continue to evade the protracted court battle and have not even settled their unpaid property taxes to the local government up to now, nongo*vernment organization Marin*duque Council for Environmental Concerns (MACEC) said.

Legal case drags on

Eleven years have passed after the Boac River disaster, yet the court battle to hold the mining firm liable remains in its first stages, Myke R. Magalang, MACEC executive secretary, said.

Residents have filed criminal cases in the Philippines and abroad to determine the liabilities of Marcopper Mining Corp. and Placer Dome Inc. (bought by Barrick Gold in 2006) over the disasters their 30-year mining operations have caused the people and environment in Marinduque.

These include criminal cases filed separately by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources against John Eric Loney, an Australian who was the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Marcopper; Steven Paul Reid, also an Australian national and resident manager of the Marcopper Tapian Office; and Pedro Hernandez, a Filipino who served as senior manager for maintenance.

They have been charged with violation of the Philippine Water Code, the Antipollution Law, the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 and the Revised Penal Code.

On February 10, 2006, the Philippine Supreme Court’s (SC) Third Division gave the green light for the criminal prosecution of Marcopper’s executives. In a 17-page decision, Justice Antonio Carpio rejected the appeal filed by Loney, Reid and Hernandez seeking to quash the complaints filed against them by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Despite the SC decision, the prosecution has plodded at a snail’s pace, Magalang said.

The only progress in the case was on November 22, 2006, when the Provincial Prosecutor filed a manifestation and motion to set cases for hearing and only after MACEC presented a downloaded computer file of the SC decision, he added.

Magalang assailed “the extreme inefficiency of the justice system because it is unimaginable why until now the prosecution, and even the Municipal Trial Court of Boac, were not officially furnished with copies of the Supreme Court Decision.”

Trixie Concepcion, spokesperson of the nationwide Defend Patrimony alliance, also decried the delay in the prosecution.

“It’s a grave insult to the already disillusioned and disheartened people of Marinduque who are continuously suffering from the long-term effects of heavy metal poisoning from the mine spill. The DOJ should finally direct the panel of prosecutors to prioritize this case of the Filipino people against the foreign nationals and officers of the multinational mining company which plundered our national patrimony,” Concepcion said.

Magalang also called on the SC to “officially transmit copy of its February 2006 decision for the Municipal Trial Court of Boac to expedite the hearing of the cases.”

Unpaid property taxes

In addition to the protracted court case, Magalang of MACEC also disclosed that Marcopper Mining Corp. and Placer Dome, Inc. have yet to pay a total of more than P1 billion (P1,048,624,496.80) worth of real-property taxes to the province of Marinduque and the municipalities of Boac, Mogpog, Santa Cruz and Torrijos as of the second quarter of 2006.

According to the records of the Provincial Treasurer of Marinduque officially obtained by MACEC, Marcopper has standing tax debts of more than a billion pesos (P1,013,*101,529.51) in the municipality of Santa Cruz for the period 1980 to second quarter 2006. Further, it owes more than P11 million (P11,164,686.80) to the town of Torrijos for the period 1983 up to second quarter of 1996; more than P1 million (P1,194,977.89) to the town of Mogpog for the period 1999 to second quarter 2006; and, more than P23 million (P23,163,*602.60) to the town of Boac for the period 1985 to second quarter 2006.

“This is an extremely insensitive for a company which amassed billions of dollars in profit and claims to be a good corporate citizen of the country but is neglecting its primary duty to pay legitimate taxes to the government,” Magalang said.

Magalang urged the national government to “strongly pursue and compel these erring companies to settle their unpaid property taxes to the local government.”

According to Magalang, Marcopper’s debt remains unpaid even after the provincial government of Marinduque sought the intervention of DENR’s Legal Department on May 3, 2006.

Concepcion of Defend Patrimony criticized the national government for “its laxity in compelling Marcopper to settle its outstanding taxes” in Marinduque.

“The money could have been used by Marinduque for the medical needs of the victims of the mining disasters, providing the basic infrastructure and books for the various schools in the province, provision of alternative livelihood opportunities for the displaced mine workers, and other projects and programs for the sustainable development of the province,” Concepcion said.

“This only indicates irresponsibility on the part of the national government and the mining company involved. Such irresponsibility remains to be corrected by current policies and laws, as the mine tailings spill by
Lafayette Mining in Albay in October 2005 shows,” Concepcion said.

Despite the delays in the administration and pursuit of environmental and economic justice, Concepcion stressed, Marinduque and its sustained struggle for justice should be emulated by other mining-affected provinces which are struggling against the intensified incursions of foreign mining giants.

-TC-

June 25th, 2007, 06:57 PM

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/june/26/yehey/top_stories/20070626top9.html

Community groups draft a ‘people’s mining policy’
By M.E. Corazon J. Jazmines, The Manila Times-Barangay News
(Third part)

Environmental protection

• Mining operation and development must, at all times, guarantee environmental protection and safety.

Mining will be done after it is evaluated to be the best option or use for an area. At all stages of mining, environmental protection and development shall be guaranteed. Only with sufficient provisions for environmental protection and recovery shall mining be undertaken.

Ecological considerations in mining development shall be given due emphasis and attention in order to counter or eliminate destructive effects that certain mining industrial processes might have on the people’s health and the environment. Environmental standards shall be set to ensure the protection and efficient utilization of the country’s mineral resource base.

Monitoring mechanisms with strong participation from the local communities will be instituted. Areas affected by mining shall be rehabilitated.

Mining in environmentally critical areas such as small island ecosystems, primary forests and watersheds shall be banned. Dumping of mine waste and tailings to rivers, lakes and sea must be prohibited. Violators must be strictly punished and made to pay heavy compensation to the state and affected people.

Cordilleran community leaders protest against mining

• Cordillera indigenous leaders from the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) and the Save Apayao Peoples Organization (SAPO) joined environmental advocates and other community leaders in calling for a pro-people mining policy and denouncing the entry of foreign mining companies to the country during the 7th Asia Pacific Mining Conference and Exhibit in Manila on Jun5.

Sponsored by the Asean Federation of Mining Associations (AFMA) and the Philippine Chamber of Mines, the conference aimed at attracting more foreign mining companies to invest in the Asia-Pacific region.

“Mining policies such as the Mining Act of 1995 and President Arroyo’s rabid promotion of mining liberalization is a complete sell-out of the people’s patrimony to foreign capitalists, while leaving behind irreparable environmental, social and cultural damages for the people to suffer. The entry of Anglo American and other giant mining companies such as the BHP Billiton, the world’s largest mining company, in the Cordillera will bring about further destruction to the people’s resources,” said Santos Mero, CPA deputy secretary-general and regional spokesman for the Defend Patrimony Alliance.

Anglo American, the world’s fourth-largest mining company based in the United Kingdom, has at least four projects in the Philippines that are included in the Arroyo administration’s 24 Priority Mining Projects, three of which are located in the Cordillera region. These are the Conner Copper Gold Project in Apayao and Kalinga province through its local subsidiary, Cordillera Exploration, Inc. (CEXI), the Padcal Copper Extension Project in Tuba, Benguet, in partnership with Philex Mining Corp., and the Far Southeast Project in Mankayan, Benguet, in partnership with Lepanto Consolidated Mining Corp.

“Anglo American has notorious human rights and environmental records in its operations in South Africa and North America. It was named by the Canada Com*mission for Environmental Cooperation as one of the main lead polluters throughout North America and it has paid South Africans the world’s lowest wages. We do not want this to happen in the Cordillera,” Mero added.

Alarmed over the intensifying mining in the Philippines and its consequential damage to the people and their resources, protesters during the Asia Pacific Mining Conference asserted their resistance to “foreign plunder of the people’s resources” and for “justice to all victims of environmental plunder.”

According to Mero, “large scale mining in the Cordillera and elsewhere in the country has resulted in massive destruction of the people’s resources and outright violation of human rights and indigenous peoples’ rights. When people oppose these mining operations that are fully backed by the Arroyo administration, they are threatened, intimidated or even killed.”

Mero cited the case of Tina Moyaen, SAPO chairman and an active anti-mining advocate, who has received death threats at the height of her organization’s strong opposition to Anglo American’s mining exploration project in Conner, Apayao. “SAPO has persistently opposed Anglo American’s exploration activities. Through the leadership of Tina, the Free, Prior and Informed Consent [FPIC], which was the basis of the approval of the company’s permit to explore was questioned along with the conduct of the agencies and local government officials that have facilitated the acquisition of the FPIC certificate.”

“We call on the newly elected officials of local governments in the Cordillera to listen to the voice of the people and not stick to their personal pro-mining positions. The government should also put a moratorium on mining in the Cordillera until such time that an alternative pro-people mining policy is upheld,” Mero added.

Mero and Moyaen recently attended Anglo American’s annual general meeting in London on April 17 to register indigenous peoples’ opposition to the company’s mining projects in the Cordillera. They demanded from the company a pull-out of Anglo American’s projects in the Cordillera, recognition of indigenous peoples’ rights, support to genuine FPIC, and promotion of people-centered sustainable development.

bukid

June 26th, 2007, 12:52 PM

This is what i am afraid of , how irresponsible DENR .. is this what Sec. Angelo Reyes said "responsible mining "? eto lang ha this is a National Park but sad to say they "still checking its EEC" what ??? yan ba ang mature sa mining kung hundred's of mining are now operating can they guarantee "safe mining" ?:ohno:

how about this the local mayor said qoute ...." yes i granted the koreans the permit , they secure an EEC from DENR , theirs nothing wrong w/ it" :bash:

True, i agree! how can you even explain how they can give EEC certification to a company that wants to build a spa in a National Park.

WWF and greenpeace warns the world about global warming and study showed that the first country and people who would be affected are those who live in islands and in archipelago like the philippines. the rise in sea level as well as the frequency of typhoons including abnormal climate changes that causes drought is a present reality. there is no turning back. there is no rewind only fast forward. they predict that in 50years many of our islands would be under water. many will be affected if we don't have mountains. the mountains will be our only protection and refuge, our mountains will save us from being annihilated from the face of the earth. protecting our mountains from exploitation would give us long term benefits than giving them to mining companies to exploit and destroy. mountains don't grow back.

-TC-

June 27th, 2007, 05:22 PM

http://business.inquirer.net/money/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=73466

Philex Mining sees P1B net profit in Q2 on high metal prices
Xinhua Financial News Service
Last updated 09:06am (Mla time) 06/27/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- Philex Mining Corp., one of the oldest operating mining firms in the Philippines, expects net profit in the second quarter to be higher compared to the first, boosted by the sustained rise in metal prices.

"Second-quarter earnings should be somewhat better than the first quarter since the uptrend in gold (prices) has not been broken," Philex president Walter Brown told reporters after the company's annual stockholders' meeting.

"Our earnings are still positive; it should be at least P1 billion for the second quarter," Brown said.

Philex posted a first-quarter net profit of P1.01 billion, up a hefty 77 percent from a year earlier, lifted by soaring prices of precious metals.

Aside from the steady pick-up in metal prices, Philex has been increasing its production to take advantage of favorable price trends, Brown said.

But he did not disclose production figures for the quarter.

At its current output rate, Philex is likely to see full-year net profit this year improving 30 pct on last year's performance, he said.

Philex made a net profit of P3 billion in 2006.

Brown told stockholders the mining firm hopes to maintain, or even increase, its cash dividend payout, depending on how metal prices behave for the rest of the year.

"We are optimistic that these price levels will be sustained in the short-term or even longer."

bukid

June 29th, 2007, 08:04 AM

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to save our mountains is to save our nation from sinking and disappearing from the face of the earth. our nation is an archipelago composed of islands with fragile ecosystem. we are on the ring of fire and home to many active volcanoes, earthquakes and tremors is part of our life. and we are frequently visited by more than 10 typhoons each year.

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bloodyred

July 4th, 2007, 11:23 AM

The Nauru Disaster

Nauru is the world’s smallest independent republic. Located in the South Pacific, the country
sits on a small phosphate island with a total land area of only 21 km2, roughly the size of
Marikina City. Since 1906, the country’s economy has been based solely on the phosphate
mining industry. Phosphate is widely used as a fertilizer around the world. At its peak, the country
produced over two million metric tons of phosphate per year. With a population of only 11,000
people, huge revenues from phosphate mining translated into one of the highest per capita
incomes in the world.

However, it is widely believed that the country’s phosphate deposits have been completely
exhausted. Phosphate was the only source of economic activity, and with the depletion of the
mineral, the country has been left with nothing else to trade. Since the country gained
independence in 1968, over 60 percent of phosphate exports revenues were supposed to have
been invested in long-term trust funds, designed to provide the Nauruans with future income once
the phosphate deposits were exhausted. However, virtually no attempt has been made to
rehabilitate any of the mined-out areas. Recent estimates show that 80 percent of Nauru’s total
land area has already been reduced to pitted, barren wastelands with scattered coral pinnacles.
Residents are now forced to live on a narrow strip along the coast, which is the only place on the
island that can still support human life. Almost all of the food in the country has to be imported
since most of the natural environment has already been rendered sterile by mining.

The government of Nauru is now seriously considering relocating the whole population to
another island somewhere in the South Pacific. It is widely believed that the island is no longer
capable of sustaining human life. Its natural environment has been damaged considerably and
there are no other economically-viable industries left in the country. Rehabilitating the natural
environment will be very expensive and complicated, making it a remote possibility. One of the
proposals is to rehabilitate the stripped earth by crushing the remaining phosphate pillars and
covering it up with imported topsoil, humus, and other nutrients, to begin the long process of
rebuilding the ecosystem. However, this proposal will take more than 30 years to complete and is estimated to cost over US$149.6 million.

dinabaw

July 4th, 2007, 03:48 PM

^^ Gross! so the mining industry never saved the country from poverty and now the environment was f$#k up! so ironic a fertilizer rich island now can't even grow greens !

-TC-

July 6th, 2007, 04:38 PM

Philex copper production for June hits P1.04 billion

Publicly-listed Philex Mining Corp. said it produced a total of 6,754 dry metric tons (DMT) of copper concentrates for the month of June, amounting to an estimated gross value of P1.04 billion.

In a filing submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission, chairman and chief executive officer Walter W. Brown said a total of 817,870 DMT of disseminated copper and gold ore were treated at its Banget flotation facilities.

The copper concentrates, he said, contained 61.69 grams per DMT of gold and 59.94 grams per DMT of silver. It had an equivalent metal contents of 1.78 million kilograms of copper, 416,995 grams of gold, and 404,867 grams of silver.

In another filing, Philex said its second shipment for the month of June was loaded last June 30 and sailed on July 1.

It claimed to have shipped a total tonnage of 4,984 DMT of copper concentrates, which contained about 2.9 million pounds of copper and 9,855 ounces of gold. It was pegged with a provisional value of P762 million.

Philex’s first shipment was last June 16 with 4,974 DMT of copper concentrates worth P756 million. — Lovely Nica P. Lee, BusinessWorld

http://www.bworldonline.com/BW070707/content.php

KulasKusgan

July 9th, 2007, 08:03 PM

Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Mines bureau completes Davao's terrain analysis, mapping
By Carlo P. Mallo

LACK of technical personnel did not hinder the three-man team of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) from completing the terrain analysis and geohazard mapping of Davao City and the entire Davao Region.

Senior geologist Diana Velasco said in Monday's Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao that the use of a Geographical Information System helped them in fast-tracking the terrain analysis.

Velasco said the city is one of the areas in the region that does not only realize the importance of the environment, but is also investing on it.

She revealed that only Davao City has a complete and thorough terrain analysis in the country, adding that the City Government is planning to integrate the results of the terrain analysis into the planned re-zoning of the city.

MGB, together with other government agencies, is suffering from the exodus of especially skilled technical workers to higher paying jobs in private practice.

Velasco revealed that the compensation being offered by the government is no match to the "six-figure salary rate" offered by private mining firms.

MGB is equipped with three geologists tasked to man and monitor the entire region.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2007/07/10/news/mines.bureau.completes.davao.s.terrain.analysis.mapping.html

-TC-

July 12th, 2007, 07:22 PM

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/07122007/economy04.html

Stick to policy of responsible mining, small miners told
By Jonathan L. Mayuga
BusinessMirror
July 12, 2007

DEPARTMENT of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Angelo Reyes on Wednesday reiterated that small-scale miners are not exempted from the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 and thus, should strictly adhere to government’s policy of responsible mining.

Reyes issued the statement with the issuance of clarificatory guidelines that should put to rest the issues and misconceptions on small-scale mining operations, particularly with regard to the law’s environmental, safety and health, and social provisions.

“We want to ensure that in any case, our people would benefit from the extraction of our minerals whether through small-, medium- or large-scale operation, while their health and safety are taken care of, and our environment protected,” the DENR chief said.

Reyes issued the guidelines last week to all concerned DENR officials and offices, including all Provincial/City Mining Regulatory Boards (P/CMRB), a body created under Republic Act (RA) No. 7076, otherwise known as The Act Creating a People’s Small-scale Mining Program to implement the said Act, and another law on small-scale mining, Presidential Decree (PD) No. 1899 that established Small-scale Mining as a New Dimension in Mineral Development.

He said that aside from those of RA 7076 and PD 1899, small-scale mining permit holders and contractors must submit to the environmental, safety and health, and social provisions of the Mining Act of 1995.

As such, Reyes said small-scale miners are required to secure environmental compliance certificates (ECC) from the regional offices of the DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau and submit a potential environmental impact report (PEIR), a final mine rehabilitation/decommissioning plan, and a community development and management program (CDMP) duly approved by DENR’s Mines and Geosciences Bureau.

A PEIR is a simplified environmental protection and enhancement program, while the CDMP is a simplified social development management program, both of which are basic requirements to medium- and large-scale mining contractors under the Mining Act of 1995.

Reyes also laid emphasis on the definition of small-scale mining as provided for in both RA 7076 and PD 1899, which should protect the government from unscrupulous entities that pose as small-scale miners while, in fact, conducting large-scale mining operations.

“Our laws are clear: small-scale mining refers to largely artisanal mining operations with heavy reliance on manual labor and without the use of explosives,” he said.

In terms of production, he said, the maximum annual production allowed for metallic minerals shall be 50,000 dry metric tons (DMT) of “ore, not the metal itself.”

For nonmetallic minerals, the allowed maximum annual production is 50,000 DMT of the material itself. In terms of area, mining permit holders and contractors are only allowed a maximum of 20 hectares per permit or contract area.

“The DENR would be very strict on these provisions along with environmental requirements,” Reyes warned. “Only applications with ECCs conforming with the provisions of RA 7076 and PD 1899, especially with respect to the limit of 50,000 dry metric tons, and the area limit of 20 hectares per permit or contract area, shall be allowed to mine on a small-scale basis. Indiscriminate small-scale mining operations must be stopped.”

The definition of maximum annual production has been a point of debate recently, with DENR field offices reporting that some small-scale mining permit holders and contractors have been producing in excess of the 50,000 DMT annual limit for metallic minerals.

The department has suspended the operations of these companies.

There is also a widespread observation that indiscriminate small-scale mining operations are dragging the large-scale mining industry sector into the controversy on the environmental impacts of mining.

The government recognizes the important role of small-scale mining in the economy, particularly in providing livelihood in the countryside.

Mines and Geosciences Bureau records show that of the P68.4-billion gross production value in mining in 2006, over P28.1 billion or about 41% came from small-scale gold mining alone.

It is estimated that there are over 2,000 approved small-scale mining permits all over the country, involving and benefiting about 200,000 people, including miners and their families.

-TC-

July 27th, 2007, 03:02 PM

http://business.inquirer.net/money/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=79070

Alvarez is new mining czar
By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQUIRER.net
07/27/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- Former Senator and environment secretary Heherson Alvarez is now the country's mining czar.

This after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo named him chairman of the Philippine Mining Development Corporation, a government owned and controlled corporation tasked to revive the country's mineral-mining industry.

In a statement, Alvarez, currently presidential adviser on agrarian reform, welcomed the appointment and vowed to push for "sustainable development, while adhering to the principles of responsible mining, strict enforcement of environmental and mining laws, protection of indigenous peoples, and sharing of benefits for all stakeholders."

Earlier, Arroyo issued an executive order putting under her office the supervision of the mining industry from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. She said the move aimed "to closely monitor and oversee the efficient and effective implementation of the country's utilization and development of its mineral resources."

The directive was contained in Executive Order 636 dated July 18, which was made public Thursday.

At the 7th Asia-Pacific Mining Conference and Exhibition last month, President Arroyo said the mining industry will serve as a leading engine for Philippine economic growth, becoming a source of revenue and wealth to allow government to seriously bring down the level of poverty in the country.

The PMDC will be in charge of offering to serious investors the possible development some 65 non-performing mining tenements in the country that were previously canceled, covering a total of 68,000 hectares of mineral lands.

Income from mining is projected at $2 billion by yearend 2007, increasing to $10 billion per annum if the targeted mining boom pushes through.

The Philippines is the world's 5th richest country in terms of mineral resources. For 2007 alone, investments in mining in the country have already reached more than $500 million.

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http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view_article.php?article_id=78988

Mining out of DENR; now under President’s office
By Michael Lim Ubac
Inquirer
07/27/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- Add the mining industry to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s hands-on concerns.

Ms Arroyo has ordered supervision of the mining industry transferred from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to the Office of the President, in a move, she said, “to closely monitor and oversee the efficient and effective implementation of the country’s utilization and development of its mineral resources.”

Her directive was contained in Executive Order No. 636 dated July 18, which was made public Thursday.

As with other new EOs, Ms Arroyo said, “all issuances, rules and regulations or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this EO are hereby revoked, amended, or modified accordingly.”

