DENR chief pushes to ban open-pit mining

by Madelaine B. Miraflor July 19, 2016

http://www.mb.com.ph/denr-chief-pushes-to-ban-open-pit-mining/

SURIGAO MINING—Continued open pit mining operations and its effects to the environment in the provinces of Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur, particularly in the boundary towns of Claver and Carrascal in both provinces, have already caused alarm and worrry to various groups in CARAGA. (Alexander D. Lopez, Manila Bulletin file photo)

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) chief Gina Lopez has expressed her animosity towards the “grossly unfair” Philippine Mining Act of 1995, indicating that the mining act should be overhauled in a way that it would no longer allow open-pit mining.

Passed into law in 1995, the Philippine Mining Act is the main legislation that governs all mining operations in the country. It includes measures to protect the environment and defines areas in which mining should be allowed.

Still unsure of what kind of amendments in the mining law she wants to push for, Lopez said firmly that aside from the pending revenue-sharing bill, which would give the government a higher mining revenue share, she would definitely work towards the ban of open-pit mining in the country.

The country’s mining law currently allows open-pit mining but Lopez is confident that she can turn the table around. Some time in 2010, Costa Rica became the first country in Latin America to ban open-pit metal mining.

“I am not in favor of open pit mining. It wrecks havoc in our islands.  The mining law MUST be revised. It is grossly unfair!” Lopez said in a text message.

Some of the companies in the country that employ the open pit mining method are Semirara, Oceana Gold, and Atlas Mining.

In 2010, the US$5.9 billion gold-copper Tampakan project in Mindanao has also been put on hold after the local government unit (LGU) of South Cotabato banned open-pit mining in the province.

It also forced Anglo-Swiss miner Glencore plc to exit the project, the biggest foreign divestment recorded in the Philippines.

“I will push for the the revenue sharing but I also don’t want open pit mining. [It destroys] small islands! It’s so bad! Our farmers take the risk while some business man earns a lot of money. It’s so wrong,” Lopez further said.

Then she reiterated that above all else, the government should have a bigger take on mining revenues, something that she’d been pushing for since day one as DENR chief.

“More money should go to the communities directly. As much more! And they should pay for all the minerals they get from our soil, some of which are precious not just the nickel, etc.,” Lopez said.