Mining firm asks other miners to follow env’t laws

The Cebu-based Carmen Copper Corp. vowed to continue to be a model for responsible mining, amid outrage about the destruction caused by some mining operations in the country.

“We urge fellow miners to comply with our laws. With compliance, we remove issues like the conflict between revenues and the environment. We can have revenues but at the same time protect the environment,” said Roy Deveraturda, Carmen Copper’s vice president for safety, health, environment and external affairs.

He admitted that many mining companies have not complied with environment laws, generating complaints from the public.

“Obeying our laws is not enough when it comes to government regulations and policies to protect the environment. Of course, there is something that we call responsible mining. Carmen Copper is moving forward as a model for responsible mining,” Deveraturda said.

Carmen Copper is one of the largest operating copper mine in the country engaged in metallic mining and mineral exploration development.

Located in Barangay Don Andres Soriano in Toledo City, Cebu, Carmen Copper is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corp.

The company passed the environmental audit of former environment secretary Gina Lopez, Deveraturda said.

The mining firm also bagged the Best Mining Forest award for metallic category of the Department for Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association.

In 2013 and 2014, DENR 7 awarded Carmen Copper with the Best National Greening Program Implementor in the region.

In 2015, DENR 7 conferred the Gawad Tugas award for Responsible Mining to Carmen Copper for its rehabilitation of more than 375 hectares of mining impact areas, identification of tree species suited for rehabilitation of mining dumped areas, donation of 217,077 seedlings to the community, generation of local employment opportunities, and for channeling portion of the Mine Rehabilitation Fund for the rehabilitation of mine impact areas.

In June 2017, Carmen Copper again received DENR 7’s Gawad Tugas. /