Perils of Tampakan copper-gold project in Mindanao

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Perils of Tampakan copper-gold project in Mindanao
By Jun Pasaylo Home Updated March 08, 2012 09:31 AM 0 comment to this
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(Last of 3 parts)

MANILA, Philippines – Besides the apparent indecision of the Aquino
administration over its mining policy, the proposed $6-billion
Tampakan Copper-Gold project also has to contend with unrelenting
opposition from various anti-mining advocates.

Sagittarius Mines Inc., the firm behind the proposed project, said
that if the mine were approved, it would be the single largest Foreign
Direct Investment (FDI) in the Philippines.

The project, the firm said, is expected to boost economic activities,
infrastructure developments, and employment opportunities in the far-
flung and poorest municipalities that host one of the biggest copper
and gold deposits in the world.

But this failed to impress several anti-mining advocates. Anti-mining
groups warned that the project would lead to environment degradation
and would pose danger to populations living in the low-lying areas of
the proposed mine site.

And the opposition has persisted even when majority of residents in
the host communities live below poverty line and all other socio-
economic indicators in the area remained among the worst in the
country.

Environment, cultural issues

"The main issue in the project is its destructive effect in the
environment," said environmental lawyer Luz Ramos of the SOCSKSARGEN
Climate Action Now (SCAN).

The group said the open-pit exploration project within the 10,000-
hectare area in the boundaries of Kiblawan town in Davao del Sur,
Columbio in Sultan Kudarat, Malungon in Sarangani and Tampakan in
South Cotabato would leave permanent damage to the environment.

Ramos also rejected claims by large mining firms that they adhere to
responsible mining.

"There is no such thing as responsible mining. Mining spells
destruction, ” she said. “Whatever (they) have to destroy [for their
mining operations], will remain destroyed..."

Ramos said the arsenic and sulphur elements that the mining activities
would unearth would leak out and contaminate the water in the area.

"More than that, the [already] endangered culture of the B'laan tribe
in the affected communities will eventually vanish because they will
be relocated and introduced to a new kind of life," added Ramos.

Likewise, the Diocese of Marbel, the leading campaigner against the
Tampakan Copper-Gold project, supported SCAN's position, saying that
wealth is not worth destroying the environment.

The Philippine Misereor Partnership Inc. (PMPI), a network of church-
based groups and non-government organizations, also rejected the
"responsible mining" claims by corporations such as SMI.

PMPI said responsible mining would be impossible because historical
records have shown that foreign-operated mineral extraction has led to
the gross disregard of free prior and informed consent of the
indigenous peoples, unchecked environmental crimes and disrespect for
the socio-economic, cultural and political rights of mining-affected
communities.

Fr. Edwin Gariguez, PMPI co-convenor and executive secretary of
Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines- National Secretariat
for Social Action, Justice and Peace (CBCP-NASSA), said there is a
need for greater accountability of mining corporations especially in
the area of corporate abuses.

Myrna Llanes, alternate point person of PMPI-Bicol, said they have
yet to see punishment imposed on the mining corporations responsible
for the Rapu-Rapu mining disaster in 2005 in Albay.

The Rapu-Rapu mine tailings dam bursts in 2005 and affected the source
of staple food and livelihood of residents in the area.

The Lafayette Mining Ltd. of Australia, which operated Rapu-Rapu
mines, declared bankruptcy and discontinued its operations three years
after the incident.

Potential economic driver

Lawyer Christian Monsod, an advocate of responsible mining, urged the
Aquino administration to consider the economic benefits of the mining
industry.

"I acknowledge that mining has potential in helping the economy,"
Monsod said in a media briefing in San Juan City, while noting that
the mining wealth in the country could amount as much as $840
billion.

"But take a look at all the mining applications. If we would continue
to mine all the minerals, we would be like the moon," Monsod said.

To prevent over-mining, Monsod proposed four conditions, including
profit-sharing arrangement between the government and the private
mining companies.

He said the government should also consider the environmental,social
and economic cost of those who will be affected by the operations.

"Monies from mining should be put in a trust fund to put up capital,
natural wealth, improvement of human resources and structure, and to
use it for those adversely affected by mining," Monsod added.

At present, Monsod said the mining industry only contributes less than
1 percent of the gross domestic product of the country.

But SMI believes that its copper-gold project in Tampakan would help
the economy, saying that the project could contribute an average of 1
percent in the country's GDP growth annually within its 20-year mine
life.

With its 15 million tonnes of copper and 17.9 million ounces of gold
deposits, the mining undertaking is considered as one of the largest
in the world.

Managing impacts

SMI also said it has exerted efforts to reduce the adverse
environmental impact of the open-pit mining program.
SMI workers conduct intensive study on flora and fauna in the Tampakan
mine site. (SMI Photo)

Anaclito Suelto Jr., an official of SMI who handles environmental
concerns, said the mining firm has already laid down its environmental
protection programs, including its post-mining programs, before its
target exploration in 2016. SMI has acquired interest in the project
in 2001.

Water flows, such as those that drain at Taplan River amd that are
intercepted both during and post-mining activities would be fully
compensated and would be restored to their pre-mining operation
condition.

"We have wastewater programs, water treatment plants that meet
international regulations," he said at a briefing.

Suelto said SMI would adhere to the highest international standard of
responsible mining, including respecting cultural practices and
traditions of the host communities.

SMI added that it has a 10-year post mining program to ensure that
the affected area would be restored. It also promised an
environmental guarantee fund should any accident occurred after the 20-
year mine life.

On its plan to manage the operation impact, SMI said all water that is
to be discharged from the mine area will be treated to ensure that low-
lying communities continue to receive water that is suitable for all
purposes.

SMI also has a reforestration project in the affected areas, and
currently hosts tree nursery facilities in the towns of Tampakan and
Kiblawan.

The firm said that over 70 percent of target mine site were heavily
logged and cleared through continuous slash-and-burn farming, which
serves as the main source of livelihood of the people in the area.

SMI is also planning to put up various infrastructires such as a
waste rock storage facility, waste rock and ore conveyors,
concentrator, fresh water dam, tailing storage facility, a coal-fired
power station, filter plant, concentrate pipelines, and a port in the
coastal town of Malalag in Davao del Sur.

But Ramos remains unconvinced. “You cannot cure water contaminated by
arsenic,” she said. “Remember, when nature calls, it will not wait for
you to listen. Nature will come rushing down trampling all those on
its way. Remember Sendong.” (With Keith Bacongco and Dennis Carcamo)

3 parts, click here

The deposits underneath the proposed Tampakan Copper-Gold Project in
Mindanao. (SMI Photo)


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