The President’s decision to take a direct hand in the supervision of Philippine Mining Development Corp. (PMDC) is seen as crucial in the development of the industry.

The Philippines ranks fifth among the countries rich in mineral resources.
Mining activities, already on the uptrend, are expected to further increase next year with more foreign investments coming in.

This year alone, some of the world’s biggest mining players have invested a total of $500 million in mining in the Philippines.

These firms and their investments include: Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corp., $100 million, Oceana Gold Ltd. of New Zealand and Climax Arino Mining Co. of Australia, $100 million, and Coral Bay Nickel Corp., $100 million (to expand its Rio Tuba operations in Palawan).

Responsible mining stressed

The PMDC is a government-owned and -controlled corporation with the primary task of “exploring, developing, mining, smelting and producing, transporting, storing, distributing, exchanging, selling, disposing, importing, exporting, trading, and promoting gold, silver, copper, iron and all kinds of mineral deposits and substances.”

The Arroyo administration has stressed that environmental laws would not be compromised in the development of the country’s mineral resources, and that responsible mining was key to sustainable economic growth.

The local mining industry suffered a slump in the 1970s when metal prices in the world market dived.

But with the new surge in the price of metals, the Philippine mining industry is well-positioned to cash in on the price hikes, Malacañang said.

Sinjin P.

July 28th, 2007, 06:40 AM

Alvarez promises to make RP a leader in mining industry (http://www.mb.com.ph/MAIN2007072898808.html)

Former Sen. Heherson T. Alvarez, new chairman of the Philippine Mining Development Corporation (PMDC), has vowed to make the Philippines the world’s mining leader by 2010 with due protection of the environment.

President Arroyo recently appointed the former senator and Environment and Natural Resources secretary to head the state-run corporation which is assigned to revitalize the country’s potentially lucrative mining industry.

The President issued Alvarez’s appointment last July 18, the same day she transferred the PMDC from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to the Office of the President.

Alvarez, previously presidential adviser on agrarian reform, welcomed his new position in the Arroyo Cabinet and promised to transform the country into a global leader in mining before the President steps down in 2010.

Alvarez stressed that he looks forward to "creating wealth for our people from the bosom of the Earth, but with due respect for the environment."

"We will push for sustainable development in the mining sector while adhering to the principles of responsible mining, strict enforcement of environmental and mining laws, protection for indigenous people, and sharing of benefits for all stakeholders," he said in a statement.

With Alvarez at the helm, the state-run mining company would be in charge of opening to serious investors for possible development 65 non-performing mining tenements in the country that were previously canceled, covering a total of 68,000 hectares of mineral lands.

In Executive Order No. 636, the President explained that she took the PMDC under her wing " to closely monitor and oversee the efficient and effective implementation of the country’s utilization and development of its mineral resources."

The move means the President would now have a direct role in the development of the country’s rich mineral resources, despite objections from the Catholic Church and other sectors.

Since the Supreme Court opened the country’s mining industry to foreign firms, the President has vowed to attract more investments into the lucrative sector to generate jobs and boost government revenues.

The Arroyo government expects the mining industry to generate billion to billion annually in foreign exchange and create a quarter of a million jobs in the next three years.

The Philippines is the world’s fifth richest country in terms of mineral resources. For 2007 alone, investments in mining in the country have already reached more than 0 million. (Genalyn D. Kabiling)

-TC-

July 30th, 2007, 05:07 AM

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=politics1_july28_2007

Alvarez opens 65 mining sites
By Fel V. Maragay
Manila Standard Today
July 30, 2007

The government will open up 65 more mining sites or tenements to investors in line with its policy to maximize the potentials of the country’s mining industry.

Former Senator Heherson Alvarez, newly appointed chairman of the Philippine Mining Development Corp., said one of his primary tasks is to encourage investors to develop the 65 non-performing mining tenements that were cancelled. These sites cover 68,000 hectares of mineral lands.

Alvarez, also a former secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, was named by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as PMDC chairman on the same day she signed Executive Order 636, transferring the agency from the environment department to the Office of the President.

PMDC is a government-owned and -controlled corporation tasked to revitalize the country’s minerals-mining industry as a source of wealth to fight poverty.

“I welcome my appointment and I am looking forward to creating wealth for our people from the bosom of the Earth but with due respect to the environment,” Alvarez said.

“We will push for sustainable development in the mining sector while adhering to the principles of responsible mining, strict enforcement of environmental and mining laws, protection for indigenous peoples, and sharing of benefits for all stakeholders.”

Alvarez succeeds Secretary Angelo Reyes as PMDC chairman. Reyes will be replaced as environment secretary by former Manila Mayor Lito Atienza effective Aug. 1. Reyes will assume his new post as Energy secretary.

Rolando Butalid remains as PMDC president, according to Alvarez’s office.

Alvarez said he would lead the management of the country’s mineral assets, geared toward making the Philippines a world mining leader by 2010 in line with the President’s vision to transform the Philippines into a First World country in 20 year’s time.

PMDC was transferred to the Office of the President “to closely monitor and oversee the efficient and effective implementation of the utilization and development of the country’s mineral resources.”

At the seventh Asia-Pacific Mining Conference and Exhibition last month, the President said the mining industry will serve as a leading engine of the country’s economic growth, and a source of revenue and wealth to help the government bring down the poverty incidence.

Income from the mining sector is projected at $2 billion by the end of 2007, rising to $10 billion if the targeted mining investments are realized.

The Philippines is the world’s fifth richest country in terms of mineral resources. For 2007 alone, investments in the mining industry have already reached more than $500 million.

As environment secretary in 2001, Alvarez proposed and the President signed Proclamation 297 declaring Diwalwal in Compostela Valley a Mineral Reservation Area under the management of the environment department. He then organized cooperatives that included indigenous groups and crafted a sharing scheme of 85 percent—15 percent in favor of smaller miners and their families numbering about 20,000.

-TC-

August 10th, 2007, 07:17 PM

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/0810&112007/headlines04.html

PSE using reporting code to crack whip on miners
By Jesse Edep
BusinessMirror
August 10, 2007

THE Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) will soon require mining firms to comply with the Philippine Mineral Reporting Code (PMRC), which sets out “standards, recommendations and guidelines” for public reporting of exploration results, mineral resources and ore reserves.

PMRC is modeled significantly on the wording of the Joint Ore Reserves Committee Code of Australasia, and is also attuned to the international codes from Australia, South Africa, the European Union and Canada.

“[It] is essential for the purpose of informing investors or potential investors and their advisers,” said PSE president and chief executive officer Francisco Ed. Lim at the 4th Philippine Mining Industry Lecture Thursday.

He said mining companies are encouraged to provide information in their public reports that are as “comprehensive as possible.”

Public reports include company annual reports, quarterly reports and other reports to the PSE, or as required by law. PMRC applies to other publicly-released company information in the form of postings on company web sites and briefings for shareholders, stockbrokers and investment analysts.

PMRC also applies to environmental statements, information memoranda, expert reports, and technical papers referring to exploration results, mineral resources or ore reserves.

The code is an initiative of the Philippine Minerals Development Institute Foundation, together with the PSE, Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Chamber of Mines of the Philippines, Philippines-Australia Business Council and the Board of Investments of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Noncompliance with the code, Lim said, will be penalized by a jail term.

The main principles governing the operation and application of the PMRC, according to the code, are “transparency, materiality and competence.”

Lim said transparency requires that the reader of a public report is provided with sufficient information that is “clear, unambiguous and easy to understand.”

Materiality, on the other hand, requires that a public report contains all the relevant information which investors and their professional advisers would reasonably require and expect to find which will be useful to making balanced judgments, Lim said.

Finally, competence requires that the public report be based on work that is the “responsibility of suitably qualified and experienced persons who are subject to an enforceable professional code of ethics.”

Lim said a public report concerning a company’s exploration results, mineral resources or ore reserves is the responsibility of the company acting through its board of directors, adding that any such report must be based on the information and supporting documentation prepared by a “competent person.”

A competent person, Lim said, is one who is a fellow of the Philippine Society of Mining Engineers, Geological Society of the Philippines, Society of Metallurgical Engineers of the Philippines or of the Recognized Overseas Professional Organization.

-TC-

August 18th, 2007, 03:01 AM

http://business.inquirer.net/money/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=83325

Gov’t forms regional mining councils
By Amy R. Remo
Inquirer
08/18/2007

The government has formed Regional Minerals Development Councils to better coordinate the implementation of mining projects in the country’s regions.

The National Economic and Development Authority said creation of the councils was provided by Executive Order 460, which in 2005 called for creation of a Minerals Development Council (MDC).

Headed by the regional directors of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the regional councils will assist the MDC in implementing policies to further develop the mining industry in the regions.

Also represented in the councils are the Departments of Interior and Local Government, Finance, Trade and Industry, Agrarian Reform, Agriculture, Defense, Labor and Employment, the Presidential Management Staff, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, National Anti-Poverty Commission, Philippine Information Agency and the private sector.

The local mining industry got a short in the arm in 2004 when investments started coming in.

Foreign investors became even more bullish when the Supreme Court affirmed the validity of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995.

They declared then their “extremely favorable” outlook for the country’s mining sector.

This optimistic climate was further boosted by the availability of skilled Filipino miners and engineers and strong government support for the stability of these laws.

By 2010, the sector can expect total capital investments to hit $10 billion due to the influx of new investments, said Chamber of Mines of the Philippines president Benjamin Philip Romualdez.

Romualdez also said he welcomed the creation of the councils.
He said these would help “work out the issues among the communities, local government and the mining companies, but only to a certain degree.”

He added that he was optimistic about the sector’s prospects, estimating that foreign investments will hit about $1 billion a year in five years starting in 2008.

The Philippines is said to have $1 trillion worth of unexplored gold, copper and nickel resources.

For this reason, the government’s Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan for 2004 to 2010 aims to promote responsible mining that adheres to the principles of sustainable development.

To achieve this thrust, the government has launched programs to pursue responsible mining such as the Minerals Action Plan, which provides for creation of the MDC and the regional MDCs.

allan_dude

September 10th, 2007, 07:16 PM

Liberalizing gold trade won't make economic sense - BSP

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on Monday said it would consider the export industry's proposal to liberalize the trade of gold bars in the country, but that such a move would not make economic sense if the expected end result is easing the impact of the peso's appreciation on dollar-earning industries.

The Philippine Exporters Confederation earlier proposed to the central bank the liberalization of trading of gold bullions, and the creation by the BSP of a gold bullion certificate market to stabilize the exchange rate.

According to BSP governor Amando M. Tetangco, Jr., however, there was little sense in doing this since the country was a net seller of gold and the commodity was included as part of the gross international reserve.

"I want to hear more about this proposal, I want to see the mechanics. But remember we sell gold. So why should we buy?" Tetangco asked.

More fundamentally, however, Tetangco pointed out that since gold was part of the international reserves, trading it would not alter the reserve level currently hitting record marks.

"We're basically going to be transforming one asset form to another and the reserve level will be the same," Tetangco said.

The country's strong reserve position has allowed the peso to appreciate from highs of 56 to a US dollar to 44 to a greenback, as strong dollar inflows weakened the domestic need for the US currency.

The country's gross international reserves reached an all-time high of $30.3 billion as of end-August 2007, the BSP has reported. The record-high reserve level was reached even with massive outflows of portfolio investments in the wake of the global sell-off that happened in the second and third week of the month.

The end-August GIR is already higher than the full-year projection of the BSP which upgraded its 2007 estimates.

Tetangco had projected that over the medium term, the country's GIR could go up to as high as $35 billion over the next five years, providing ample cushion against market volatility that threaten vulnerable emerging economies. - GMANews.TV (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/59859/Liberalizing-gold-trade-wont-make-economic-sense---BSP)

-TC-

September 14th, 2007, 04:36 PM

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/0914&152007/economy02.html

Mining sector to help boost growth in Q3, says NSCB
By Jennifer A. Ng
BusinessMirror
September 14, 2007

THE mining and quarrying (MAQ) sector will pick up the expected slack in farm-sector growth and sustain its double-digit growth to boost economic growth in the third quarter, the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) said.

NSCB secretary-general Romulo Virola said the MAQ sector is one of the “hidden aces” of the economy which helped propel economic growth in the second quarter to 7.5 percent.

“Prospects for the MAQ sector remain upbeat and [it] can again pick up the expected slack in agriculture during the third quarter,” said Virola in a statement.

The NSCB said the MAQ sector is expected to repeat its performance during the second quarter, when it grew by 33.3 percent.

In that period, NSCB data show that the top three contributors to the growth of the MAQ sector were coal mining; crude oil, natural gas and condensate; and nickel mining.

Virola noted that the nonmetallic sector, which is mainly composed of coal mining, grew by 60.5 percent during the quarter, almost triple the 15.9-percent growth registered during the same period in 2006.

“Such favorable outcome resulted from the increase in the demand for coal, both in the local and international market,” he said.

The crude oil, natural gas and condensate sub-sector, the NSCB said, also came in strong during the second quarter, posting a growth of 23.7 percent as demand for natural gas from electricity generating sector strengthened.

Nickel mining, meanwhile, grew by 99 percent in the second quarter as neighboring countries like China increase their demand for it.

Virola said this performance of the MAQ sector may be repeated in the third quarter and even in the coming years as the operations of new entrants to the mining industry go full blast.

The NSCB noted the MAQ sector has become a significant contributor to growth. Its contribution to the country’s gross domestic product reached 0.66 percentage point in 2007 from 0.1 in 2006.

The figure, the NSCB said, is already on a par with the contribution of the agriculture, fishery and forestry sector at 0.67 percentage point.

-TC-

October 18th, 2007, 05:20 PM

http://www.bworldonline.com/BW101907/content.php?id=003

Mining not yet in the fast lane

Legal uncertainty, opposition are hurdles

BusinessWorld
October 18, 2007

BIG MINING COMPANIES remain reluctant to pour money into the Philippines, concerned by the nation’s fickle political scene and local hostility, raising doubts about government targets for minerals investment.

The government expects foreign miners to invest $10.4 billion by 2011, up from an original estimate of $6.5 billion, and has increased its list of priority mining projects to 30 from 24, but analysts say Manila has become overly ambitious.

"It’s too high, too early. I think $6.5 billion is a more realistic number," said Peter Wallace, a Manila-based risk consultant.

The Philippines is believed to have $1 trillion in unexplored mineral wealth but since the beginning of 2004 the country has only attracted $879 million in foreign mining investment.

With the commodity boom showing no signs of slowing and resource-hungry China close by, local miners and small foreign partners have taken the lead to rehabilitate old mines and develop new ones.

The value of metal output, including nickel, copper and gold, jumped 59% in the first half of this year to P39 billion from a year ago and the government expects it to reach P62 billion by yearend.

"The Philippine companies themselves are getting on with it and I think that has made a big difference," said Robert Gregory, managing director of Australia’s Rusina Mining, which plans to spend $500 million over four years to develop a nickel mine in the Philippines.

"Everything is moving in the right direction for having a very vibrant, strong industry."

But the world’s big miners have so far shown little interest in the nation, spooked by legal uncertainty and opposition from anti-mining groups, including the powerful Catholic Church.

BHP Billiton and Anglo American have started testing the waters with exploration deals but they have not yet shelled out the sort of big-time investments needed to propel the Philippines, once one of the world’s top mineral producers, back into the major league.

The large companies’ reticence is partly because they are still assessing ore bodies, which takes several years, and partly because they are taking stock of the Philippines’ notoriously flighty political and legal environment.

"A lot of the big boys are betting that the sector might take off but they are coming in with their eyes open," said Tom Green, executive director of Pacific Strategies & Assessments.

"They want to make it happen but it’s still tricky out there and they have to be very careful."

Manila has been applauded for simplifying the bureaucracy around mining permits and clamping down on illegal small-scale mining, but its commitment to allow 100% foreign ownership of mines has wavered before and could again.

After laying out the welcome mat to overseas groups in 2005, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo agreed to review the mining law in 2006 after cyanide leaks at a mine owned by Australia’s Lafayette triggered a backlash from powerful Catholic bishops and activists.

The furor over Lafayette, which has since reopened its mine, has died down and the review has been forgotten but another mishap or public opposition could revive it.

Unpredictable conditions on the ground are another reason why large foreign companies are cautious about rushing in.

Local communities are often hostile due to the mining industry’s poor environmental track record and the Philippines’ extensive network of leftist groups, which are ideologically opposed to foreign miners.

Communist rebels are also a threat.

The dominant Catholic Church has softened its anti-mining stance to one of tolerance but individual bishops can still whip up trouble.

Longtime players in the Philippine mining sector say it’s still early days — the mining law was only implemented in 2005 — and it’s inevitable that the industry will prosper.

GearX

October 19th, 2007, 07:27 AM

Lack of engineers hindering mining dev’t

DAVAO CITY — The lack of engineers has hampered the development of the mining industry in Mindanao, Lucio Castillo, president of the Mindanao Association of Mining Engineers, told local reporters here yesterday.

Mr. Castillo, who works as an official of a big mining company in the Davao Region, said operators have complained about the lack of available skilled workers who could support expansion of operations.

Because of the problem, the government, through its Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, has offered crash courses for those who want to get employed in the mining industry, he added. Mr. Castillo noted that the lack of skilled workers has pushed companies to hire even those who have retired from work.

Such is the case of Alex Baligod, already in his 70s, who has decided to accept an offer from a mining company because the pay was attractive. Mr. Baligod said the lack of human resources for mining "has always been the problem" of the industry, citing that there "is a big shortage of mining engineers" in Mindanao. Mr. Baligod, also the secretary of the association, said "local companies have competed with foreign companies in hiring mining engineers."

Edilberto Arreza, Mines and Geosciences Bureau regional director, pointed out that mining engineers in the country started to look for employment abroad when the local industry suffered a slump caused by the drop in gold prices in the world market in the 1980s. Mr. Arreza said the slump also dissuaded students from enrolling in mining and related courses. This is aside from the fact that only a few schools offer the courses, he said.

Hence, when prices of gold and other minerals started to climb in the 1990s, big mining companies suffered a dearth of workers.

Mr. Arreza said the shortage of mining engineers is more felt in Mindanao, since bulk of big mining projects are on the island. — Carmelito Q. Francisco

source (http://www.bworldonline.com/BW101907/content.php?id=054)

Ex!lE

October 20th, 2007, 04:11 AM

DENR assures LGUs of mining sector’s benefits (http://http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Business&p=49&type=2&sec=27&aid=2007101966)
By Marianne V. Go
Saturday, October 20, 2007

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Jose Atienza has assured local government units (LGUs) that the benefits from responsible mining activities would trickle down to local communities.

Addressing a recent gathering of mayors, Atienza emphasized the critical role of local officials in enlightening the people about the benefits of mining.

He urged the local officials to monitor the performance of mining firms and check their compliance with mining and environmental laws.

“I want to underscore the need for stronger LGU partnerships in ensuring responsible mining. Without the LGUs, the National Government will find it difficult to ensure success. I come with a simple message of encouragement and I hope that the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) will bring our message to the people,” he said.

During their meeting, the LMP issued a resolution supporting the government’s program to revitalize the mining industry.

The resolution, unanimously approved by the national association of local executives, recognizes the great degree of benefits that responsible mining could provide to uplift the country’s economic and social situation.

“If our government does not develop our potential then we will not be able to help our people. The challenge to government is how to harness these resources for the benefit of all and the only way to do it is through the correct and responsible management of our mineral wealth,” Atienza said.

The DENR chief assured that under his administration, LGUs would get all the benefits from mining due them and that the DENR would enforce the laws very impartially.

“We will support legitimate large and small-scale mining activities but we will not tolerate large-scale mining companies masquerading as small-scale miners. Let us put this in order so that LGUs can get the correct benefits from mining,” he stressed.

Atienza also promised to assist LGUs get their just and timely share from taxes from mineral resources development.

He noted that the sharing of mining revenues is automatic and that there should be no hindrance in getting the LGU share.

Under the Local Government Code of 1991, the LGUs, in addition to the internal revenue allotment (IRA), have a share of 40 percent of the gross collection derived by the National Government from mining payments, taxes, fees and charges.

The DENR chief also promised to study the possibility of encouraging mining companies to pay a portion of their business taxes to the host towns where they are operating and not entirely in the cities where their head offices are located, as is the current practice.

red_jasper

October 21st, 2007, 12:37 PM

Source: MindaNews
Sunday, 21 October 2007 11 02 52

TAMPAKAN, South Cotabato (for MindaNews/ 20 October) – Anxiety and concerns are nearing boiling point in this placid town of Tampakan in South Cotabato. Above its rustic plains and beyond its surrounding lush mountains, a gathering storm and an expectant wait are brewing.

In a couple of years, the languid lifestyle of the town folks in and around this municipality will turn into a frenzy of cascading boom of engines, deafening whirls of humongous machineries and flurry of activities residents never have imagined in their lives.

When the first gigantic earthmovers roll down from the mountains of Tampakan and areas around them, the landscape will change forever and the tribal communities living there will probably also lose their cultural heritage for good.

Open pit

Sometime in 2010, Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI) will begin commercial production of its copper and gold project in the highlands of Tampakan.

Nestled atop the forested villages of Bong Mal, Tablu and the sparsely populated barangays of Danlag and Folu Bato is the proposed open pit mining complex of SMI, underneath which, according to company sources, lay some two billion tons of copper and gold deposit.

With the confirmed staggering find, the Tampakan Copper and Gold Project gained pre-eminence as the largest in South East Asia and Western Pacific region.

