Lawmaker seeks update on closed mines
A PARTY- LIST lawmaker on Tuesday asked the Mines and Geosciences Bureau ( MGB) to update Congress on the state of all the abandoned large- scale mining sites in the country, which he said may still pose threats to people and the environment.
In a statement, Rep. Raymond Palatino of Kabataan party- list urged the MGB to provide a study on mining sites that have been shut down because of labor disputes, economic loss and negative impact on environment, as well as rejected mining applications during the last three decades.
There are some 21 abandoned or non-operating mines in the country, the lawmaker added.
In filing House Resolution 1905, Palatino cited the study conducted by the US- based environmental consultancy firm Tetra Tech EM Inc. in 2001, which identified the 21 abandoned mining sites as a threat to the environmental and the health of the surrounding population.
Tetra Tech EM Inc. identified the abandoned mining sites as Acoje Mining Company, Inc., Sta. Cruz, Zambales ; Barlo Mining Corp., Mabini, Pangasinan; Batong Buhay Gold Mines Inc., Pasil, Kalinga; Benguet Corp.– Antamok Mines, Itogon, Benguet; Benguet Consoli- dated Mining Corp., Itogon, Benguet; Benguet Corp.— Dizon Copper/ Gold Mines, San Marcelino, Zambales.
Also included were the Masinloc Chromite Mines—benguet Corp., Masinloc, Zambales; Benguet Exploration Mine,tuba, Benguet; Black Mountain Inc., Tuba, Benguet; Filminera Resources Corp. formerly Banahaw Mining and Development Corp., Rosario and Bunawan, Agusan del Sur; CDCP-BASAY Mine, Basay, Negros; Ino and Capayang Mines, Mogpog, Marinduque.
Other abandoned mining sites were the Heritage Mining Corp. Alamag Processing Group, Llorente, Eastern Samar; Hixbar Gold Mining, Rapu-rapu Island, Albay; Romblon Marble Mining, Romblon; Palawan Quicksilver Mines, Palawan; Philippine Iron Mines, Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte; Philippine Pyrite Corp., Bagacay, Samar; Silica Sand Mine, Palawan; Surigao Consolidated Mining Co. Inc., Siana and Mapawa, Surigao del Norte; United Paragon Mining Corp., Paracale, Camarines Norte; and Vulcan Mining Corp., Cordon, Isabela.
Lack of provisions
Palatino said that none of these mines was rehabilitated right after closure since government regula- tions during that time lacked the provisions to enforce remediation.
Republic Act No. 7942 or the Philippine Mining Act, which was enacted in 1995, provides guidelines on mine rehabilitation and decommissioning.
“The study shows that land and water in these sites are impacted with chemical contaminants, which may harm human health and the aquatic, terrestrial and wildlife. It also warned that the surrounding population and the receiving environment will be continuously exposed to both chemical and physical risks unless proper mitigation and corrective actions are undertaken,” Palatino said.
He said that MGB recently stated that it plans to take over old and abandoned mines, the value of which was initially placed at P88 billion, and declare them as state assets to exploit the high prices of metal in the world market.
The lawmaker added that efforts to rehabilitate the abandoned or non- operating mines should be in the framework of protecting the finite mineral resources from more plunder and depletion, and the health and safety of nearby communities.