PIA Press Release
Monday, January 09, 2012

No large-scale mining on landslide site- MGB

Engineer Edilberto Ariza, regional director of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau-XI said that contrary to allegations of large-scale mining activities in the area there are currently no large scale extractions in the site.

However Ariza said that pre-mining feasibility studies are being undertaken by large mining companies in the area.

Ariza said that 3,000 hectares in Napnapan has been awarded as a Mineral Products Sharing Agreement (MPSA) area to Napnapan Mining Corporation for the possible extraction of copper and gold deposits and about 1,500 hectares in barangay Kingking have been awarded as MPSA to Nationwide Development Corporation (NADECOR).

Nadecor has teamed up with St, Augustine Mining Corporation which in turn contracted Russell Mining Corporation to conduct preliminary study.

He said that MGB will only approve the actual operation of large-scale mining in the area if in the pre-feasibility study the companies can address several issues such as landslides.

Last January 5, a landslide struck a community made up of small-scale miners and their families in sitio Diat Uno which killed 32 people ( as of January 9 figures) with 38 still missing. The calamity was attributed to continuous heavy rainfall in the past few days prior to the rainfall.

The MGB has classified it as a danger zone, following the deadly landslide which occurred last year in the nearby hamlet of Panganason.

Ariza said that the local governments were still in the process of information dissemination particularly on the identified geo-hazards in the area and has not actually implemented proper rules in hazard areas such as enforcing No Habitation policies.

Ariza said that the “No Habitation policy” strictly prohibits the habitation of the miners and his families in geo-hazard areas. Only the miners are allowed in the area to work in the mines and are not allowed to live there. (PIA/RG Alama)