Sometime last year, SMI announced that its Tampakan Copper Project has a potential two billion tons of mineral deposits, containing 11.6 million tons of copper and 14.6 million ounces of gold at a 0.3 copper cut-off grade.

The disclosure sent a major ripple in the international mining community and drove the value of stocks of Indophil, listed in the Australian Stock Exchange, soaring northwards. Read more (http://www.mindanews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3386&Itemid=50)

dreamtime07

October 24th, 2007, 03:40 PM

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sign the Online Petition
http://www.petitiononline.com/sam2007/petition.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To: Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Noli de Castro, the Senate, the House of Representatives, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza, Minerals Development Corporation Director Heherson Alvarez, Congressman Eleandro Jesus F. Madrona, Governor Natalio Beltran III, Vice-Gorvernor Alice Fetalvero, the Sanggunian Panlalawigan of Romblon, San Fernando Mayor Nanette Borda-Tansingco and Vice-Mayor Angeles B. Chan, Magdiwang Mayor Ibarra Manzala, Cajidiocan Mayor Nicasio Ramos and Vice-Mayor Athena Malapitan, and respective Sangguniang Bayan Members, Sibuyan Barangay Captains and Kagawads, Forward Romblon, Romblon Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Romblon Lawyers Association and all concerned persons who still have love for the Island of Sibuyan

We strongly ask the government through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to cancel all mining permits and applications in Sibuyan Island—a natural wealth of the Philippines. We also remind President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of her pronouncements during her visit last year to San Fernando that 'Sibuyan has a high economic growth potential, notably as a tourist destination.' Apparently, not mining. In addition, in her 2006 State of the Nation Address, she stated publicly that '…Romblon… With tourism… can become rich.' Again, not through mining.

Sibuyan Island is where the world's densest forest flourishes, the Philippine's cleanest inland body of water flows (Cantingas River), and the majestic Mt. Guiting-giuting dwells. The island is a critical plant site, center of endemism and biodiversity. One of the last frontiers of the Philippines.

To the Local Government Officials, don't be traitors! You have used the anti-mining advocacy in your campaigns last election and you succeeded.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sign the Online Petition
http://www.petitiononline.com/sam2007/petition.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ex!lE

November 5th, 2007, 03:03 AM

P2.7B mining projects approved (http://www.malaya.com.ph/nov05/busi2.htm)

The Board of Investments (BOI) has approved three mining projects of Canadian, Chinese and Malaysian-affiliated firms worth P2.7 billion last week, signaling a renewed interest in mining investments in the country, BOI managing head Elmer C. Hernandez reported.

TVI Resources Mining Inc. is investing P1.2 billion to mine for gold at Sitio Canatuan, Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte.

TVI is 40-percent partly owned by TVI International Marketing Ltd. Of Hong Kong, which is, turn is a wholly owned subsidiary of TVI Pacific Inc. Of Alberta, Canada.

Filipino-Chinese firm Carrascal Nickel Corp. will invest P874 million to mine for nickel ore mining in Carrascal, Surigao del Sur while Platinum Group Metals Corp. (PGMC) will invest another P614.87 million to mine for nickel ore.

zoroethgenre_003

November 7th, 2007, 01:38 PM

at this point, Bayog, a town in Zamboanga del Sur have been creating name in the Mining industry..last April, the Toronto Ventures Incorporated (TVI) has started their operation..they set mining facilities in the mountain village of Balabag, 36 kilometer away from the town proper..

its not only TVI..
-in the 1970, the Samar Mining Company have also operated in the town but was closed..
-Cebu Ore Mining is also digging in the town's premise.looking for ore, an important component of steel.
-168 Pacific Ferrum Mining is also exploiting the town's ore resources..

-TC-

November 25th, 2007, 12:16 PM

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view_article.php?article_id=102941

Atienza: Let folks share in mine wealth
By Vincent Cabreza
Inquirer
11/25/2007

BAGUIO CITY -- The only way to erase the anti-mining sentiments of the people is to make them happy and this could be done by letting them share in the mining wealth of their communities now that the country has a robust mining industry, Environment Secretary Lito Atienza said on Friday.

Speaking at the close of the 54th annual mine safety and environment conference here, Atienza said Malacañang supported a House measure that would allow local governments to retain a share of the taxes paid by mining firms.

The proposal would compel mining companies to pay their taxes in the towns that host their operations, and not in Makati City where most of the firms have their head offices.

Atienza said that even without the measure, he could compel the mining companies to pay their taxes to the local governments to prove to their citizens that doing business with mines is profitable for them.

He said the 1991 Local Government Code grants local governments this privilege, and vowed “to go to jail,” if he is challenged.

He said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources is also addressing royalty disputes that have cropped up between old mining firms, American families that owned old patents to lands, and the indigenous residents of mine sites that now want a share of the profits.

The Ibaloi community has been urging some Benguet mines to review their patents now that the indigenous peoples’ right to their ancestral lands has been strengthened by the Constitution and the 1997 Indigenous Peoples Rights Act.

The most controversial royalty dispute to reach the DENR is that between Lepanto Consolidated Mining Corp. and the heirs of American John Gaffney. Government arbiters granted the Gaffneys’ claim to P850 million in royalties but the firm is contesting the decision due to questions surrounding the claims.

Atienza told mining executives he was instructed by President Macapagal-Arroyo to promote mining when she appointed him environment secretary.

“The future of our economy will definitely have a good use for the mining industry, and the President’s vision has a key part for the industry. Kailangan natin gawin ang tama (We need to do what is right),” he said.

The conference highlighted the revitalization of mines that had either slowed their operations or shut them down completely because of the past slump in the world metals trade.

Getting local government backing will be crucial to cleansing the industry’s public image, Atienza said.

“We will get the support of the local government units once they share in the benefits of mining. This is clear in the Constitution and in the Local Government Code. The share of local governments must be released automatically to them without benefit of additional legislation,” he said.

-TC-

January 8th, 2008, 02:13 PM

http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view_article.php?article_id=110715

SPECIAL REPORT (Part 1)

Security risks, red tape hobble mining boom
By Daxim Lucas
Philippine Daily Inquirer
01/06/2008

LAST WEEK--on New Year's Day--New People's Army (NPA) rebels attacked the Tampakan mine in South Cotabato, temporarily paralyzing operations in what is potentially one of the biggest gold and copper deposit sites in Asia.

Several structures of Sagittarius Mines Inc. were razed and company technical equipment and firearms stolen, with damage totaling P5 million due to the raid by an estimated 100 Maoist insurgents, according to authorities.

The next day, the NPAs' parent organization, the Communist Party of the Philippines, immediately boasted on its website that the raid was conducted "with the singular objective of punishing the giant Swiss mining firm (which partly owns SMI) for land-grabbing, plunder and environmental destruction."

The statement attributed to CPP spokesperson Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal added that the "punitive raid" was made "in response to a longstanding demand of the people to put a stop to the firm's operations in the area."

It was not the first time that the NPA had entered the mining debate through force, having also laid claim to an attack on the facilities of Australian gold miner El Dore Mining Corp. in Camarines Norte in October 2007.

In March 2007, the NPA also raided the facilities of coal miner MG Mining Co. in Surigao del Sur after the firm refused to pay revolutionary taxes.

These raids highlight a growing concern among mining insiders and foreign investors about the physical safety of what the government hopes would grow into a multibillion-dollar industry.

In a series of messages to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Chamber of Mines executive vice president Nelia Halcon said that the security situation in many of the country's mine sites have emerged as significant worries for mining firms.

"[Mining investors] are concerned about security of their investments," she said. "What happened to El Dore and lately Tampakan are major setbacks."

The security situation is especially critical for start-up miners of exploration companies which have yet to establish solid roots in their local communities, making them more vulnerable to attacks by guerrillas and bandits.

Worrisome

The government, too, is worried.

This is mainly because the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had made the mining industry one of the cornerstones of its economic development program, earlier vowing to tap an estimated $840 billion worth of mineral reserves buried under Philippine soil.

Mines and Geosciences Bureau Director Horacio Ramos conceded that before investors and the rest of the country can enjoy the benefits from the industry, special attention must be given to improving the security situation at mine sites around the country, many of which are located in areas under the sway of rebels or bandits.

"The main worry [among investors] is the implementation of the projects due to issues of [physical] safety of their investments," he said. "We're trying to convince investors [to come in] but when these things happen, some hesitate."

More importantly, mining industry insiders are also worried about the backlash that the NPA attacks will inevitably have, since the government's knee-jerk reaction is often to send additional soldiers and police forces to secure the mine sites.

Militarization

This remedy and the resulting militarization of the mining areas is almost as undesirable as the disease it seeks to cure, according to industry insiders, who point to the Mount Diwalwal experience where military control of the area has given rise to complaints about corruption and human rights abuses.

It is unclear how the security situation has affected the industry in monetary terms, but Ramos points out that total foreign investments in mining have reached $1 billion as of end-2007--a significant amount, but a far cry from the billions of dollars promised earlier by the government.

"The investors are still coming in, but there are problems just like in any country where there is mining," Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza said in an interview.

According to him, the security situation is just one aspect of the many issues that the industry still has to hurdle if it is to achieve its full potential. (To be concluded.)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view_article.php?article_id=110978

SPECIAL REPORT (Part 2)

Mining investments to surge this year
By Daxim Lucas
Philippine Daily Inquirer
01/08/2008

The country’s top mining regulators continue to be bullish about the industry, despite the roadblocks that remain in the way of many foreign investors and their local partners.

In recent months, however, this bullishness has given way to guarded optimism as the harsh realities slowly take hold.

From touting the possibility of monetizing as much as $840 billion just two years ago -- more than enough money to pay off the entire national debt several times over -- government officials now recite more conservative numbers.

Some $1.6 billion worth of foreign money is expected to come into the local mining industry this year, Mines and Geosciences Bureau Director Horacio Ramos says.

Relative to other booming sectors of the economy like the business process outsourcing industry or even the remittances sent home by expatriate Filipinos, this amount is peanuts.

But the number -- if it materializes -- masks a marked acceleration in mining investments since the start of the industry’s revival in 2004. From 2004 to 2007, only about $1 billion in mining investments have so far entered the economy, Ramos says.

The expected 60-percent increase in mining investments this year will be due mainly to the funds that investors will pour into the various projects run by CGA Mining Corp., Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corp. and Oceana Gold all over the country.

Ramos adds that the country can expect to see as much as $9 billion worth of investments coming in by 2010 -- if everything will proceed smoothly, that is.

If the present state of the industry is any indication, however, some outstanding issues will have to be ironed out before the government can encourage these investments to come in.

Apart from the security risks frequently encountered by mining firms, the bureaucracy at the national and local levels is another main concern that must be addressed.

In an interview, Chamber of Mines of the Philippines executive vice president Nelia Halcon points out that the cumbersome approvals process for mining permits at various levels remains a sore point between the regulators and the private sector.

Approval process

“The approval of exploration permits should be done faster,” she says. “Remember, we have had several DENR [Department of the Environment and Natural Resources] secretaries. Changes in certain policies disrupt plans and programs.”

Halcon points out that the peculiar nature of the industry -- where mining firms live on a hand-to-mouth basis as long as they are not yet in full production -- makes for a deadly combination with the red tape foe which the government is known for.

“As far as I know, several are waiting for the approval of their mining tenements,” she says. “As you know, [this] business lives by the day and this is oftentimes taken for granted by government.”

“When investors decide to go with a project, they also seek financing. They are not able to work on the ground when their tenements are not approved yet,” the Chamber of Mines official explains.

Thankfully for the mining community, the importance of the situation is not lost on the current leadership of the DENR, led by Secretary Lito Atienza.

Atienza, a former Manila mayor, candidly admits in an interview that the cumbersome bureaucracy remains a major challenge, and said that steps are being taken to streamline the approvals process for projects which often run into several years before permits are handed out.

“On the part of the DENR, we are helping to hasten the process and time it takes for a mining company to start operations,” he says. We want them to be able to start operations in 8 to 10 years, instead of the present time needed of 12 to 15 years.”

These delays, he says, are caused by “too much red tape” as well as “the attitude of people” involved in the industry, whether they are private or pubic stakeholders.

Atienza stresses, however, that most delays in mining operations are caused by poor preparations by the mining firms themselves, especially in dealing with the local communities where they operate (the main cause of the chronic security problem, he believes) -- a view opposed to the private sector’s version which blames regulatory hurdles as the main cause for the sluggish inflow of investments.

For the industry to move forward faster, stakeholders will first have to agree on how to address these issues. At stake is no less than the future of an industry that has the potential to single-handedly turn the country’s economic fortunes around, for good.

lightsaber46

January 14th, 2008, 04:18 AM

Surge in mining-related
investments this year–DTI

By Katrina Mennen A. Valdez, Reporter

THE Department of Trade and Industry said the Philippines should prepare for a surge of mining-related investments this year.

Trade Undersecretary Elmer C. Hernandez said mining will be the biggest investment story this year on the back of the appreciating value of metals.

“Prices of gold, silver, copper and nickel are evidently going up. These minerals are all abundant here,” he said.

Citing the number of letters the Board of Investments (BOI) has received so far, Hernandez, who is also the incentives-giving agency’s managing head, said that large-scale mining firms plan to position themselves in the country not only in mineral extraction but also in refinery.

The price of gold stood at $897 per ounce, $16 an ounce for silver, $328 an ounce for copper, and $27 per kilogram of nickel.

Should the mining companies decide to put up high value refineries in the country, each facility would entail an investment of $500 million to $1 billion, Hernandez said.

“Mining companies are already seeing the country not only as a source of minerals, but already a capable manufacturer of certain metal products, which is very good for the country,” the trade official said, adding this would translate to more jobs and higher incomes.

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/jan/14/yehey/business/20080114bus2.html

dinabaw

February 2nd, 2008, 03:47 AM

Saturday, February 02, 2008
Davao mining industry can save RP from debt

THE mining industry in Davao Region has a lot of potentials that it can save the whole country from debt.

Economist and National Economic Development Authority (Neda) 11 Nicasio Regional Director Angelo J. Agustin said this, adding his agency is focusing on Davao's mining industry this year aside from the implementation of irrigation projects in the different communities in Davao Region.

"We will promote policies for the mining industry for investments to come in. Napakalakas ng mining industry ng Davao Region particularly in Compostela Valley and in Davao Oriental. It can even save the whole country from debt," Agustin told Sun.Star Davao.

He said Neda 11 has come up with a cluster plan for the mining industry, which includes various policies for potential investments.

According to the regional office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 11, which also pushes for the development of the mining industry, there are five investment opportunities identified in the industry, namely: gold and copper mining project; nickel mining project; limestone quarrying and processing; marble processing; and jewelry making.

DTI added that in Region 11, the metallic mineral reserves include 44.8 million metric tons of gold, 475.7 million metric tons of nickel, and 363.6 million metric tons of copper.

Meanwhile, in line with the government's policy of revitalizing the country's mining industry, Davao Region, through the DTI 11, has included the industry in its 11 priority industry clusters together with banana, mango, coconut, seaweed, ICT, eco-tourism, wood, livestock and poultry, bio-fuel, and farm equipment industries.

On the other hand, Agustin said aside from the mining industry, which Neda 11 will focus on this year, irrigation projects would also be implemented in the region.

"These projects will continuously be implemented in small communities in Davao Region, I'm not sure kung ilang communities pero marami-rami rin," Agustin said. (JGRS)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2008/02/02/bus/davao.mining.industry.can.save.rp.from.debt.html

lightsaber46

February 4th, 2008, 04:38 AM

Businessman sees RP mining industry bullish in next 5 years

http://www.mb.com.ph/BSAG20080204116207.html

Edgar J. Tamayo

The country’s mining industry has a very good prospect and the Philippines is expected to maintain its status for at least the next five years as a leading supplier of mineral products now enjoying high prices and growing demand in the world market.

Engineer Pio C. Fortuno, president of the Altai Mining Company, holdings firm of the Cabarrus Mining Group that operates gold, copper and nickel mining endeavors, said that the country’s mining prospects will continue to be bullish in the years five years due to the rising economies in the Asean Region which essentially need metals to propel their manufacturing concerns to full production levels.

He said full development of the country’s substantial deposits of gold, copper, nickel, chromite, limestone, coal and other minerals should be given top priority concern by the government as they could bring about a windfall of export potential that will bolster the economy.

Fortuno recalled that during the time of the late strongman President Ferdinand Marcos, the mining industry accounted for some 20 percent in the country’s export earnings, but subsequently dropped to only five percent in later administrations.

"This is one industry that our government should make full use of since this is endemically available and requires no imported materials to produce, unlike garments, a major export item which account for $ 70 in imported materials components for every $ 100-worth exportable product, leaving the exporter a measly $ 30 dollar or less, as profit," Fortuno stressed.

A former consultant of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Philippine National Bank and various mining firms, Fortuno said that due to this brighter mining prospects, more domestic mining interests are emerging in the Mineral Prioduction Sharing Aghreement level wherein 60 percent of capital are owned by Filipino firms and 40 percent by foreign partners. In the PKAA scheme, mining investments exceeding a P50 million capital infusion are 100 percent owned and operated by foreign entities.

The Board of Investments has registered P13-billion worth of mining projects last year, while the DENR-Mines and Geosciences Bureau predicted a rise in mines investmens of up to P11 billion up to 2011 for the government’s 23 mining projects, given a sustained public-private support to the industry.

Fortuno, however, urged government to address the recurring problems that stymie the full growth of the mining industry. Among these are the growing opposition of some militant environmentalist groups allegedly funded by leftist sectors and the intervention of some local government units that not only results in bureacratic red tape -- as mining firms have to obtain the nod of barangays, municpalities, cities, provinces and regions – and even extortion.

chocolato1000

February 5th, 2008, 04:38 PM

Philex Mining 2007 net profit rises 63% to P5B

MANILA, Philippines -- Philex Mining Corp., the Philippine's oldest and largest mining operator, said Tuesday its unaudited net profit in 2007 jumped nearly 63 percent to P5.0 billion, boosted by higher metal production and rising prices.

Operating revenue rose 22.4 percent to P12.2 billion, it said.

No other details were provided.

Philex currently operates gold and copper mines in Benguet province in Luzon, north of the capital Manila. It is also undertaking a feasibility study for the Boyongan site located in southern Philippines.

Philex shares today closed flat at P9.00. By Rocel Felix

($1 = P40.72)

chocolato1000

February 5th, 2008, 04:38 PM

flymordecai

February 13th, 2008, 04:15 AM

Mining exports hit $2.1B in 2007 (http://business.inquirer.net/money/breakingnews/view/20080213-118497/Mining-exports-hit-21B-in-2007)

The mining sector exported $2.1 billion worth of products -- gold, nickel, copper and silver -- last year, up 61 percent from $1.3 billion in 2006, the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines reported.

It also contributed P13 billion in taxes and $1.4 billion in investments, the group said in a statement.

“The government is cashing in on the mining sector in view of its contribution to capital formation and its multiplier effects in community development,” it said.

The Philippines has $1 trillion worth of untapped gold, copper and nickel resources, according to official estimates.

However, less than two percent of about nine million hectares of land identified as having rich mineral deposits have been explored and covered by mining permits.

Earlier, the Chamber of Mines said it expected foreign investments in mining would rise steadily to $1 billion a year.

Meanwhile, the group lauded the national government for creating a defense force to guard mining, power and other infrastructure facilities against attacks by communist guerrillas.

Its president, Benjamin Philip Romualdez, thanked the government “for responding to the industry’s concerns raised in its letters and appeals articulating the importance of peace and order in ensuring the continued growth of the minerals sector.”

Last month, about 100 communist New People’s Army rebels armed with rocket grenades raided the Sagittarius Mines’ base camp in Tampakan town in the southern province of South Cotabato and briefly took hostage the chief security officer. Amy R. Remo; edited by INQUIRER.net

dinabaw

February 20th, 2008, 10:56 AM

PIA Press Release
2008/02/20

Davao Oriental can't stop mining industry boom
By Mai Gevera

Davao City (20 February) -- The province of Davao Oriental has about 30,000 out of the 80,000 mining sites in the country and this is the very reason why the province cannot say no to the mining industry.

Mati city mayor Michelle Rabat stressed that having this vast potential, the province especially the city can hardly stop the entry of mining investors.

"We can't stop but we are also making sure that they are properly regulated in such a manner that they will practice responsible mining," she said.

The local government of Mati City has been strict in choosing which mining company should be given permit.

Infact, Vice Mayor Cesar de Erio cited three requirements that the local government is strictly requiring from the investors.

"They must show us a development plan, their financial capability, and a clean track record," he said.

These were said to be heavy requirements that no ordinary company could easily comply with.

The city officials denied speculations that there are now a number of big scale mining companies that are operating in the city.

Mayor Rabat clarified that there are only 7 applicants for small-scale mining operation while only 2 companies are under the big scale category.

Rabat also clarified that the city government has nothing do with the temporary closure of operations of the HP Billton Mining.

"It is an internal rift or legal battle now being handled by the private companies involved," she said.

At the moment, the city officials have been very optimistic to see more investments in the mining industry. However, they have also remained cautious and watchful for any negative results that these investors might bring in to the community. (PIA XI) [top]

http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p080220.htm&no=06&r=R11&y=08&mo=02

icarusrising

February 22nd, 2008, 11:07 AM

DENR sees $892M in new investments this year

By Marianne V. Go
Friday, February 22 2008 (www.philstar.com)

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is projecting $892 million in new investments this year, 47 percent higher than the $605.09 million recorded last year.

In a presentation before the Australia-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce last Feb. 12, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Joselito Atienza reported that the gross production value of the mining sector last year amounted to P95 billion or about $2.3 billion.

