Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Mr Roy Cimatu signed Department Administrative Order No 2021-40 on December 23, lifting the four-year-old ban on the open-pit method of mining for copper, gold, silver, and complex ores in the country. The DENR said open-pit mining is a globally accepted method of mining and the most feasible option for mining near-surface or shallow ore deposits. It has been adopted by thousands of mining companies worldwide and can be operated in a safe manner in adherence to global standards. It can be rehabilitated in a manner that provides alternative and productive land use after the life of the mine. The DENR order covers all mining tenement holders that will adopt surface mining method and sets strict conditions and requirements for those that would use the open-pit method.While the mining industry sees the order as a boost to the sector and the country’s economic recovery, the environmental advocacy group Alyansa Tigil Mina called it a cruel Christmas gift and a truly ironic act of cowardice and betrayal from Cimatu and President Duterte.The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines said that as most mining applications had proposed the use of this method, the DENR’s decision would enable the industry to contribute more to the country’s economic recovery particularly from the ongoing pandemic though investment promotion, job creation and poverty alleviation.On the other hand, Alyansa Tigil Mina said “At this time when climate change brings devastating typhoons such as Odette, lifting the ban on open-pit mining is a shortsighted and misplaced development priority of the government. Once again, the Duterte regime puts more premium to its flawed economic agenda categorizing destructive mining as an essential industry as part of the pandemic recovery.”Enforced in 2017, the ban was one of the high-impact measures taken by the former Environment Secretary Ms Gina Lopez, who was known for her green advocacies before she was asked by President Duterte to join his Cabinet.The order also signals the possible revival of big-scale mining projects that were put on hold due to the open-pit mining ban. These include Sagittarius Mines Inc’s USD 5.9 billion Tampakan copper project in South Cotabato and St Augustine Gold and Copper Ltd’s USD 2 billion King-king copper-gold project in Compostela Valley.
Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Mr Roy Cimatu signed Department Administrative Order No 2021-40 on December 23, lifting the four-year-old ban on the open-pit method of mining for copper, gold, silver, and complex ores in the country. The DENR said open-pit mining is a globally accepted method of mining and the most feasible option for mining near-surface or shallow ore deposits. It has been adopted by thousands of mining companies worldwide and can be operated in a safe manner in adherence to global standards. It can be rehabilitated in a manner that provides alternative and productive land use after the life of the mine. The DENR order covers all mining tenement holders that will adopt surface mining method and sets strict conditions and requirements for those that would use the open-pit method.While the mining industry sees the order as a boost to the sector and the country’s economic recovery, the environmental advocacy group Alyansa Tigil Mina called it a cruel Christmas gift and a truly ironic act of cowardice and betrayal from Cimatu and President Duterte.The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines said that as most mining applications had proposed the use of this method, the DENR’s decision would enable the industry to contribute more to the country’s economic recovery particularly from the ongoing pandemic though investment promotion, job creation and poverty alleviation.On the other hand, Alyansa Tigil Mina said “At this time when climate change brings devastating typhoons such as Odette, lifting the ban on open-pit mining is a shortsighted and misplaced development priority of the government. Once again, the Duterte regime puts more premium to its flawed economic agenda categorizing destructive mining as an essential industry as part of the pandemic recovery.”Enforced in 2017, the ban was one of the high-impact measures taken by the former Environment Secretary Ms Gina Lopez, who was known for her green advocacies before she was asked by President Duterte to join his Cabinet.The order also signals the possible revival of big-scale mining projects that were put on hold due to the open-pit mining ban. These include Sagittarius Mines Inc’s USD 5.9 billion Tampakan copper project in South Cotabato and St Augustine Gold and Copper Ltd’s USD 2 billion King-king copper-gold project in Compostela Valley.
