Carmen Copper: Advocacy to go beyond compliance

Cebu-based Carmen Copper Corp. assured it will continue to go beyond compliance and carry on as a model for responsible mining amid outrage about the alleged 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, vice president for safety, health, environment and external affairs of Carmen Copper.

He, however, urged fellow miners to go beyond compliance.

“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,” he said.

The firm, which is located in Toledo City, Cebu bagged the Best Mining Forest award for metallic category of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association.

In 2013 and 2014, DENR 7 also 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 outstanding 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 rehabilitation of mine impact areas.

In June 2017, Carmen Copper also received DENR 7 Gawad Tugas for forest protection and management.