Of the projected investments this year, $750 million would come from operating and expanding projects and first tier mining projects, Atienza said, adding that $90 million would come from second tier projects and $5.6 million from priority explorations projects.

Atienza said $21 million is expected to come from already operating mining projects, particularly the Berong nickel project of TMM Management Inc. with a planned additional investment of $2 million this year and the PASAR copper smelter expansion project which is infusing $19 million this year.

The bulk of the $892 million in new investments this year or $317.80 million would come in from at least seven first tier priority mining projects which are already in various construction and development stage.

The first tier mining projects expected to make additional investments this year are the Carmen copper project of the Carmen Copper Corp. (a subsidiary of Atlas Consolidated and Mining Corp.) with $95 million; the Didipio copper-gold project of Oceana Gold Phils. with $64 million; the Palawan line 2 nickel project of Coral Bay Mining Corp. with $75 million; the Canatuan base metal project of TVI Resources Dev’t Phil., Inc. with $18 million; the Masbate gold project of Filminera Resources Corp. with $58 million; the Iligan ferronickel smelter plant of the Platinum Group of Metals Corp. with $2.8 million and another $2.8 million also from PGMC for its Manticao ferronickel smelter plant; and $2.2 million from Philsaga Mining Corp. for its Philsaga gold project.

New investments amounting to $302 million would come from at least eight mining projects which are still in the feasibility and financing stage, while $130.2 million are expected from nine projects still in the advanced exploration stage.

Second tier priority projects of the Philippine Mining Development Corp., Lepanto Consolidated and Mining Corp. and that of Benguet Corp. are also expected to put in $90 million in new investments this year while $31 million will be brought in to explore potentials sites by at least 23 firms.

Based on preliminary data from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), the gross production value in mining for 2007 will amount to P95 billion or $2.3 billion of which P46 billion are from large scale mining; P32 billion are from small scale gold mining and P17 billion are from non-metallic mining.

Of the P95 billion gross production, P78.4 billion are metallic production of which P40.8 billion are gold and P558 million are from silver production.

jbkayaker12

February 22nd, 2008, 01:32 PM

Well, our underwater treasure has already been raped and destroyed now lets see how long it will take for these people to destroy everything above the water.

dinabaw

February 22nd, 2008, 03:14 PM

Well, our underwater treasure has already been raped and destroyed now lets see how long it will take for these people to destroy everything above the water.

it already happened first from logging now mining :ohno:

jbkayaker12

February 22nd, 2008, 09:29 PM

Nabartek

February 23rd, 2008, 02:31 AM

Yung mangkayan,benguet, ang laki ng parte na lumubog dahil sa (alleged) operations ng lepanto mines dun. siguro kaya lumubog din ang kennon road nung lumindol. yung ilalam nun, dating mining site eh.

Nabartek

February 23rd, 2008, 02:36 AM

dinabaw

February 23rd, 2008, 03:50 AM

^^^Yes deforestation has been going on for a very long time and the Philippines barely has any forest cover left but mining was just recently opened to international investors and is being promoted aggresively by government agencies.

do you think we can strike a balance between mining and environment , i am really lost in this endeavours of our government , is there a thing as responsible mining ? as far as i know 80% of the mining operation in PI have degraded our environment .

jbkayaker12

February 23rd, 2008, 05:18 AM

It has degraded our environment to a certain extent but at the same its also a double edge sword for we need construction materials that need to be mined out. These raw materials need to be mined and processed to be used for construction of infrastructure, dwellings, buildings.....

lightsaber46

February 27th, 2008, 05:57 AM

Mining investments seen to rise to $1.7b in ’08
By Othel V. Campos
http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=business3_feb26_2008

Foreign investments in the mining sector are projected to grow 20 percent this year to $1.68 billion, the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines said yesterday.

Records from the Chamber showed that investments from China, Japan, Korea and mining stalwarts Australia and Canada were expected to come in before the end of the year. Mining investments last year reached $1.4 billion.

In 2005, investments in the mining sector amounted to $447 million and doubled to $840 million the following year.

The mining and quarrying sector contributed P99.24 billion to the gross domestic product and $2.1 billion in export receipts last year.

“Government is cashing in on the mining sector because of its contribution to capital formation and multiplier effects in community development,” the Chamber said in a statement.

The National Economic and Development Authority has expressed optimism on the sector’s prospects, saying the industry had the potential to generate $5 billion to $7 billion in foreign exchange annually and produce tax revenues of between P17 and P23 billion.

Earlier, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources said 2008 would continue to be a mining year for the Philippines.

The government is banking on sound policies that will ensure $6 billion worth of investments on mining projects by 2010.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources last week approved the creation of Regional Minerals Development Councils, which are tasked to attend to the concerns of mining companies.

Environment Secretary Lito Atienza said the councils would oversee the proper and sustainable development of mineral resources and help in the promotion of mining advocacy and investment in the regions.

Atienza, who also heads the Minerals Development Council, said he had ordered the release of P200,000 for each region with established councils and P100,000 each for those regions in the process of organizing their respective bodies.

“The initial financial outlay will ensure immediate operation of said regional councils in spearheading the implementation of the government’s mineral policies and programs in the regions,” he said.

kiretoce

February 27th, 2008, 07:27 PM

Global Steel may go into iron, nickel mining, readies $1.6B (http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view/20080227-121607/Global-Steel-may-go-into-iron-nickel-mining-readies-16B)

MANILA, Philippines -- Steel maker Global Steel Philippines is considering investing in iron, nickel mining, with initial an investment of possibly $1.6 billion, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Joselito Atienza said.

“Global Steel wants to mine for these minerals to locally supply raw materials to its planned integrated steel plant in the country,” Atienza said in an interview.

Indian-owned Global Steel, formerly the government-owned National Steel Corp., earlier announced it was preparing to build an integrated steel plant that would make the Philippines self-sufficient in steel.

The company has not started exploring and is still looking for potential areas rich in iron ore and nickel. Atienza said. He said its interest in mining went only as far as ensuring supply of iron and nickel before putting up an integrated plant.

He added that Global Steel was also interested in putting up an integrated mill for stainless steel.

The two steel mills would require a combined investment of as much as $4 billion, he said.

“We hope Global Steel pushes through with its plans, as these investments are heavier and would therefore also have greater benefits to Filipinos, in terms of employment, for example,” said Atienza, a former mayor of Manila.

According to information from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, there are no identified sites for iron mining in the Philippines.

Among companies that have been awarded Mineral Production Sharing Agreements, only five have included iron on their lists of potential ores to be mined in their respective areas.

Global Steel’s plant in the southern city of Iligan is currently under the management of Global Ispat Holdings Ltd., one of the worlds biggest steel producers.

With integrated facilities, the Iligan plant operates hot rolling, cold rolling and tinning lines capable of producing more than two million tons of steel a year.

Atienza also said another company had expressed interest in putting up an integrated steel mill in the Philippines.

He said no official commitments had been made to date but Pohang Iron and Steel Co. of south Korea had begun scouting for potential site areas, particularly in the Surigao southern provinces.

Pohang is the third-largest steel producer in the world, operating two steel mills in South Korea.

lightsaber46

February 28th, 2008, 10:39 AM

A golden age in Philippine mining is coming
BULL MARKET, BULL SHEET By Wilson Lee Flores
Monday, February 25, 2008

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Business%20Life&p=49&type=2&sec=43&aid=2008022453

Good news: the world’s biggest mining and metals leaders are coming to invest here! They’re coming not only to extract minerals for export, they’re also investing in processing plants to convert our mineral resources into high-value export products.

Top private firms like PS Bank, with their P10 million raffle prizes for depositors from February to July; and SM malls, with their P50 million raffle prizes for 50 winners from February to December, are giving us consumers huge bonanzas. However, unknown to most people, God has blessed the Philippines with the most stupendous good fortune — Asia’s No. 1 biggest nickel deposits and the world’s No. 5 richest gold deposits, plus many more minerals.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Joselito “Lito” Atienza said estimates put potential Philippine mineral wealth at over US$3 trillion in gold, copper, nickel and other resources. Only less than two percent of the estimated nine million hectares of the Philippines’ mineral-rich lands have been explored and covered with mining permits.

An unprecedented golden age in Philippine mining is coming and can uplift the lives of millions of impoverished rural masses as well as our whole economy, if we can ensure that the evils of corruption can be moderated, if not totally stopped.

However, if the prevailing unbridled corruption and culture of impunity continue ZTE NBN-style, then the coming Philippine mining boom might only result in Africa-style social inequities benefiting the entrenched political elite and the well-connected few vis-à-vis continued massive poverty and harrowing long-term tragedies.

One of the bright spots in the Philippine economy is the revival of mining under President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo due in no small measure to GMA’s single-minded vigorous push for the development of this sector. However, I believe the ongoing healthy democratic debate on the ZTE NBN controversy should hopefully prevent future cronyism, anomalous contracts, secret deals and other big-scale corruption in mining.

According to Atienza, the world’s fifth wealthiest billionaire, London-based Indian industrialist Lakshmi Mittal — with a personal net worth of US$51 billion (almost double the total Philippine national budget for 2008) — is soon coming to the Philippines to explore investments in mining and a smelting plant. His original plan to visit the Philippines in mid-January was rescheduled. As boss of ArcelorMittal, he is the world’s largest steel producer, with operations in Europe, Latin America, North America and Asia.

There are only four people richer than Mittal today: Microsoft founder Bill Gates, legendary stock investor and business whiz Warren Buffet, Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim and the Swedish founder of home furniture retail chain Ikea, Ingvar Kam.

Atienza added that BHP Billiton, the world’s largest diversified mining company with 39,000 employees in 25 countries and US$121.6 billion in market capitalization, is now here in the Philippines for exploration. Atienza said, “They have decided to remain here and to pursue their business interests in the Philippines. Obviously they know the vast potential of Philippine mining.”

Just a couple of weeks ago, Melbourne-headquartered BHP Billiton made global headlines with its record all-share offer worth US$147.4 billion to take over the world’s third largest mining firm, the London-headquartered Rio Tinto Plc, with the latter rejecting this sweetened formal offer. Rio Tinto last year also rejected another BHP Billiton offer.

Atienza said the Emaar Group of Dubai is also coming to invest in Philippine mining; so are the biggest firms in new superpower China. Atienza said, “Always twice or thrice a week, I meet with foreign and local investors, and all of them are interested in riding the bandwagon of the Philippine mining industry boom.”

Let us welcome more world-class foreign investors like Mittal and BHP Billiton into the Philippines and deport our many lying political scalawags to Timbuktu and Iraq!

Atienza said the total mining investments in 2007 totaled US$4 billion when he assumed office at the DENR, but this will surge with new mining investments, topping $10 billion in 2008-2009. He said, “We will have a banner year in 2008 and also 2009.” Secretary Atienza quotes President GMA, who once said that what oil is to the Middle East, mineral wealth will be to the Philippines.

The last time the Philippines experienced a mining boom was during the postwar 1950s to 1960s, and also that golden era in the first half of the 20th century under American colonial rule. This was when the Philippines had probably Asia’s second wealthiest economy due mainly to American good governance, enlightened free-enterprise policies, the Americans’ creating Asia’s best public school system in the Philippines, and Philippine commodity exports’ duty-free access to the vast US market.

Weina

March 19th, 2008, 07:34 AM

Foreign direct investments to nearly double — BSP

THE BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) expects foreign direct investments (FDIs) to nearly double to $4.2 billion by yearend from a net of $2.93 billion last year, with bulk of the growth coming from the mining sector.

BSP Deputy Governor Diwa C. Guinigundo told reporters in a briefing yesterday that big-ticket investments this year will come mostly from mining firms, which are expected to invest a total of $1.4 billion. Bulk of the amount will be allocated for feasibility and financing stages of mining projects, while $404 million will go to advanced exploration stages.

"The projected investments on priority mining projects are basically firm in the sense that these already sank in 2007," Mr. Guinigundo said.

"[Mining firms] have no reason to discontinue what they have started for the following year because they have already invested," he explained.

BSP data showed net FDI inflows amounting to $2.93 billion in end-2007, a mere 0.2% growth from $2.92 billion in 2006, as various companies settled about $1.5 billion in maturing loans to their parent firms abroad.

Mr. Guinigundo said export of minerals will offset the decline of electronics. Market observers have noted a slower rise in growth of electronics to around 5%-10% this year, due mainly to shrinking demand from the US. Value of electronic products, which accounted for 61.5% of total export revenue, inched up $2.6 billion last January from $2.57 billion in the same month last year.

Mr. Guinigundo said gold, copper and nickel are expected to increase their share in the total exports of the country due to the price rally in the international market, owing largely to pent-up demand from emerging markets India and China. — Gerard S. dela Peña

Weina

March 24th, 2008, 04:36 AM

Nido targets Gindara prospect for drilling

AUSTRALIA’S NIDO Petroleum Ltd. and its joint venture partner Kairiki Energy Ltd. will drill the first exploration well on the Gindara prospect in the Northwest Palawan basin as soon as it secures a drilling rig, as it tries to increase the country’s energy self-sufficiency.
Nido oil field in Palawan
Nido oil field in Palawan — NIDO.COM.AU

In a disclosure to the Australian stock exchange, Nido said the target was chosen from data gathered in a 3D seismic survey shot on the block in late 2006.

In line with previous reports based on the preliminary review of the data, Nido said Gindara has the capacity to accommodate some 478 million barrels of oil.

The Philippines has daily oil requirement of 285 million barrels. It imports much of its requirements, producing less than 1% of the total.

After acquiring the seismic data on the area covered by service contract 54 this January, Nido committed to invest an additional $500,000 into the area in preparation for drilling activities.

"The Gindara prospect is the first drill-ready prospect to emerge from the high-quality 3D seismic data. Through our joint work with Kairiki, we have now assessed all the major technical risks critical for exploration success, confirming Gindara as a high-value investment opportunity worthy of drilling as the first prospect in service contract 54," said Jon Pattillo, Nido’s head of exploration.

The company will dispatch a suitable rig to drill the Gindara prospect as soon as one becomes available, he said. "The global rig market is exceptionally tight at the present time. However, I am looking forward to confirming the well timing when the service contract 54 joint venture has finalized a rig contract," he added.

The service contract covers 5,376 square kilometers with water depths between 50 and 800 meters. The blocks include shallow water pinnacle reefs and deep water carbonate structures, as well as submarine fans and channel systems, Nido said. Nido, as the operator, holds a majority 60% equity, while fellow Perth-based Kairiki owns 40%.

The team said the results from the exploration are expected to be similar to those struck in the Coron-1 well drilled six kilometers south of Gindara. It added that it planned to wrap up identification of prospects on the block from the 3D data by the middle of this year.

In a separate report, Mr. Pattillo said earnings from a production block in the same basin would finance the extensive exploration program. Nido is preparing to produce oil from the Galoc 3 and Galoc 4 wells, which are set to produce 5,397 barrels of oil per day (bpd) and 6,565 bpd, respectively, starting April.

The wells are now ready with a floating, production, storage and offloading vessel due on side and other installations in place. Nido invested $104 million in the Galoc wells, which has a production life of about five years.

Weina

March 24th, 2008, 04:41 AM

Geograce seeks South American partner

MINING FIRM Geograce Resources Philippines, Inc. is in talks with a South American mining company to explore copper in Masbate City. The exploration cost could go as high as $26 million or a little over P1 billion, potentially boosting the local mining firm’s bottom line.

Angping-owned Geograce is also bringing in multinational companies for its local exploration works as it takes advantage of soaring global metal prices, a high-ranking official privy to the matter told reporters last week.

"We’re in the early stages [of the deal], but the prospects are very good so we’re finalizing the agreement," the source said.

The South American mining company, touted as the second largest in the world, will help Geograce explore a 60,000-hectare mine site that has a life-span of 30 years.

"Mining companies worldwide spent $7 billion for exploration and we did not even get 1% of that This South American company is prioritizing us and Peru," the official said.

Geograce was the former Global Equities, Inc., a listed company whose business portfolio consisted of manufacturing, distribution and real estate until mid-2006, when these assets were spun off after the entry of a new controlling shareholder group. The new owners changed the company’s primary business into mineral exploration and development.

Geograce swung to profit as soon as it ventured into mining, with a net income of P256.69 million in 2006.

Aside from the usual minerals — copper, nickel and gold — it mines, Geograce is also considering exploration of iron ore and chromite in other areas like Palawan and Iligan, the source said.

The company may also put up a nickel processing plant in Zambales within the year. "We have three prospective Chinese companies [that] will provide the ore. This plant is aimed at producing 10,000 tons [of nickel] a year," the official said.

The processing plant, he said, would have a pilot investment of between P50 million and P100 million.

NiHao Mineral Resources International, Inc., a sister company and fellow listed company of Geograce, will also sell additional shares to stockholders so it could also invest in the processing plant.

"There are no capital-raising activities for Geograce but for NiHao we have [one]. Whatever proceeds we will raise from it would be included in the processing plant investment," the source said.

The source added that NiHao expects to sell P500 million to P700 million worth of shares, or five more shares for every share held by existing shareholders.

Geograce recently partnered with BHP Billiton, the world’s largest mining company, to mine for nickel deposits in Zambales, Misamis Oriental and Bukidnon.

Geograce has mining tenements covering 143,000 hectares of land nationwide, including nickel-chromite claims in Zambales and Bukidnon, gold-copper on Negros island and nickel-gold-copper in Masbate.

The country’s mining industry was revived after the Supreme Court allowed full foreign ownership of mining firms in late 2004.

The government is targeting $10 billion in mining investments in the next three years as companies respond to increasing demand for metals, especially from China.

-TC-

March 27th, 2008, 04:54 PM

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/regions/view/20080326-126622/Mining-law-or-protected-area-law

Mining law or protected area law?
By Marlon Alexander Luistro
Philippine Daily Inquirer
03/26/2008

BATANGAS CITY – When two trucks loaded with 16 tons of stones illegally extracted from the Taal Volcano were released by mining officials last month after being fined a total of P8,140, environment officials said the offenders got away with a light punishment.

“This is a bad precedent because people will now think it is OK to extract (minerals) in a protected area,” Maximo Soriano, chief of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office, told the Inquirer.

“While they might have addressed the violations of the mining law, they haven’t dealt with the infringements in a protected area (law).”

Soriano was referring to the National Integrated Protected Areas System (Nipas) Law of 1992, or Republic Act No. 7586, which puts on its list of protected areas national parks, wildlife sanctuary, virgin forests and “outstanding remarkable areas and biologically important public lands that are habitats of rare and endangered species of plants and animals, biogeographic zones and related ecosystems.”

The law prohibits “hunting, destroying, disturbing or mere possession of any plants or animals” derived from a protected area without a permit from the Protected Areas Management Board (PAMB) and mutilating, defacing or destroying objects of natural beauty or objects of interest to cultural communities of scenic value. Violators may be fined P5,000 to P500,000, excluding the value of the damaged items, and imprisoned for one to six years.

Taal Volcano, known as the world’s smallest active volcano, was declared a protected area in 1996 by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 906. It has erupted 34 times since 1572.

Soriano questioned the move of the Provincial Mining Regulatory Board (PMRB) to release the two impounded trucks after the fines were paid, since this could imply that the matter of taking minerals from Taal was a “closed issue.”

On Feb. 22, the PMRB imposed fines of P5,126 and P3,014, respectively, on Eagle Express Group and Ideal World Corp., which were identified as the owners of the trucks. The transport firms failed to present an ore transport permit issued by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau regional director, as required under the Philippine Mining Act or RA 7942, which specifies the origin and quantity of minerals to be conveyed.

Luis Awitan, PMRB head, classified the volcanic stones as black cinder, a lava rock used for landscaping, porcelain making and soap. “As far as we know, those stones are not found in Agoncillo and most likely, they came from the Taal Volcano Island,” he said in an interview.

Police officials of Agoncillo say such stones are usually extracted from the villages of Alas-as and Pulang-Bato in San Nicolas town and sold at P3 per kilo.

Awitan said the fines were imposed after police submitted the seizure receipt of the trucks and sworn statements of witnesses. He also confirmed that the trucks, along with the volcanic stones, were released upon payment of the fines.

However, no charges were filed against the truck owners for violation of the Nipas Law.

Since Taal is a protected area, Soriano questioned the jurisdiction of the PMRB over the case. The PMRB, he said, should have referred the case to the PAMB for administrative hearings.

The Inquirer learned that it was acting MGB regional director Miguel Fernandez Jr. who referred the case to the PMRB on Feb. 21, requesting for “prompt action.”

Soriano also asked the PAMB to clarify its position on the jurisdiction of the mining law and determine how this could be “reconciled” with the Nipas Law.

Weina

March 27th, 2008, 05:57 PM

Leighton Asia wins Philippine contracts worth $230M

Thomson Financial
First Posted 08:59:00 03/27/2008

SYDNEY -- Australia's leading construction and contract mining group, Leighton Holdings Ltd., said Thursday its Leighton Asia unit has won two new mining-related deals worth $270 million in the Philippines.

The company was awarded a $60-million contact by OceanaGold to build site accommodation and related earthworks, a tailings storage facility, and the open cut mining for the first phase for the Didipio gold and copper mine.

Leighton Asia also secured a six-year relationship-based contract valued at $170 million to undertake mining operations at the Masbate Gold Mine in the Philippines.

"In addition to mining services, Leighton, in partnership with Lycopodium Limited, is currently designing and constructing the gold processing plant for the project which is scheduled to be completed in early 2009," Leighton said.

"Mining operations are due to commence in September 2008."

Earlier in Hong Kong, Leighton Asia's joint venture with China State Construction Engineering secured an $80-million contract to build an aircraft maintenance hangar at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA).

Construction started in March and is expected to be completed in May 2009. (By Yuinmunn Szetoh)

red_jasper

April 3rd, 2008, 02:10 PM

Mining company hits town execs over siltation claims

By Redempto Anda
Southern Luzon Bureau
First Posted 19:25:00 04/03/2008

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Philippines -- The Berong Nickel Corp. (BNC), a mining company operating a large-scale nickel ore extraction project in the southern municipality of Quezon in Palawan, had criticized its host local government unit for claiming the company was covering up the environmental damages created by the mining project.

BNC environmental safety consultant Keith Halford denied Quezon Mayor Ronilo B. Caputilla’s said in a Philippine Daily Inquirer interview that the company, which boasts of having a world-class mining operation facility, had been hiding its failures from the public.

“It simply is not true. There is no river siltation as claimed by the mayor, and we have never received a complaint of that nature,” Halford told the Inquirer Wednesday.

A staff member of BNC, however, contradicted Halford’s claim during a separate interview, admitting that the soil erosion systems that they had installed around the steep and sloping areas of the nickel mining concession had not been sufficient to hold water runoff that had silted the Berong river and the causeway during heavy rains.

“It is true that despite great efforts by BNC to establish safety measures, there is still siltation of the river when it rains,” said a technical staff member who requested not to be named.

“I was there during typhoon Lando and I saw that the river and sea was blanketed in red,” the source said.

Full story @ inquirer.net (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20080403-128180/Mining-company-hits-town-execs-over-siltation-claims)

-TC-

April 3rd, 2008, 04:39 PM

http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view/20080403-128164/Time-running-out-for-Philippines-mining-revival

Time running out for Philippines’ mining revival
By Carmel Crimmins
Reuters
04/03/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- The country’s plans to draw in billions of dollars to revive the once-mighty Philippine mining sector could be tripped up by rising costs, competition and gloomy financial markets.

Land ownership disputes, communist and Muslim insurgencies and bureaucratic red tape can hold up projects for decades, despite the government's public support for the sector, miners and fund managers said on Thursday.

With such a challenging external environment, mining companies may choose to skip the Philippines, where deposits are abundant but relatively low grade, in favor of less troublesome destinations in South America and elsewhere in Asia.

"We have so many opportunities around the world available to us. If it's complicated, then we just couldn't be bothered to worry about it," said Jesse James of Geologic Resource Partners, a $600-million Vancouver-based commodity fund.

After years of hiatus, a new ownership law means foreign firms are back exploring mineral deposits around the archipelago. But convincing them to sink the massive sums needed to start a new mine could become difficult as operating costs climb and raising capital becomes more difficult on jittery markets.

High commodity prices, which had made seeking new deposits attractive, could also be set to plateau, according to some analysts.

"If the Philippines misses this commodity cycle, a lot of the developments will be economically challenged," said Jim Askew, chairman of Australian miner OceanaGold.

"It's critical we get mines working during this period," said Askew, who is also chairman of Sino Gold Mining, which has gold operations in southern China, and Asian Mineral Resources, with interests in Vietnam.

20 YEARS

James and other investors were in the Philippines to visit a mining project wholly owned by OceanaGold and one of three big mines expected to come on stream in the Philippines between now and mid-2009.

The company will become only the second foreign group to avail of new ownership laws and fully operate a mine in the Philippines when its Didipio gold and copper project, which it became owner of in 2006, opens next year.

Didipio will have taken nearly 20 years to get up and running by the time it starts commissioning in 2009, reflecting problems with land ownership, the legal system, bureaucratic red tape, and falling commodity prices in the 1990s.

A Supreme Court ruling in 2004 cleared the way for 100 percent foreign ownership in Philippine mining projects and an expected revival of a sector that was one of the industry's giants in the 1980s and has billions of dollars in untapped mineral wealth including gold, copper and nickel.

But investors have already had their fingers burned.

Australia's Lafayette, the first foreign group to take advantage of the new 100 percent ownership law, came close to bankruptcy after two cyanide spills at its copper plant resulted in the government closing it down for over a year.

Didipio is now viewed as the second test case, and if it is a success, it is hoped it will be a catalyst for further investment.

"Most of these projects that we are banking on are so-called world-class deposits that are relatively high in grade and quality and large tonnages, and these are the sort of things that can withstand the cyclical nature of price and high cost," said Horacio Ramos, director of the Philippines's Mines and Geosciences Bureau.

Manila is banking on a $1-billion investment by Xstrata in its Tampakan project in the southern Philippines, one of the largest undeveloped copper deposits in Southeast Asia. Ramos said development would start next year.

But investors say that with attractive propositions in other countries such as Vietnam, Colombia and Namibia, the Philippine government still needs to do more to cut back on corruption, bureaucracy and complex tax structures to woo capital from other countries.

"To me, nothing has really happened since I was last in the Philippines in 1995," said James from Geologic Resource Partners.

Only around $1 billion has flowed into the Philippine mining industry in overseas investment since 2004 but the government is hoping that this will surge to around $10 billion within the next three years due to record commodity prices and the country's proximity to resource-hungry China.
Analysts have said that estimate is overly optimistic.

"If they do not get going and get it done in the next few years, they are going to be late on the boat and maybe miss it," said David Curran, a fund manager with Singapore-based Spinnaker Capital Group. (Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and Michael Urquhart)

lightsaber46

April 4th, 2008, 07:28 AM

Time is running out for Philippine mining revival
spacer
Rising costs, competition, gloomy markets cited
http://www.mb.com.ph/BSNS20080404120961.html

The government’s plans to draw in billions of dollars to revive the once-mighty Philippines mining sector could be tripped up by rising costs, competition and gloomy financial markets.

Land ownership disputes, communist and Muslim insurgencies and bureaucratic red tape can hold up projects for decades, despite the government’s public support for the sector, miners and fund managers said yesterday.

With such a challenging external environment, mining companies may choose to skip the Philippines, where deposits are abundant but relatively low grade, in favor of less troublesome destinations in South America and elsewhere in Asia.

"We have so many opportunities around the world available to us, if it’s complicated, then we just couldn’t be bothered to worry about it," said Jesse James of Geologic Resource Partners, a 0 million Vancouver-based commodity fund.

After years of hiatus, a new ownership law means foreign firms are back exploring mineral deposits around the archipelago, but convincing them to sink the massive sums needed to start a new mine could become difficult as operating costs climb and raising capital becomes more difficult on jittery markets.

High commodity prices, which had made seeking new deposits attractive, could also be set to plateau, according to some analysts.

"If the Philippines misses this commodity cycle, a lot of the developments will be economically challenged," said Jim Askew, chairman of Australian miner OceanaGold.

"It’s critical we get mines working during this period," said Askew, who is also chairman of Sino Gold Mining, which has gold operations in southern China, and Asian Mineral Resources, with interests in Vietnam.

James and other investors were in the Philippines to visit a mining project wholly owned by OceanaGold and one of three big mines expected to come on stream in the Philippines between now and mid-2009.

The company will become only the second foreign group to avail of new ownership laws and fully operate a mine in the Philippines when its Didipio gold and copper project, which it became owner of in 2006, opens next year.

Didipio will have taken nearly 20 years to get up and running by the time it starts commissioning in 2009, reflecting problems with land ownership, the legal system, bureaucratic red tape and falling commodity prices in the 1990s.

A Supreme Court ruling in 2004 cleared the way for 100 percent foreign ownership in Philippine mining projects and an expected revival of a sector that was one of the industry’s giants in the 1980s and has billions of dollars in untapped mineral wealth including gold, copper and nickel.

But investors have already had their fingers burned.

Australia’s Lafayette, the first foreign group to take advantage of the new 100 percent ownership law, came close to bankruptcy after two cyanide spills at its copper plant resulted in the government closing it down for over a year.

Didipio is now viewed as the second test case and if it is a success it is hoped it will be a catalyst for further investment.

"Most of these projects that we are banking on are so-called world class deposits that are relatively high in grade and quality and large tonnages and these are the sort of things that can withstand the cyclical nature of price and high cost," said Horacio Ramos, director of the Philippines’s Mines and Geosciences Bureau.

Manila is banking on a $ 1-billion investment by Xstrata in its Tampakan project in the southern Philippines, one of the largest undeveloped copper deposits in Southeast Asia. Ramos said development would start next year.

But investors say with attractive propositions in other countries such as Vietnam, Colombia and Namibia, the Philippine government still needs to do more to cut back on corruption, bureaucracy and complex tax structures to woo capital from other countries.

"To me, nothing has really happened since I was last in the Philippines in 1995," said James from Geologic Resource Partners.

Only around $ 1 billion has flowed into the Philippine mining industry in overseas investment since 2004 but the government is hoping that this will surge to around $ 10 billion within the next three years due to record commodity prices and the country’s proximity to resource-hungry China.

Analysts have said that estimate is overly optimistic.

"If they do not get going and get it done in the next few years, they are going to be late on the boat and maybe miss it," said David Curran, a fund manager with Singapore-based Spinnaker Capital Group. (Reuters)

red_jasper

April 7th, 2008, 04:25 AM

Sun.Star: ZTE mining deal stirs up Diwalwal (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/88015/SunStar-ZTE-mining-deal-stirs-up-Diwalwal)
04/07/2008 | 09:57 AM

DAVAO CITY, Philippines - Mt. Diwata village chief Franco Tito warned of bloodshed anew after reports came out that the controversial Chinese company ZTE was given the permit to mine the gold rush mountain in Monkayo, Compostela Valley.

In a text message, Tito said it would be best for everyone if multinational mining corporations stay out of Diwalwal for now.

"Dapat huwag na nilang pakialaman ang Diwalwal para hindi na muling magkagulo. Siguradong balik na naman ang patayan sa Diwalwal pag pinasok nila ito (They should refrain from interfering with Diwalwal to avoid conflict. I'm sure there would be bloodshed if a mining firm were allowed to mine there)," Tito said.

Compostela Valley Governor Arturo "Chiongkee" Uy meanwhile said he would have to verify the report first before making any statement. But, if this is true, then he will support the small miners in their fight.

"I'm supporting the stand of Diwalwal miners not to allow foreign multinationals to enter Mt. Diwata," Uy said.

The governor also called on the Philippine Minerals Development Corporation (PMDC) to be "transparent with the Provincial Government on (its) plans in Diwalwal."

Sun.Star reported last week that Malacañang entered into a memorandum of understanding with ZTE Corporation to undertake mining operations in Diwalwal as early as June 23, 2006 and executed on July 12 that same year.

For this, the Southeast Mindanao Gold Mining Corporation (SEM-GMC) filed an urgent manifestation and motion before the Supreme Court (SC) seeking a reversal of its First Division's June 23, 2006 decision that gave the government full control and supervision over mining operations in Agusan-Davao-Surigao Forest Reserve known as the "Diwalwal Gold Rush Area."

Likewise, SEM-GMC asked SC to set the case for oral arguments.

Thousands of small miners in Diwalwal had long been fighting for their right to mine the mountains for more than three decades now. Hundreds of lives were wasted in the fight that is about to happen again once a foreign mining company enters the area. - Sun.Star

red_jasper

April 7th, 2008, 11:04 AM

SC acts on petition to declare Mining Act unconstitutional

By Tetch Torres
INQUIRER.net (http://business.inquirer.net/money/breakingnews/view/20080407-128928/SC-acts-on-petition-to-declare-Mining-Act-unconstitutional)
First Posted 16:25:00 04/07/2008

MANILA, Philippines—The Supreme Court ordered Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Lito Atienza and several mining firms to comment on a petition filed by several lawmakers to declare Republic Act 7942 or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 as unconstitutional.

In a one-page resolution, the high court gave the DENR, Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI), Oceanagold Philippines Inc., TVI Resources and Development Philippines Inc. (TVIRD) 10 days to submit their comment.

Last month, Representatives Ana Hontiveros Baraquiel (Akbayan), Lorenzo Tanada III, Teodoro Casiño (Bayan), and several residents of Davao Oriental asked the high court to stop the DENR from issuing mining permits and nullify seven permits already assigned to mining firms Hallmark Mining and Austral-Asia Link mining.

The seven mining permits cover 17,215,447 hectares in the towns of Mati, San Isidro and Governor Generoso, all in Davao Oriental.

The petitioners claimed existing Mineral Production Sharing Agreements (MPSAs) already approved by the government take up about 442,804.07 hectares that include sizeable indigenous lands. Two Financial or Technical Assistance Agreements (FTAA) cover 447,308.26 hectares that include indigenous communities, with 54 more FTAA applications targeting 2,350,643.34 hectares of land in the country.

The petitioners said Section 80 of RA 7942 is constitutionally infirm since it limits government share to excise taxes, which contradicts the Constitutional provision that development of the national patrimony should be based on an equitable distribution of wealth.

The petitioners said DENR had no basis to enter into MPSAs as the law did not constitutionally provide for the basis for sharing. They said such defect in RA 7942 limiting the share of the state to excise taxes could not be remedied by any executive issuance.

The group also pointed out that residents living near open mining pits run the risks of succumbing to various diseases due to pollution of the groundwater due to toxic wastes, as well as sedimentation.

Fundador

April 12th, 2008, 02:46 AM

Mining growth target banks on expansion of existing projects

Bulk of growth in the mining sector in the next three years — by which time investments are targeted to reach $10 billion from the mere $1.4 billion actual businesses that came in during the three years after the Supreme Court ruled to allow 100% foreign ownership in local mining projects — will come from projected expansion of projects already on the ground.

A statement of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) quoted Secretary Jose L. Atienza Jr. as telling participants in the Asian Mining Conference in Singapore that he expects those mining companies that have already invested in the country to "dramatically boost their investments in the next three years, or until 2011."

"The bulk of the projected investments," Mr. Atienza said, are expected to come in between 2008 and 2010, when these "investors progress to the construction and development stages."

"Forty mining processing and exploration projects, as well as 23 other exploration projects have invested a total of $1.4 billion from 2004 to end of 2007. These have potential additional investments of another $9 billion up to 2011, for a total of $10.4 billion," he added.

Mr. Atienza also cited DENR data showing an increase in volume of mineral production beginning this year in almost all sub-sectors: gold, nickel, copper, chromite, cobalt, zinc, ferronickel and calcined nickel. The projections cover the priority projects and were based on their submitted production schedule. "The rise in production volume will expectedly raise the production value of the minerals industry, which is seen to reach over $10 billion, almost five times that of 2007’s $3 billion," he said.

"It is expected that, at such level, the Philippine minerals industry’s contribution to Philippine exports will be in the vicinity of 6.5%, enough for the Philippines to be classified as a ’mining country,’ based on World Bank standards," Mr. Atienza said.

Mr. Atienza said copper production will rise four times from 216,000 dry metric tons (DMT) in 2007 to 830,000 DMT in 2008, while chromite would almost double from 37,000 DMT to 63,000 for the same period.

Gold production would increase twice from 1.2 million to 2.7 million ounces, while silver will shoot up six times from .89 million to 5 million ounces, he said.

He said direct nickel ore production is expected to slow down by about 20%, but nickel concentrate production will improve by almost 10 times with additional nickel processing plants coming on stream.

By 2011, the government also expects to have cobalt and zinc production of 4,500 MT and 20,000 MT, respectively. Ferronickel production is projected at 50,000 MT, while calcined nickel ore are at around 300,000 MT.

Mr. Atienza, however, clarified that the figures may vary according to plans of the mining projects.

Of the 63 priority projects, 10 are already in production, namely:

1. Palawan Nickel Project of Coral Bay/Sumitomo;
2. Rapu-Rapu Polymetallic Project of Lafayette Mining;
3. Canatuan Silver-Gold Project of TVI Philippines;
4. Sto. Tomas II Copper Expansion Project of Philex Mining Corp.;
5. Teresa Gold Project of Lepanto Mining Consolidated Co.;
6. Berong Nickel Project of Atlas Mining and Toledo Mining;
7. Masara Gold Project of Apex Mines;
8. CTP and PGMC Nickel Projects of Surigao Integrated Resources Corp.; and
9. PASAR Refinery Expansion.

Eight more projects are expected to go on stream within this year and early 2009, namely:

1. Carmen (Toledo) Copper Project;
2. Didipio Copper-Gold Project;
3. Palawan HPAL Nickel Project (Line 2);
4. Canatuan Base Metal Project; Filminera Masbate Gold Project;
5. Iligan Ferronickel Smelter Plant;
6. Manticao Ferronickel Smelter Plant; and
7. Phisaga Gold Project. www.bworldonline.com

flymordecai

April 12th, 2008, 03:08 AM

"The rise in production volume will expectedly raise the production value of the minerals industry, which is seen to reach over $10 billion, almost five times that of 2007’s $3 billion," he said.

:lol: "Almost five times", but it's not even almost four times.

dinabaw

April 21st, 2008, 07:19 AM

Regions
Home > Regions > Top Stories
Davao church gives nod to comprehensive Christian mining
04/20/2008 | 08:04 PM

MANILA, Philippines - The Davao City archdiocese is giving its nod to what it called "comprehensive Christian mining," but said this should not sacrifice the environment and welfare of the people.

Davao City Archdiocesan Indigenous Apostolate director Fr. Florencio Acedo Jr. said the Church also accepts the positive contribution of mining in the nation's development.

"We can advance development without destructing our environment. We can promote development without making our people suffer," said Acedo in a statement Sunday.

He said comprehensive Christian mining values call for environmental stewardship, saying man does not own the wealth of the Earth.

Acedo added that by employing comprehensive Christian mining, miners should first consider the safety of the people and the protection of environment.

"It is not about indiscriminate mining. It is more of responsible mining. Proper waste disposal must always be on top. We must not ruin the environment because we also consider the situation underlying mining," he said.

Records kept by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) revealed the Philippines to be among the worst countries with regard to tailings dam failures whereby the surface impoundments containing the toxic waste from the mining process failed with disastrous consequences for the local people and the environment.

"Let us not wait for Mother Earth to exact her vengeance to us because we have caused so much damage to the environment," Acedo said.

UNEP reported that since 1992, the Philippines has been pursuing an aggressive policy to revitalize the mining industry, potentially opening 30 percent of the country's land area to mining. Billions of dollars in investments have been promised and a total of 2,000 mining permit applications are pending.

Acedo appealed to large-scale miners to remember the "interconnectedness of the human person and the environment."

He also called on the government to stop allowing foreign groups to explore and exploit the wealth of the nation saying, "these foreigners have no sense of stewardship and they cared less about destructions in our environment."

"It is an open knowledge that the government has conducted mining road shows across the globe. The battle in the local level is very evident. The detrimental economic, environmental and social impact is widespread," he said.

Acedo also discouraged allowing mining in indigenous peoples' areas because there are still places in the country where there are no inhabitants and are good targets for mining.

"The reform of the mining application process has resulted to relaxing of environmental laws combined with attempts to undermine the legal protections afforded to indigenous peoples," said Acedo. - GMANews.TV

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/90525/Davao-church-gives-nod-to-comprehensive-Christian-mining

red_jasper

April 22nd, 2008, 03:47 AM

Philippine Mining Sector Undergoing Booming Period: Official (http://www.redorbit.com/news/business/1351014/philippine_mining_sector_undergoing_booming_period_official/)
Posted on: Monday, 21 April 2008, 09:00 CDT

MANILA, April 20 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine government said on Sunday the country's mining sector has the potential to grow five times to 10 billion U.S. dollars from now to 2011, the official Philippines News Agency reported.

The report quoted Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye as saying that there has been significant interest and investment from foreign mining companies since the country's Supreme Court opened mining sector to foreign investors in 2005.

Some of the world's biggest players in the mining sector, such as Xstrata, Anglo-American, and BHP Billiton are active players in the country's mining sector, he said.

In the last three years, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has reported 40 mining processing and exploration projects in the Philippines, with 23 other exploration projects coming up, according to the official.

These have generated investments totaling 1.4 billion U.S. dollars from 2004 to 2007. "We see potential additional investments of another 9 billion U.S. dollars by 2011 generated by these projects alone," he said.

DENR Secretary Joselito Atienza earlier said the bulk of the projected investments are expected to come in between 2008 and 2010 when the bigger, world-class mining investors progress to the construction and development stages, according to the report.

Copper production should rise four times from 216,000 dry tonnes in 2007 to 830,000 dry tonnes in 2008, while chromite would almost double from 37,000 dry tonnes to 63,000 dry tonnes for the same period, said Atienza.

On the other hand, gold output would double from 1.2 million to 2.7 million ounces, while silver will jump six times from 0.89 million ounces to 5 million ounces, said the report.

Direct nickel ore production is expected to slow down by about 20 percent but nickel concentrate production will improve by almost 10 times, with additional nickel processing plants coming on stream.

By 2011, cobalt and zinc production are expected to increase to 4,500 tonnes and 20,000 tonnes, respectively, while ferronickel production is projected at 50,000 tonnes and annual calcined nickel ore output would be around 300,000 tonnes, said the report.

dinabaw

April 22nd, 2008, 04:30 AM

Environment code rushed in Davao Oriental to safeguard mining »

Apr 22, 2008 | By glenrose | 0 Comments

By Mai Gevera

Davao City (22 April) — Davao Oriental governor Corazon Malanyaon is now rushing the finalization of the province’s environment code, seen to be need in allowing the mining industry to thrive in Davao Oriental.

During the Kapihan sa Kapitolyo held Thursday at the Governor’s Mansion, the official bared that she is now seriously instructing her composite team to work on the said code.

“This is needed to caution the impact of an active mining industry in the province,” she said. The provincial governor admitted that mineral resources like nickel, copper, chromite, manganese and gold are all the assets of Davao Oriental.

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) recently reported that out of the 80,000 tenements in the country, 30,000 of the total number are in Davao Oriental.

The province, she said, is so blessed to have these resources that the government cannot afford to simply disregard this particular industry.

However, what the province would rather embark on is to strengthen the regulation of mining activities in the province.

“We are now focusing on looking for ways to generate more revenues out of mining, regulate these activities, and most especially sustain the ecology,” Malanayaon explained.

The said official also brushed off talks that the province is now trying to project an image that excels in mining.

“We are not exerting much effort in promoting mining because it is one industry that you don’t have to promote it to the people. Instead, investors just arrive and they have seen themselves the potential in Davao Oriental,” she said.

Instead of attracting more people to benefit from the mineral-rich province, Malanyaon rather wanted to protect the values of the people.

“I don’t want to encourage the people to practice their quick-rich attitude. Instead, I want them to maximize land utilization and not just concentrate on mining activities,” she said. (PIA)

http://mindanao.p7107.com/davao/

-TC-

June 20th, 2008, 04:27 AM

http://www.bworld.com.ph/BW062008/content.php?id=004

Mining interest high, but where are the engineers?

AIZEL JOYCE A. CATIPAY
BusinessWorld
June 20, 2008

AT A TIME when the government expects an avalanche of mining investments, the country does not seem to be producing enough engineers to meet industry demand.

Noting a shortage, Richard Mills, head of a regional executive search firm, said education needed to be stepped up as the Philippines has a huge potential to become a mineral powerhouse.

A number of schools, meanwhile, are starting to look for ways to boost enrolment, noting the renewed interest in the local mining sector.

Last year, only 20 of 31 examinees passed the board exam for mining engineers, adding to the less than a hundred licensed engineers produced by the country in the past five years. The shortage is aggravated by an exodus to other mineral producers like South Africa and the United States.

In the article "Where to find the miners?" posted on his company’s website, Mr. Mills said the shortage was a serious problem for developing countries like the Philippines, where the number of mining firms overcome that of mining engineering graduates.

"The global engineering sector has a critical problem these days to find the people it needs ... and the crisis [seems to be] more pronounced in the mining segment of engineering because of the peculiar nature of the business," said Mr. Mills, who is chairman of executive search firm Chalre Associates.

He cited "the violent cyclical swings typical of mineral extraction" and "the sector’s less than flawless reputation at social responsibility" as primarily the reasons why young people are not lured into a career in mining.

Dr. Leslie Joy L. Diaz of the University of the Philippines College of Engineering said the number of enrollees in the school’s mining engineering program had "tripled this year compared with the previous years."

But even so, Ms. Diaz — likewise the head of the college’s Mining, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering department — admitted that graduates nationwide remained fewer than the labor requirements of the many mining companies mushrooming around the country.

Apart from UP, only a few universities in the Philippines offer mining engineering. Others include the Cebu Institute of Technology, Saint Louis University in Baguio, Adamson University, and the Mapua Institute of Technology, which was the first in the Philippines to offer the course.

Benito Shea, former chairman of Mapua’s Department of Mining, Geology and Ceramics Engineering, said enrollees this semester were bigger than in the past ten years when the average was only 10 students per year.
For the year, Mapua has 20 mining engineering and geology freshmen.

Saint Louis University reopened its mining engineering program only this year. The university has a total of 29 freshmen for the first semester.

A slump in the global mining industry had fostered the lack of interest in mining engineering, said Rufino B. Bomasang, a mining engineer and a member of the Board of Mining Engineering.

From 2004 to 2007, only $1.4 billion in mining investments entered the country. The government’s goal is to attract up to $10 billion in investments by 2011. The optimism has been bolstered by a Supreme Court decision allowing foreign ownership in the industry, although mining firms continue to contend with opposition from host communities and environmental activists.

Mines and Geosciences Bureau Director Horacio C. Ramos said his agency has also been hit by an exodus of geologists to private companies offering higher pay. Some 70 positions are vacant.

The bureau is appealing to higher-ups to exempt it from the government-wide plan to rationalize the state workforce, which prevents the hiring of more geologists.

Ms. Diaz said: "We are working on a plan of some sort, which aims to produce more graduates ... to offer a special program but details are still on the works."

Mapua, said Mr. Shea, was coordinating with people in the mining industry who were willing to fund scholarship programs for students.

venntro

June 20th, 2008, 10:03 AM

Reports: China looks into RP iron ore venture (http://http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=122404)

Agence France Presse

MANILA - China is looking into investing in an iron ore prospect in the southern Philippines, a venture that could involve billions of dollars in capital, officials and press reports said Friday.

The reports quoted Environment Secretary Joselito Atienza as saying state-owned China Metallurgical Group Corp. is in talks with indigenous communities at the prospect on the Zamboanga peninsula on Mindanao island.

If the prospect proves to be economically viable, the company would put up a processing plant with an initial investment of 1.5 billion dollars, Atienza reportedly said in the Philippine Star newspaper.

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau here said the company has yet to file an exploration permit.

Levy Teodoro, an official of the bureau's mining tenements division, told AFP the Philippines, which is largely known for gold, copper and nickel production, has largely undeveloped iron ore potential, including in Mindanao.

"The Philippines produced iron ore in the 1950s and the 1960s, but the operation became non-viable when metals prices tanked," Teodoro said.

With metals prices on the rebound, driven mainly by demand from China and the developing world, the Philippines is aggressively promoting mining investments to revive the sector.

venntro

June 20th, 2008, 10:11 AM

China group plans to invest $10B in RP metals sector (http://http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Business&p=49&type=2&sec=27)
By Marianne V. Go
Friday, June 20, 2008

The China Metallurgical Group Corp. (MCC) plans to invest as much as $10 billion in the Philippines for an integrated iron ore mining and steel manufacturing operation, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Jose L. Atienza said yesterday.

In a press conference, Atienza said he had met recently with officials of MCC who informed him that they are set to file an application for an exploration permit to look for iron ore deposits in Zamboanga del Sur.

If tests prove the existence of substantial iron ore deposits, Atienza said the company plans to invest $1.5 billion initially to put up a steel manufacturing plant and eventually raise the amount to as much as $10 billion.

Iron ore is one mineral that a lot of countries are looking for.

Aside from China, Atienza said, India is also looking for iron ore deposits.

India’s Mittal Group, in fact, already has a steel manufacturing operation in the country. The Mittal Group, through its Ispat subsidiary, acquired the former National Steel Corp. in Iligan, Davao.

NSC is now known as Global Steel, Inc.

Atienza said the Mittal Group has also expressed interest in doing a backward integration by going into iron ore mining to supply its already existing steel manufacturing operation.

MCC is mainly engaged in EPC business (engineering, procurement and construction), natural resources exploitation, paper making, equipment fabrication, real estate development and provision of the related services.

MCC describes itself as a major driving force behind the growth of China’s steel industry, and is reportedly a reputable contractor of a number of key projects in China and abroad.

The company is a leading investor licensed by China’s government in natural resources exploitation businesses. MCC has to date invested as much as $1 billion in mining resources abroad, and owns many production facilities and claims of resources including iron ores, copper, gold, nickel, cobalt, zinc, lead and aluminum, etc.

MCC is one of the largest equipment manufacturers in China, registering revenues of over RMB18 billion in 2006. It is also the only central enterprise that is authorized to run pulp-making and papermaking businesses in and outside of the country.

The company is also a key property developer claiming an increasingly recognized brand – MCC Real Estate. MCC owns total assets of RMB83 billion and has over 50,000 technical and managerial talents.

The company stood at numbers 22 and 35, respectively, in terms of total operating revenues and profitability on the central enterprises list in 2006.

venntro

June 20th, 2008, 10:30 AM

New $465-M bid for miner Indophil trumps Xstrata (http://http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=122383)

Reuters

SYDNEY - Australian-listed miner Indophil Resources NL said on Friday it had received a A$488 million ($465 million) bid that trumped a hostile offer from Xstrata Plc, and recommended shareholders take it.

The new offer, from a consortium of investment groups Crosby Capital Ltd and the Alsons Group as well as Indophil's chief executive, Richard Laufmann, pushed Indophil's stock up as much as 20 percent to A$1.39, its highest price ever.

Indophil, which co-owns a copper deposit in the Philippines with Xstrata, recommended its shareholders accept the offer unless a higher one comes along.

The consortium is offering A$1.28 cash per Indophil share. The offer is 28 percent, or $119 million higher than a A$1 a share offer made by Xstrata in May.

A spokeswoman for Xstrata declined immediate comment.

Xstrata has been one of the most acquisitive international mining houses buying copper, zinc and coal mines in Australia and nickel deposits in Canada and Africa as it builds up a diversified commodities powerhouse.

Xstrata already owns the majority of the rights to the Tampakan copper lode in the southern Philippines' Mindanao island, regarded as one of the richest in Southeast Asia.

Xstrata paid Indophil $41 million for a majority stake in the Tampakan deposit a year ago. Xstrata now has a 62.5 percent in the mine and management control, while Indophil has a 34.2 percent stake with a right to acquire a further 3.3 percent.

The deposit is estimated to contain 11.6 million tonnes of copper and 14.6 million ounces of gold, which geologists believe can be extracted at a fraction of today's copper and gold selling prices.

-TC-

August 8th, 2008, 02:58 PM

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/112447/Chinese-traders-pledge-6-B-projects-for-RP#

Chinese traders pledge $6-B projects for RP

GMANews.TV
August 8, 2008

Chinese businessmen have pledged to put up close to $6 billion worth of investments in mining, real estate, cement and call center industries in the Philippines, Malacañang said Friday.

The investment commitments were made during separate calls of Chinese businessmen representing the Fujian Longlin Group Co. Ltd., Sunshine 100, Wei-Wei Group, and the Shimao Group.

The President's first received Fujian chief executive officer (CEO) Yujian Xu, who said their company is prepared to invest $275 million in a cement plant which they hope to start construction in 2009 and start operation in 2010.

Sunshine 100 International chairman Lucio Tai Yen and Alfonso Sy of the Philippines Sunshine 100 Pioneer followed this with the announcement of their plan to put in up to $5 billion in real estate projects that would run for five to seven years.

Sunshine 100, which is behind some real estate projects on Pioneer Street in Mandaluyong, had recently purchased a property in Valenzuela and in Rodriguez where they intend to put up a low-cost housing project and condominium units which they hope to sell at P200,000 to P250,000 per unit.

Sunshine was followed by officials of the Wei-Wei Group and its local counterpart in the Philippines Golden Harvest who pledged to put up a $100-million nickel processing plant in Masinloc in Zambales.

Arroyo said this, along with the $150-million nickel exploration and processing project in Botolan in Zambales by the Ni Hao Mineral Resources International Inc. and Geograce Resources Philippines Inc. of the Philippines and the Jiangxi Rare Earth and Rare Metals Tungsten Group Co. Ltd., of Nanchang in China, will "increase the nickel export o our country."

The said meetings were followed by Arroyo's attendance to the luncheon reception hosted by Chinese President Hu Jintao for world leaders attending the Olympics Opening Ceremonies at the Great Hall of the People, and her meeting with Hong Kong's Shimao Group which reiterated its plan to set up a hotel complex at The Fort.

Led by its chairman, Shimao Hui Wing Mao, the Shimao Group told the President they are investing $700 million in the hotel project in cooperation with Andrew Tan of Megaworld.

RonnieR

August 8th, 2008, 04:14 PM

wow, US$6B investments! impressive

-TC-

August 28th, 2008, 05:46 PM

http://www.bworld.com.ph/BW082908/content.php?id=051

Mining investments top $200M in 1st half

BusinessWorld
August 29, 2008

THE PHILIPPINE mining sector drew over $200 million in investments in the second quarter, a senior official said on Thursday, bringing the first-half figure to just about a third of the government’s target for the year.

Investments reached about $300 million in the six months to June, including the $68 million registered in the first quarter, Mines and Geosciences Bureau Director Horacio C. Ramos told reporters yesterday.

But Mr. Ramos said he was confident that investments by mining companies would reach $1 billion this year, higher than the initial target of $838 million, with investors expanding and preparing mine sites for next year.

"I wouldn’t say [the mining sector] is slowing down just because one mine is slowing down," Mr. Ramos said, referring to OceanaGold’s Didipio copper and gold project, where start of production was moved to the second half of 2009 while the Australian gold miner looks for a partner.

Manila hopes its mining sector, one of the world’s biggest and most profitable in the 1970s, will attract $10 billion in investments in the next three years. Mr. Ramos said investments had reached $1.8 billion, so far, since 2004, when the Supreme Court allowed foreign companies 100% ownership in local mining projects.

Legal uncertainties, disputes with local partners and opposition from the Catholic Church have made it difficult for foreign miners to do business in the Philippines.

The government has given financial and technical assistance agreements, which allows 100% foreign ownership of a mining project, to only two groups since 1995. — Reuters

red_jasper

September 27th, 2008, 04:08 AM

As RP mining booms, gov't losing experts to private firms (http://newsbreak.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5385&Itemid=88889066)
Written by Carmela Fonbuena
Friday, 26 September 2008

http://newsbreak.com.ph/images/stories/zoom/subject/mining/20080827_mining.jpg

The government is fast losing its mining experts to private companies that offer very lucrative salaries. This endangers the government’s crucial monitoring capacity at a time when mining activities—both legal and illegal—are proliferating because of soaring metal prices.

Data show that mining investments grew exponentially since the revitalization of the mining industry in 2004. From US$140 million in 2004, it grew almost five times to $605 million in 2007. Based on MGB’s projections, investments will shoot up to $1.8 billion in 2009 and to $4.1 billion in 2010.

Inversely, the staffing of the government’s Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) has been declining during the same period. The MGB is in charge of the administration and disposition of country’s mineral lands and mineral resources.

“Every month, we’re losing people. We have a shortage of experts because most of our people moved to private companies. They are paid three to four times higher than what they’re getting in government,” MGB’s chief geologist Antonio Apostol Jr. told abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak.

“We were thinking that they (foreign firms) will bring in their experts. But they hired the locals. Probably, it’s because the local experts are familiar with the local situation,” Apostol added.

icarusrising

October 9th, 2008, 11:13 AM

Aranetas set up mining firm (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/125135/Aranetas-set-up-mining-firm#)

Article posted October 06, 2008 - 12:15 AM
THE SECURITIES and Exchange Commission (SEC) has approved the incorporation of a mining firm, whose major shareholders include members of the Araneta clan.

The corporate watchdog approved the incorporation of Sunrise Coast Mining Corp., which has a P30-million capital stock divided into three million shares. A third of the company has been subscribed to, but only a fourth of this has been paid.

The company’s major shareholders include Janet Anne B. Araneta and Tristan L. Sintos, who hold 300,000 shares each, and EMIR Mineral Resources Corp. (EMRP), which has 299,999 shares.

A company representative who spoke on condition of anonymity told BusinessWorld Mariano V. Araneta, who owns a share of Sunrise Coast, owns EMRP. The Araneta cousins invested in the company on their own and not as representatives of the Araneta group, which has an interest in real estate development, leisure and the fast-food business, the representative said

While documents filed with the SEC showed the two Aranetas have a 20% stake in the firm, their holdings can go as high as 40%, the source said. He added that the P30-million capital is only for the exploration stage of the venture.

He said Sunrise Coast would infuse more capital once the firm gets clearance from concerned agencies, adding that the group has the cash to fund operations and would no longer have to raise capital through equity or debt.

Sunrise Coast hopes to extract chromite, manganese, copper and gold from four sites in Northern Luzon, Eastern Visayas and the CARAGA region. The official said they had assessed the amount of deposits at the sites, but declined to provide figures.

Sunrise Coast wants to start explorations this month, but the source said they have yet to obtain permits from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau and acquire the claims for the sites. The officials said the firm is in talks with two foreign firms, but declined to identify these, saying the talks were in their initial stages, and that the regulatory process becomes more stringent when foreign firms are involved. — Don Gil K. Carreon, BusinessWorld

RonnieR

October 13th, 2008, 08:17 AM

Mining to remain a bright spot in RP economy
By Marianne V. Go
Monday, October 13, 2008

The Philippine mining sector is expected to remain a bright spot for investments and economic activity despite the current financial turmoil resulting from the US subprime meltdown.

This optimism was expressed by Australian Trade Minister Simon Crean and Chamber of Mines of the Philippines president Benjamin Philip Romualdez.

In separate interviews with The STAR, Crean and Romualdez expressed continued optimism for the mineral sector as growth is still expected, albeit slower, for economic powerhouse China, India and the Middle East.

Crean, citing projections from the International Monetary Fund, foresees continued growth for China and some ASEAN countries such as Malaysia.

For China, Crean said, that growth is expected to be around nine percent to 9.5 percent, while for Malaysia, it would be around 4.5 percent to five percent, slightly lower than the projected seven-percent growth.

“There will still be strong growth that will demand resources,” Crean pointed out.

Romualdez, likewise, projected a much needed and even desired cooling down of the Chinese economy from its double digit growth to a more comfortable eight percent to nine percent this year and perhaps down to six percent to seven percent in 2009.

“That is still strong, robust growth,” Romualdez stressed, with China, thus, continuing to invest in infrastructure which would, in turn, require continued production of base metals.

Furthermore, Romualdez added, India and the new players in the Middle East continue to invest in infrastructure.

“They will pick up the slack left by the US and Europe given their current financial difficulties,” Romualdez assured.

The Philippines, then Romualdez said, would be “well positioned” with its mineral resources.

However, Crean, for his part, reiterated the need for the Philippines to address the concerns of investors in the mining sector, particularly in the granting and processing of mining licenses and permits, as well as the distribution of royalties and dividends to the local governments where the mining activities are located.

According to Crean, “there are opportunities, if we get the process right.”

The timing, thus, of the five-day 9th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Minerals (ASOMM) and 2nd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Minerals (AMMin) and other related meetings hosted by the Philippines from October 13 to 17 at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel in Manila, Romualdez said, would enable the mining sector to assess the effect of the current financial turmoil and plan a future for the mineral sector.

The five-day meet is aimed at drawing up regional policies that will promote regional cooperation among ASEAN member countries and develop the ASEAN mineral sector as an engine for economic growth and social progress.

To be held also on the same date and venue is the five-day mining conference of the private-sector-led ASEAN Federation of Mining Associations (AFMA).

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Jose L. Atienza said the events, the biggest mining activities in the country this year, are significant in shaping up the immediate and long-term future of the minerals industry for the region to be able to cope with the effects of the financial crisis in the United States and other parts of Europe.

The meeting is expected to both enhance trade and investments in the ASEAN mineral sector, as well as promote environmentally sound and socially responsible mineral development practices in the management and utilization of mineral resources.

The ASEAN countries include the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Vietnam, and Myanmar.

A consultative meeting on minerals cooperation with the ASEAN+3 nations (China, Korea and Japan) will also be held. The three nations are the major consumers and investors in mining in the region.

RonnieR

October 15th, 2008, 05:35 AM

Sumitomo considers US$1.7 billion nickel processing plant in Philippines

Sumitomo is considering building a US$1.7 billion nickel processing plant in the Philippines
Japan`s Sumitomo Metal Mining Co is considering building a US$1.7 billion nickel processing plant in the southern Philippines, despite global financial market turmoil, company officials said.
If approved, the high pressure acid leaching plant in the province of Surigao del Norte, with a capacity of 30,000t of contained nickel per year, will be one of the biggest foreign investments in the Philippines.
"At the moment our costing shows US$1.7 billion for the 30,000t," Takanori Fujimura, president of Sumitomo`s local unit Coral Bay Nickel Corp, said.
He added that the Japan Bank for International Co-operation could finance up to 70% of the investment.
The financial crisis has made it much harder and costlier for companies to secure debt financing and driven the prices of commodities including metals sharply lower.
Gerard Brimo, president and chief executive of Nickel Asia Corp, which hopes to take a 20-30% stake in the project, said the plant will use ore from the Taganito mine.
"We are expecting that Sumitomo will shortly give the go-ahead for the project in spite of the difficult conditions we are experiencing," he said.
"We are waiting for an announcement from them that I hope will come by the end of October."
Sumitomo is also doubling capacity at another nickel processing plant on the western island of Palawan to 20,000t/y of contained nickel, Mr Brimo added. Nickel Asia is also a partner in this project.
"These two plants will supply 7% of the world`s nickel output."

RonnieR

October 15th, 2008, 08:34 AM

Canadian firm eyes $500-M nickel plant
Reuters
First Posted 12:02:00 10/15/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- A wholly-owned unit of Canada's Mindoro Resources Ltd. is considering building a $500-million nickel processing plant in the southern Philippines, the CEO of the company said Wednesday.

"The capital cost is going to be at least $500 million," said Tony Climie, CEO of MRL Gold Philippines.

He told reporters on the sidelines of a mining conference that construction of the plant, to be located in Surigao province, was likely to begin in 2010.

The capacity of the plant is likely to be 7,500-10,000 tons of contained nickel per year.

MRL could invite a partner into the project, and a Chinese steel mill was a possibility, but no decision had been taken, Climie said.

"For a project of this kind of scale, we think it makes sense to be involved with the end-user and have it come in and provide financial backing," he said.

Nickel ore for the plant would come from Mindoro's Agata mine, also in Surigao, he added. The estimate for indicated resources at the mine was 4.4 million wet metric tons of ore with a grade of 1.25 percent nickel, he said.

jpdm

October 15th, 2008, 10:59 AM

Weina

October 16th, 2008, 08:36 AM

More foreign miners eye RP investments despite credit crunch (http://www.bworldonline.com/BW101608/content.php?id=041)

FIVE MORE foreign miners may put up at least $5.4 billion in combined mining investments here, while another is expected to resume production at another plant, despite a US-led financial crisis that will make it difficult for many companies to raise funds.
Miner
BW File Photo

China Metallurgical Construction Group Corp. (MCC) is considering investing at least $1.5 billion for an integrated steel plant in Zamboanga del Sur, and is also looking at potential mining sites, Environment Secretary Jose L. Atienza, Jr. said yesterday.

A wholly owned unit of Canada’s Mindoro Resources Ltd. might also build a $500-million nickel processing plant in Surigao province, the chief executive officer of the company told reporters on the sidelines of a mining conference in Pasay City.

Meanwhile, the government will likely allow operations to resume at the South Korean-owned Rapu Rapu copper and zinc mine this week, Mr. Atienza said.

"We’re inviting the big players so they could go into building processing plants rather than go into just mere extraction of minerals," he pointed out.

The Philippines, which sits on top of an estimated $1 trillion worth of unexplored copper, gold and nickel deposits, is trying to attract foreign investors into its mining sector, one of the world’s largest and most profitable in the 1970s.

But the global financial crisis has made it difficult for many companies to raise funds.

The government had to push back its target of drawing $10 billion in mining investments by one year to 2012, from $1.7 billion so far since 2004, when the Supreme Court cleared a law allowing foreign firms to fully own local mining projects.

Meanwhile, Oslo-listed Intex Resources ASA may borrow from banks, issue bonds or find an equity partner next year to fund a $3-billion nickel project in Mindoro province.

Australia and London-listed Rusina Mining N.L. also expects to finish feasibility studies of its nickel mine in Zambales this month and start investing $400 million for the development stage at the end of 2009.

Likewise, Filminera Resources Corp. and Nigerian partner CGA Mining Ltd. target to start operations of its Masbate gold mine in the first quarter of next year.

Filminera has invested $200 million since 2007.

Mr. Atienza said he had met earlier this week with officials of MCC, a state-backed Chinese firm that specializes in developing mines and metal smelters, to discuss the steel project.

"They’re willing to invest $1.5 billion, and even more if they need to, for the integrated steel plant," he said in a telephone interview.

On Tuesday, Japan’s Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. Ltd said it might build a $1.7-billion nickel processing plant in Surigao del Norte in Mindanao.

Apart from processing iron ore, MCC is also interested in mining for copper and gold in the Philippines, Mr. Atienza said, adding that MCC officials were returning to Manila on Oct. 20 for further discussions.

MCC operates mines in Papua New Guinea, Pakistan and Argentina, among others. In July, Russian steelmaker Evraz Group joined forces with MCC to develop the Cape Lambert iron ore project in Western Australia.

Meanwhile, MRL Gold Philippines, a unit of Canadian Mindoro Resources Ltd., said it would start construction of the nickel processing plant in 2010.

"The capital cost is going to be at least $500 million," said CEO Tony Climie told reporters.

The plant is expected to produce 7,500 to 10,000 tons of contained nickel yearly.

MRL Gold could invite a partner into the project, and a Chinese steel mill was a possibility, but no decision had been taken, Mr. Climie said.

"For a project of this kind of scale, we think it makes sense to be involved with the end-user and have it come in and provide financial backing," he added.

Nickel ore for the plant would come from Mindoro’s Agata mine, also in Surigao, he said. The mine is estimated to have 4.4 million wet metric tons of ore with a grade of 1.25% nickel, he added.

Rapu Rapu to reopen

Meanwhile, Korea Resources, Inc. and LG International Corp. are expected to resume operations of its Rapu Rapu mine in Albay province this week, Mr. Atienza said.

The Korean firms, which raised their stake in the Rapu Rapu project by buying out Australia’s Lafayette Mining in April, have completed the environmental and other documentary requirements to restart the project.

"Within the week, they will get their papers... They have already complied with the initial conditionalities," Mr. Atienza said

The government is waiting for an endorsement from the governor of Albay province, where the mine is located, before releasing the permit.

The Korean firms own 70% of the mine, and the rest belongs to Malaysia Smelting Corp Bhd.

Once the permit is released, mining operations "can start as soon as possible," said Horacio Ramos, head of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Environment department.

The Rapu Rapu mine, the first fully foreign-owned mine to open in the country after the Supreme Court allowed foreigners up to 100% ownership of projects, was shut for more than a year after cyanide spills in 2005.

The disruption in operations pushed Lafayette’s parent group close to bankruptcy and tripped up foreign investment in the sector, with mining investments of around $300 million in the first half just a third of the government’s full-year goal.

Mining operations resumed in February last year, but had to be suspended again in November due to typhoon damage.

Once it resumes production, the Rapu Rapu mine is expected to generate yearly revenues of $350 million from yearly production of around 11,000 tons of copper and 13,000 tons of zinc. — main report by Reuters

RonnieR

October 17th, 2008, 04:16 AM

^^ Good, great job Sec. Atienza. He is really a man of action kahit na noong Mayor pa siya sa Manila.

Another related news.

Foreign investors upbeat on long-term prospects of ASEAN minerals sector
By Marianne V. Go
Friday, October 17, 2008

Foreign investors in the Philippines and ASEAN mining sector generally remain buoyant about the long-term prospects of the minerals sector, even as they await a clearer picture of the global financial situation.

This was the conclusion at the joint closure yesterday of the 8th Asia Pacific Mining Conference and Exhibit, the 9th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Minerals and the 2nd ASEAN Ministers Meeting on Minerals at the Sofitel, Philippine Plaza.

In their Manila Declaration, the ASEAN officials agreed to ensure continuous development and utilization of the mineral resources of the region which would serve as a safety net and shield from the current global financial and economic turmoil.

They also agreed to accelerate cooperation to work to harmonize their mineral policies, incentives and taxation, standardization of mineral resource information and adopt a systemized flow and exchange of resource and trade information.

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza reported that the ASEAN ministers all agreed that demand for mineral resources would continue to grow in spite of the current financial turmoil with projections of a five-pecent increase in demand.

In fact, following a dialogue with the ASEAN’s three major trading partners – China, Japan and Korea – Atienza reported, China already indicated its desire to invest in the production of mineral resources, particularly in processing plants.

China, Japan and Korea also agreed to shoulder all costs for the further training of ASEAN personnel in minerals development.

For his part, Benjamin Philip Romualdez, concurrent president of the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines and the ASEAN Federation of Mining Associations, cited the continued “buoyant” outlook of almost all participants of the three-day 8th APMCE.

However, Romualdez admitted, the financing outlook for the mining sector remains unclear at this point in time. Romualdez said the outlook is expected to be clearer by January next year when the US presidential election is over and there is a clearer picture of the financial market.

RonnieR

October 21st, 2008, 04:35 AM

Wellex Mining in talks with 2 Chinese firms
By Zinnia B. Dela Peña
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Wellex Mining, a unit of the Gatchalian-owned Wellex Group Inc., is in talks with two Chinese companies to jointly develop a portion of its Dinagat Island chromite mine site.

Located on the southern area of Leyte Gulf, Dinagat Island is known to have rich chromite and nickel deposits.

Weslie T. Gatchalian, president of Wellex Mining, said the two prospective Chinese investors are end-users with processing plants located in various provinces in China.

Gatchalian said talks include the establishment of a joint venture company in the Philippines to serve as the corporate vehicle for the proposed project.

He said the company is deadset on pursuing the development of its 2,400 hectare chromite property in Dinagat Island in spite of the sharp drop in the prices of industrial metals and other minerals.

Wellex Mining owns a total of 3,700 hectares in Dinagat Island. It has already blocked 350 hectares of chromatic area with a tonnage of 250,000 DMT of chromite ore (Cr2O3) averaging 50 percent. As part of its aggressive moves for the development of the area, simultaneous constructions at the facility are now being undertaken.

Ongoing activities within the site include building of roads, jetty, water source and other facility in preparation for large-scale chromite operation.

Gatchalian noted that “exploration results indicated superior quality of ores including the presence of gold in our area. Thus, we are continuing our efforts in identifying more highly mineralized area within the site.”

He said Wellex Mining continues to support the programs of the government particularly in reviving the mining industry.

While he declined to say how much the company was willing to invest in the development of its chromite mine site, funding would be sourced through internally-generated cash.

-TC-

October 27th, 2008, 03:41 AM

http://business.inquirer.net/money/breakingnews/view/20081026-168578/Mining-prospects-in-RP-attract-Hyundai

Mining prospects in RP attract Hyundai

By Amy R. Remo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
10/26/2008

THE PHILIPPINES CONTINUES to be a mining investment hotspot in the region as more foreign firms have expressed interest in developing the country’s mineral resources.

Just weeks after Manila hosted the Asean mining conference, another conglomerate, the South Korean Hyundai Group, is eyeing Philippine nickel and copper deposits, according to Mines and Geosciences Bureau Director Horacio Ramos.

The Hyundai conglomerate has interests in fields such as automotive, manufacturing, logistics service, finance and construction and development.

Ramos said in an interview that the group was keen on putting up an office in the country while shopping for mining investments.

No amount has been committed for exploration, however.

Over the last two months, Ramos has identified a number of Japanese mining firms that had expressed interest to mine in the Philippines.

Some had already set up representative offices in the country.

One of these firms is Mitsubishi Corp., Japan’s largest trading company, which is eyeing gold and copper mines in Central Luzon.

Another Japan-based firm interested in local minerals is Pacific Metals Co., Ltd., which is also looking for copper and gold deposits in Luzon.

According to Ramos, the company has yet to identify a local counterpart firm and target areas for exploration and production.

Pacific Metals is mainly engaged in the manufacture and sale of ferronickels.

Ramos said Pacific Metals has an office in the country even if it has not yet applied for an exploration permit.

The government also recently signed an agreement with nonprofit firm Japan Mining Engineering Center for International Cooperation (JMEC) for a mineral mapping project.

Meanwhile, Sydney-based SinoGold earlier expressed interest in investing in OceanaGold Corp.’s Didipio copper-gold project in Nueva Vizcaya.

Sino Gold currently operates the Jinfeng gold resource in southern China and is producing 5.3 million ounces of gold a year.

The government said that such interest from foreign firms would boost mining investments in the country to as much as $12.6 billion by 2013, the new target set by the government.

At this level, the government expects the local minerals industry’s contribution to exports to go over 6 percent, enough for the Philippines to be classified as a mining country by 2010.

RonnieR

November 7th, 2008, 08:04 AM

Mining industry eyes China and Dubai for investments

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 11/07/2008 12:39 PM

The Philippine mining industry is targeting China and Dubai for investments amid the slowdown in western markets due to the ongoing financial crisis.

Environment Secretary Lito Atienza said they hope to forge deals in a mining conference to be held in Beijing, China from November 10 to 13. He added a number of Dubai-based mining firms will also visit the Philippines this month to study their prospects.

Atienza said contractors in Dubai are interested in iron, copper and gold mining in light of massive construction works in the country. He noted Middle East countries have become big markets for metallic minerals which are used for making steel and other construction materials.

Atienza said the government is enticing foreign investors to put their money in mineral extraction as well as production and processing.

"Even for Middle East companies, we’re not interested in allowing them to just extract minerals," he remarked.

The government is expecting mining investments to hit $829 million by the end of the year, up by 25 percent from the $664 million in 2007 but below the full-year target of $1 billion. Investments for the first half already reached $260.6 million.

Mines and Geosciences Bureau director Horacio Ramos said the government expects mining investments in the second half of 2008 to reach $565.5 million, comprising capital poured into 40 projects, including Atlas Consolidated Mining's Carmen copper mine and Sumitomo Metal's expansion of its Rio Tuba nickel plant.

He added some of the planned investments that did not push through this year may be realized in 2009, thereby raising investments next year to around $2 billion.

RonnieR

November 20th, 2008, 05:55 AM

5 Chinese firms eye Philippine mining

By Amy R. Remo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 03:39:00 11/20/2008

Despite the global credit crunch, the Philippines attracted new and potential mining investments from China at the recently concluded China Mining Congress and Expo 2008, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Jose Atienza said.

Five Chinese mining firms expressed interest in investing in the Philippine mining industry and in establishing partnerships or joint ventures for existing projects, Atienza said in a phone interview.

He said the Philippine delegates received many inquiries from private investors regarding possible mining investments.

“We felt that there is a continuing interest in mining, particularly from China. Of course, there will be possible hedges in terms of financing due to the economic crisis—this is after all, a reality we all have to meet,” Atienza said.

In another interview, Mines and Geosciences Bureau Director Horacio Ramos identified one of the Chinese firms as Xjliu Mining Corp., which he said Xjliu was interested in the King-King copper-gold project of local firm Benguet Corp.

Benguet is looking for a partner for this project in the southern Philippines. It earlier said it needed to spend as much as $26 million to do a bankable feasibility study, which it said it aimed to finish in a year and a half.

Located in Pantukan town in the province of Compostela Valley, the 1,656-hectare King-King copper-gold project is held by Benguet under a Mineral Production Sharing Agreement with the government.

The copper and gold project is estimated to require a potential investment of at least $482 million and potential gross sales of $285 million annually, government documents show.

Another interested mining firm is Guolong Mining Corp., which wants to explore in the eastern region of Bicol for copper, gold and iron, Ramos said. He said Guolong was interested in an existing project of Philippine Iron Mines through a partnership.

The other interested Chinese companies were Hong Kong Sanche Resources Co., Asia Nickel Chromite Mining Corp. (for nickel and chromite), and Xantai Xinhai Mining Corp., Ramos said.

Apart from the five companies, Atienza said China Metallurgical Group Corp. was expected to submit a proposal within the month regarding its intent to explore for copper and gold. With editing by INQUIRER.net

Ph Man

January 3rd, 2009, 10:57 PM

Reports have it that mining activities will slow down this year. I'm especially interested with this industry because it directly affects my job in a lot of ways.

Some related news (please follow the links):

Toledo Mining lays off 90% of workforce (http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view/20081228-180357/Toledo-Mining-lays-off-90-of-workforce)
Cites drastic cut in nickel demand

Another outdated article, but still worth reading:

Anglo American plans exit strategy for Philippines venture (http://www.insidemining.co.za/forum/topic/show?id=2107558%3ATopic%3A3421)

-TC-

January 6th, 2009, 06:42 PM

http://www.bworld.com.ph/BW010709/content.php?id=052

2010 ‘mining country’ aspiration at risk

Neil Jerome C. Morales
BusinessWorld
January 7, 2009

THE BID to elevate the Philippines to "mining country status" — or a country with minerals accounting for at least 6% of total exports — by 2010 is threatened by declining domestic mineral production amid dampened metal prices, government and industry officials said.

"Low metal prices have affected [mineral] production, but we are hoping that it will be compensated by new operations," Horacio C. Ramos, director of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, said in a recent phone interview.

"The reduced price of nickel...discouraged miners from producing more. The cost of production is also high," he said.

Prices of nickel, which accounts for 23% of local mineral production value, had gone down by more than half to $9,700 per metric ton in mid-December from its June price and by almost two-thirds from a year earlier, data from the London Metal Exchange show.

In the nine months to September last year, local mineral production value dropped by a fifth to P50.95 billion from P64.91 billion in the same period in 2007 because of depressed nickel prices and high energy costs, data from the Mines bureau show.

Still, mineral exports for the three quarters accounted for 5.3% of total exports worth $2.06 billion, up from the 4.9%, or $1.83 billion, contribution year-on-year.

"We will have to watch [our target] because the global markets are so volatile," Benjamin Philip G. Romualdez, president of the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines, said in a separate phone interview.

Mineral exports will be negatively affected by lower production value this year, said Mr. Romualdez, who is also the president of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Federation of Mining Associations.

Mining industry’s contribution to total exports had steadily fallen to 1.8% in 2003 from 2% in the 90s, 13% in the 80s and 20% in the 70s due to the decline in international metal prices, weakening of the peso against the US dollar and depletion of existing ore reserves.

Mineral exports began to rise in 2004, when minerals shipped totalled $817 million from $638 million in the previous year, or 2.1% of total exports.

The country has eight operating gold mines with silver as byproduct, two copper mines with gold and silver as byproducts, 12 nickel mines, two chromite mines, a nickel processing plant, a polymetallic processing plant and various small-scale gold mining operations.

The Mines bureau is looking at three projects to drive more production this year, namely: start of operations of the $48.52-million Masbate gold project of Filminera Resources Corp. and the $76.39-million copper-gold project of Carmen Copper Corp. in Cebu, as well as the $62.47-million expansion of Apex Mining Co., Inc.’s Maco Mine in Compostela Valley.

Ph Man

January 6th, 2009, 06:58 PM

a gloomy year it will be then. i think our company has been hiring staff for our masbate operations. i am not very sure if it will be servicing Filminera for its gold project. my section (minerals) has been the major contributor of company's revenue for the last 2 months. let's see what happens in the next few months.

-TC-

January 7th, 2009, 03:23 AM

http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view/20090107-181857/Atlas-ships-copper-concentrate-to-China

Atlas ships copper concentrate to China

Reuters
First Posted 03:22:00 01/07/2009

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines' second-largest mining company, Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Cop., has made its first copper concentrate shipment to China at a whopping $7,600 per ton, more than double current prices, a company official said Tuesday.

The first consignment of 5,626 tons of copper concentrate was shipped to Qingdao port in China on Dec. 29 for processing as part of a supply deal with Swiss firm MRI Trading, said Martin Buckingham, Atlas chief financial officer.

"This is the first of several shipments," Buckingham told Reuters in a telephone interview.

Copper stood at $3,330 per ton on the London Metal Exchange Tuesday, having lost more than half of its value last year due to declining global demand and rising inventories.

Atlas signed a deal last August to supply 60,000 tons of copper concentrate to MRI by June 2009.

The first 30,000 tons of the 28.2-percent grade from Atlas' Toledo mine in central Philippines contain the equivalent of about 8,250 tons of the metal and would be sold at an average of $7,612.50 a ton, the company said.

It did not say if it had hedged the rest of the metal amount to be supplied.

Atlas subsidiary Carmen Copper Corp., which operates the Toledo mine in the province of Cebu south of Manila, expects to ship another 5,600 tons of copper concentrate before the end of January.

Operations at the Toledo mine, estimated to have deposits of 874 million tons of copper ore, with an average grade of 0.41 percent, resumed in July after a 14-year break due to a lack of funding to repair damage caused by typhoons.

Click on the link above for the full article.

RonnieR

January 8th, 2009, 11:47 AM

Reuters - 1 hour 11 minutes ago

MANILA, Jan 8 - The Philippines is hoping to attract up to $1 billion in investments into its mining sector this year after missing that same target in 2008, a senior official said on Thursday.

"We're looking at probably $800 million to $1 billion. I think that's reasonable," Horacio Ramos, head of the mines and geosciences bureau, told reporters.

Mining investments last year totaled around $630 million, about the same as 2007, as some miners, struggling to get credit amid the global financial gloom, opted to shelve their projects, said Ramos.

Ramos said he is still hopeful that investments into the mining sector, among the world's biggest and most lucrative in the 1970s, would reach between $10 billion and $13 billion by 2013.

The Southeast Asian nation has attracted almost $2 billion since 2004 when the Supreme Court cleared a law allowing foreigners to own 100 percent of large-scale mining projects. (Reporting by Manolo Serapio Jr.; Editing by Michael Urquhart)

bledzoe

January 9th, 2009, 04:53 AM

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4346:1-b-mining-investments-still-expected-in-2009&catid=23:topnews&Itemid=58

$1-B mining investments still expected in 2009

Written by Jesse Edep / Researcher
Thursday, 08 January 2009 23:11

THE Mining and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) is expecting the Philippines to draw in a hefty $800 million to $1 billion in mining investments this year, despite earlier fears that depressed demand owing to the global recession would hurt mining’s prospects for the year.

MGB Director Horacio Ramos said more projects are anticipated to come onstream this year, by way of explaining the still-bullish outlook. At present, the bureau is overseeing 60 mining projects.

“We are also trying our best to convince miners not to scale back projects as metal prices have slacked because of the global economic downturn,” said Ramos.

DMCI Mining Corp., for instance, has admitted it is experiencing low sales and is eyeing to halt its direct shipments overseas until metal prices settle. It operates a nickel mine site in Zambales in partnership with an Australian firm.

Ramos added that Xstrata Copper, one of the world’s leading diversified mining groups, has expressed an intention to continue to strengthen its production plans in the country, particularly in the southern Philippines.

Philip Romualdez, president of Chamber of Mines of the Philippines, believes the country continues to be a bright spot for mining investments amid the challenging global environment.

The industry is projected to generate $10 billion in investments by 2011. In a recent mining conference alone, there were over $7 billion worth of mining investments announced.

Metal demand from China and India, said Romualdez, would continue as these two neighboring countries maintain robust economic growth.

The chamber, which plans to invite foreign and domestic lenders in a forum later this month, hopes there will be no uncertainty in the financial market this year so companies can pursue more capital-raising activities.

bledzoe

January 10th, 2009, 01:16 AM

Exxon to drill oil well in 3rd qtr

By Abigail L. Ho
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 03:55:00 01/10/2009

American oil major Exxon Mobil Corp. is scheduled to start drilling activities in the Sandakan Basin in the Sulu Sea in the third or fourth quarter, a government official said.

Exxon has committed to spend $75-$99 million to drill a well at a depth of around 400 meters, Energy Undersecretary Ramon Allan Oca said.

The area is under Service Contract 56, in which Exxon has a 50-percent interest. The remaining 50-percent stake is held by Malaysia-based Mitra Energy Ltd.

SC 56 was originally awarded by the Department of Energy to a group composed of BHP Billiton Petroleum Pty Ltd., Amerada Hess, Unocal Sulu Ltd. and Sandakan Oil II.

Under the contract, signed in 2005, the group had committed to spend $43.85 million on oil and gas exploration and development over 8,620 hectares in the Sulu Sea.

Mitra took over the contract in January 2006, and Exxon entered on the same year. With editing by INQUIRER.net

-TC-

January 26th, 2009, 05:44 AM

http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view/20090125-185488/Rusina-bullish-on-Philippine-project

Rusina bullish on Philippine project
By Riza T. Olchondra
Philippine Daily Inquirer
01/25/2009

MANILA, Philippines--Australia-based mining firm Rusina Mining N.L.’s chief executive is optimistic that low-cost mining operations remain viable in the Philippines, including its nickel project in Zambales.

“The key to mining is low cost. That’s where the Philippines has an advantage—in quality, low-cost projects,” company CEO Robert G. Gregory said in an interview.

As for his company’s Acoje nickel project in Zambales, Gregory said it would likely be profitable despite tight credit conditions and low nickel prices at the moment.

For one, he said, the proprietary heap leach process—a mining process where nickel is chemically extracted from crushed and mined ores—by Rusina’s technology partner European Nickel PLC “is very cost-effective.”

Another positive sign for the project is that it would not need financing until around 2010, when global economic conditions are much better. Full production is targeted to start in 2012, when nickel prices are expected to have recovered.

“Most analysts put long-term nickel prices at between $6 to $7 per pound. It’s currently about $4 or $5 per pound,” he said.

In the meantime, Gregory said, the pre-feasibility study for Acoje was completed and it “showed a positive net value even with suppressed nickel prices.”

“We’re now proceeding with the full feasibility study. We expect that will be finished by the end of 2009. It should be very positive,” he said.

Strategic partner European Nickel PLC will spend $10 million for the full feasibility study, Gregory said. Acoje’s total development cost was estimated at $498 million, including infrastructure and working capital.

Of the $498 million in total development cost, 70 percent will be spent in the Philippines.

Rusina Mining said the potential development and commercial mining operation at Acoje would have a positive economic impact on Zambales and the surrounding areas since about half of the construction costs would be spent within the area.

The prefeasibility study found that the Acoje nickel project in Zambales has a deposit of 34.4 million metric tons of nickel ore, with 1.09 percent nickel grade. The mine can produce 24,000 metric tons of nickel ore daily for a decade.

venntro

February 4th, 2009, 08:14 AM

Billiton can buy out Philippine nickel mine partner (http://http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/02/03/09/billiton-can-buy-out-philippine-nickel-mine-partner)
Reuters | 02/03/2009 6:48 PM

BHP Billiton Ltd/Plc can buy out its local partner in a Philippine nickel mine if both firms fail to settle a dispute that has stalled the $2 billion venture, a top government official said on Tuesday.

BHP, the world's biggest miner, has been in disagreement with unlisted Asiaticus Management Corp over when to start commercial production at the Pujada nickel site in the southern Mindanao region, a debate that has reached the courts.

"It is an option for one of them to buy the other out," Lito Atienza, the minister in charge of the mining sector, told Reuters in a telephone interview.

BHP could buy out Asiaticus' 60 percent stake in the project or Asiaticus, controlled by Filipino businessman Peter Tan, could purchase BHP's 40 percent interest, said Atienza.

But the first option is for both companies to resolve their disagreement.

"Both should come on the table with clear and clean intentions, that's what I'm asking from them," said Atienza.

The Philippine group has accused the Anglo-Australian miner of moving too slowly in developing Pujada, estimated to have 200 million tonnes of nickel ore reserves with 1.3 percent nickel.

Asiaticus had cancelled its joint venture agreement with BHP due to the dispute. In May 2008, the local firm obtained a ruling from a Philippine court barring BHP from the Pujada site, prompting the foreign miner to halt exploration activities.

BHP sought help from a Singapore arbitration panel, which in December upheld the validity of the joint venture. The ruling thus voided the restraining order issued by a Philippine court.

Atienza said he had met with Tan after the Singapore court ruling was released and would soon meet with BHP executives to convince both parties to proceed with the project.

BHP has remained silent on the issue while Tan was not immediately available for comment.

"Now that Atienza has acknowledged the legitimacy of the binding Singapore arbitration court ruling, it will be interesting to see if the Arroyo administration actually steps up and enforces it," said Peter Troilo, director for business intelligence at risk consultancy Pacific Strategies and Assessments.

"There is typically a major disconnect between government proclamations and actions in the Philippines," Trolio said.

BHP has committed to invest up to $2 billion in the mine, including a nickel processing plant, and has spent about $3 million so far on exploration, according to government data.

venntro

February 10th, 2009, 06:24 AM

Philex delivers P745-m worth of metals (http://http://www.gmanews.tv/story/148078/Philex-delivers-P745-m-worth-of-metals)
02/10/2009 | 11:55 AM

MANILA, Philippines- Listed Philex Mining Corp., the country's largest miner, on Tuesday announced that it shipped P745-million worth of metals in January.

In a disclosure, Philex said its Banget facilities treated 752,261 dry metric tons of disseminated copper/gold.

The facilities produced about 1.5 million kilos of copper, 377,400 grams of gold, and 367,562 grams of silver.

Last month Philex reported that it delivered P800-million worth of precious metals in December.

As of late trading, Philex shares were trading 2.1053-percent lower to P4.65 each. GMANews.TV

venntro

February 10th, 2009, 07:28 AM

Atlas completes second shipment to China (http://http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/02/10/09/atlas-completes-second-shipment-china)
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 02/10/2009 1:18 PM

Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corp. has completed its second shipment of copper concentrates to China from its mine in Toledo City, Cebu.

The listed firm told the stock exchange that it shipped a total of 5,690.20 wet metric tons of copper concentrates, with a preliminary grade estimate of 28.73 percent copper, 2.66 gm/ton gold and 24.33 gm/ton silver to Qingdao, China.

The delivery was made last February 8 via MV Perseus.

According to Atlas, the shipment was part of the initial 60,000 metric tons of copper concentrates committed by subsidiary Carmen Copper Corp., which operates the Cebu mine, pursuant to an offtake agreement with MRI Trading AG. Roughly half of volume was hedged at an average price of $7,612.50 per metric ton of contained copper.

Carmen finished the initial phase of the rehabilitation of the Cebu copper mine and commenced ore processing in September 2008. The second phase of the rehab, which would ramp up the mine's output to 42,000 tons of copper ore per day, is proceeding according to plan, Atlas said.

venntro

February 11th, 2009, 02:27 AM

Apex Davao mining exploration yields 32,000 kg gold ore (http://http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/02/10/09/apex-davao-mining-exploration-yields-32000-kg-gold-ore)
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 02/10/2009 10:25 PM

Apex Mining said about 32,000 kilograms of ore with visible gold were discovered during the first week of exploration at a new vein in its mining project at Davao del Norte.

The company said information from this activity will form the basis of further exploration drilling and feasibility studies in its project in Maco town.

The listed company told regulators that it entered into a contract with a cooperative composed of villagers and local government units to explore the new vein system called Sagaysagay, which was discovered by locals last year.

"On the cooperative's first week of operation it gathered 800 bags at 40 kilograms per bag of ore," Apex said.

Sagaysagay contains ores with visible "free-gold" which is expected to result in higher gold recovery.

Apex said there had earlier been an influx of small-scale mining activities at the Sagaysagay vein system without consent from the company.

Apex said it decided to stop the illegal mining activities without antagonizing the locals by entering into a service contract with the local cooperative with members from the indigenous peoples and 15 barangays in Maco.

venntro

February 12th, 2009, 03:17 AM

Mining deal boosts November foreign investments by 68% (http://http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/02/10/09/rps-nov-net-fdi-68-year)
Reuters | 02/10/2009 5:49 PM

The Philippines received $232 million in net foreign direct investments (FDI) in November, 68 percent higher from a year earlier, boosted by the entry of Hong Kong's First Pacific Co Ltd. in a local mining firm, the central bank said on Tuesday.

But FDI inflows in the first 11 months of 2008 fell 41 percent to $1.65 billion from $2.79 billion in 2007 as a slowing global economy deterred new investments.

With the latest data, it seems unlikely the Southeast Asian country will hit the central bank's net FDI forecast of $2.6 billion, slightly lower from $2.7 billion in 2007.

The central bank has yet to give its 2009 FDI estimate.

The central bank said in a statement there was a near four-fold increase in foreign equity capital in November owing to First Pacific's $123 million purchase of a 20 percent stake in Philex Mining Corp, the Philippines' biggest miner.

Foreign equity capital posted a net inflow of $160 million in November against $43 million in the same month of 2007.

The other capital account, mainly loans by local units from their foreign parent firms, registered a net inflow of $52 million in November versus a net outflow of $20 million a year earlier.

FDIs, along with billions of dollars worth of remittances from Filipinos working abroad, are important sources of foreign exchange for the Philippines as they help keep the country's balance of payments in surplus.

venntro

February 13th, 2009, 02:50 AM

Atlas unit defers full-scale operations to second half (http://http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=439750&publicationSubCategoryId=66)
By Marianne V. Go Updated February 13, 2009 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - Atlas Consolidated and Mining Corp. subsidiary Berong Nickel Corp. has pushed back to the second half of this year the state of full-scale mining operations following its failure to increase its supply contract with BHP Billiton.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, BNC reported that negotiations to increase its sales volume to BHP to around one million tons per year were unsuccessful. The company said BHP agreed to procure only 400,000 tons of nickel laterite ore this year.

Half of this could be supplied from existing stockpile, making the need to start full scale mining operations not so urgent, BNC said.

The company’s production and shipping volumes for 2008 amounted to 476,850 tons, 53,000 tons less than in 2007. BNC said this was due to extreme wet weather conditions during the first half of 2008 and the depressed state of the Chinese laterite market last year.

BNC noted that the Chinese market for laterite ore declined in the fourth quarter of 2008 and is expected to remain depressed well into 2009.

However, BNC reported that its operating performance has been good and has even shown continued improvement quarter on quarter.

BNC pointed out that it is insulated from the Chinese market by its BHP/QNI ore supply contract, which covers up to 500,000 tons per annum of nickel laterite ore until 2013, with an option to extend the contract for another five years up to 2018.

The first shipment for BHP, BNC said, is scheduled for April 2009, with monthly shipments thereafter.

With more than enough stocks to meet the initial shipments to BHP, BNC said that all production activity at Berong has ceased for the time being, with a consequent significant reduction in manning and site costs.

BNC now has less than 50 people employed at its Berong mine site after having laid off 600 employees and contractual workers.

BNC explained that it was forced to do the lay offs for the long-term viability of its operations. It, however, continued to provide essential community services, including operation of the water treatment plant, a medical facility and supply of teachers and educational scholarships.

Animo

February 13th, 2009, 11:40 PM

http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/NA-AV889_PHILMI_G_20090212160632.jpg

A worker hammers gold ore inside a mine north of Manila.

http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/NA-AV893D_PhilM_NS_20090212221241.gif

By JAMES HOOKWAY (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123449556539081061.html?mod=googlenews_wsj)

MANILA -- The Philippines' ambition to become a world leader in mineral production isn't just running up against the global credit crunch. Mining in this Southeast Asian nation also is being hamstrung by the Roman Catholic Church.

Over the past few years, Bishop Arturo Bastes has spearheaded the church's campaign to shut down a gold and copper mine in Rapu-Rapu island, in the central Philippines. Bishop Bastes hounded the mine's Australian developers after a chemical spill at the site, and now is working on shutting down the new owners -- a consortium led by South Korean industrial giant LG International Corp.

In the process, Bishop Bastes -- with the support of the Catholic hierarchy in the Philippines -- risks thwarting a plan by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, herself a Catholic, to tap the Philippines' mineral wealth to lift the country out of poverty.

Bishop Bastes is following a tradition of Catholic clergy taking on mining, especially in Central America. Priests in Honduras, for instance, have protested open-pit mining techniques and mining-rights laws which they say grant too many benefits to foreign miners.

"It's written in the Bible," Bishop Bastes says, quoting the book of Numbers, chapter 35, verse 34: "Do not defile the land where you live and I dwell."

On paper, the Philippines -- like Honduras, a former Spanish colony -- should be a superpower in commodities. Industry analysts estimate it sits on the world's third-largest deposits of copper and harbors hefty reserves of gold, nickel and zinc.

The Philippines also is near China, which remains one of the world's biggest consumers of metals. Gold, although off its highs, rose 5.5% during 2008. That means mining in the Philippine remains economically viable, especially if the U.S. dollar and other currencies weaken and international investors look for an alternative store of wealth.

Many of the world's major mining companies have given the islands a miss, despite a Philippines Supreme Court ruling in 2004 allowing foreign companies to own 100% of their operations, up from 40%.

Regulatory problems are partly to blame. The fact that the Philippines is home to Communist and Muslim insurgencies doesn't help, either.

But industry leaders say the Church's opposition plays a bigger part in crimping the growth of mining in the Philippines. Benjamin Philip Romualdez, president of the Philippines Chamber of Mines, said at a mining forum this year that while Philippine-based banks are willing to lend to miners in the country, insurgent groups and Church-backed anti-mining activists had discouraged companies from setting foot there.

The Church plays a prominent role in the Philippines. The Spanish conquistadors enlisted friars to convert many local inhabitants to Catholicism after arriving in the sixteenth century. They used religion to govern this unwieldy archipelago and unite it into a single nation.

The Church's political role has resurfaced throughout the Philippines' history. In 1986, Church leaders urged Filipinos to take to the streets of Manila to support a military coup against dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

In recent years, Church officials have stirred protests against other mining projects, including the Tamapakan site in the southern Philippines led by Xstrata Copper, a division of Xstrata PLC, and Australian firm OceanaGold Corp.'s planned gold and copper mine in Nueva Vizcaya, north of Manila. Both companies say their operations follow environmental safeguards.

When the Church began campaigning against mining in the 1980s, more than 50 mines operated in the Philippines, contributing a fifth of the country's exports. The number of mines declined to 12 in 2003 as opposition increased.

Environmentalists and activists such as Jaybee Garganera, of the Philippines' Anti-Mining Alliance, credit Bishop Bastes and other Church leaders for turning mining into a mainstream issue. "It's debatable whether we would have gained the same traction without the Church," Ms. Garganera says.

The Rapu-Rapu mine was supposed to illustrate the Philippines' new pro-mining policy. But the Australian founder of the project, Lafayette Mining Ltd., felt the brunt of Bishop Bastes's force when it began operations in 2005.

"Our project became politicized very quickly," says David Baker, who took over the reins at Lafayette in 2006 after a chemical spill at the site hardened anti-mining activists' resolve.

That accident, which killed thousands of fish, enabled Bishop Bastes and his colleagues to successfully campaign for the Philippine government to order the mine closed.

Lafayette sold the mine last year to a South Korean and Malaysian consortium headed by LG International. LG said last year it was buying into the project because it was convinced of the economic value of the mine, which contains ore with high gold content. The mine resumed operating in October after the new owners renewed pledges to abide by environmental regulations. Officials of the consortium didn't respond to requests for comment.

Bishop Bastes and his allies have marched on the South Korean embassy in Manila to protest the resumption of mining and are tapping environmental experts to expose the dangers of chemicals leeching from the project.

"Mining is the cause of all the trouble," Bishop Bastes says. "God created the world for people to enjoy, not for miners to destroy."

Write to James Hookway at james.hookway@awsj.com

Ph Man

February 14th, 2009, 02:08 AM

I do hope this bishop is not wearing any gold jewellery with him, no copper wirings in his church, no zinc-alloyed brass wares....If he'd say no, I'll join him in this cause.

le Reine

February 15th, 2009, 03:41 PM

http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/NA-AV889_PHILMI_G_20090212160632.jpg

"Mining is the cause of all the trouble," Bishop Bastes says. "God created the world for people to enjoy, not for miners to destroy."

Write to James Hookway at james.hookway@awsj.comIrritating! Irritating indeed. So what's their solution then? I would understand if this bishop and other anti-mining groups' concern is about the safety of mining or its benefits to society. But OPPOSING mining just for the sake of opposing it seems insane. It's is IMPOSSIBLE not to have mining. How simple could that be? I wish they would start using coconut husks instead of gold or silver plated cups, strip the icons of their gold, silver and ivory embellishments and sell them all to feed the poor, and stop building their majestic cathedrals using concrete and hardwood but instead use native materials, so that they'll save trees and prevent quarrying. If they do that, then their cause would make a lot of sense.

Animo

February 15th, 2009, 08:44 PM

^^ A bunch of old buffoons really!

venntro

February 18th, 2009, 03:49 AM

B]DOE to auction 20 coal exploration contracts (http://http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=441210&publicationSubCategoryId=66)[/B]
Updated February 18, 2009 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Energy (DOE) plans to put on the auction block this year at least 20 coal exploration areas around the country.

Energy Undersecretary Ramon Oca told reporters that the DOE is currently putting the final touches to the guidelines on the bidding process for the coal operating contracts (COCs).

“We’re preparing for the contracting round. We’re starting with coal. Immediately after the guidelines are served, we will publish it and that takes 15 days so the actual launch would be March,” Oca said.

Aside from the coal contracts, Oca said they also expect to hold another set of bidding rounds for oil and gas exploration contracts.

He said they are optimistic they would also be able to bid out geothermal contracts within the next few months.

“Our target is to bid out coal, oil and gas and geothermal by the first half,” Oca said.

The DOE offered 14 areas for exploration, development and production of the country’s coal resources in 2006.

Included in the areas that were put on the auction block were Quezon, Negros Occidental, Cebu, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Sur, Davao Oriental and Zamboanga Sibugay.

It was only last year that the DOE awarded four COCs.

Those that bagged the coal contracts were IL Rey’c Coal Mining and Exploration Corp. in Danao City, Cebu (COC 149), Guidance Management Corp. for coal areas in Negros Oriental (COC 150 and 151) and COC 152 to PNOC-Exploration Corp. and Agusan Petroleum and Mining Corp. for Siay, Zamboanga Sibugay– Donnabelle Gatdula

RonnieR

February 18th, 2009, 06:32 AM

I do hope this bishop is not wearing any gold jewellery with him, no copper wirings in his church, no zinc-alloyed brass wares....If he'd say no, I'll join him in this cause.

Irritating! Irritating indeed. So what's their solution then? I would understand if this bishop and other anti-mining groups' concern is about the safety of mining or its benefits to society. But OPPOSING mining just for the sake of opposing it seems insane. It's is IMPOSSIBLE not to have mining. How simple could that be? I wish they would start using coconut husks instead of gold or silver plated cups, strip the icons of their gold, silver and ivory embellishments and sell them all to feed the poor, and stop building their majestic cathedrals using concrete and hardwood but instead use native materials, so that they'll save trees and prevent quarrying. If they do that, then their cause would make a lot of sense.

It really makes me wonder if these bishops are still in touch with the reailty.

I bet they use cars - the aluminum, chrome, steel are the finished products of this industry... they use spoon, fork, etc. etc. etc. a litany.... there is what we call responsible mining....they should be taught on this subject!

bledzoe

February 20th, 2009, 04:43 AM

http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view/20090220-189968/Foreign-mining-firms-seeking-prospects

Foreign mining firms seeking prospects

By Riza T. Olchondra
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:53:00 02/20/2009

Filed Under: Mining and quarrying, World Financial Crisis

Foreign investors are taking advantage of the global financial lull to scout for mining projects in the Philippines, an official of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) said Thursday.

Junior companies, contractors, suppliers and financiers from Australia, China, Korea and Japan have been visiting the country seeking investment leads, MGB Deputy Director Edwin Domingo said in an interview.

He said that a delegation from the Japan Mining Engineering Center, composed of government and industry representatives, were briefed on mining prospects last week.

Earlier this week, a delegation of mining companies and suppliers organized by the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade), the Australian government’s trade and investment development agency, also started scouting for investments.

“Yesterday morning, we met with about 30 Chinese investors at the DTI [Department of Trade and Industry] and in the evening we met with Korean investors in Manila,” Domingo said.

“It’s just a first scan, but it shows that they are interested in doing the small steps while there is a financial lull,” he said. “Anyway, it could take anywhere from two to 12 years before a project can go into production.”

Domingo said the activities indicated that companies had taken stock of their financial situation or had become more comfortable with their situations now than in September, when there was a lot of uncertainty in mining-related financing.

“Industry people say the global financial situation may start improving after a year or two,” he said. “By the time the market starts to pick up, investors that have done their homework and are ready to at least start construction will be in a good position.”

Domingo added that existing investors such as BHP Billiton and OceanaGold of Australia were still “moving” on their projects.

He said OceanaGold might announce by June its final decision on its $320-million Didipio gold and copper project in the northern province of Nueva Vizcaya.

Oceanagold has spent about $120 million and has not found a partner to help fund the remainder of the project cost, Domingo said.

“They are reviewing their position, so let’s see,” he said. “They might announce how much they want to scale back or if they find a partner, who knows, they might bring it back up to their original plan.”

MGB Director Horacio Ramos had said last month that “instead of having bigger operations, [OceanaGold] wants to cut back on their expenditures and lower their production level so that they can proceed with the project.”

The government has said it is revising its investment target of $600 million to $1 billion for mining in 2009 but has not made a final estimate.

The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines has said investments has potential to reach more than $1 billion as fast-growing economies like China drive up mineral demand in the second half. With editing by INQUIRER.net