Text and Photos by Henrylito D. Tacio
“If we never had mining in our lives, we would today remain in the Stone Age, neighbors of Fred and Wilma Flintstone in the town called Bedrock. Imagine what that would mean.” — Jose Bayani Baylon in a column which appeared in Pahayagang Malaya
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It happened in 2011 in the early morning of Good Friday in a small-scale mining community called Kingking in Pantukan, Compostela Valley. When a landslide, which was induced by heavy rains, occurred, eight people were killed and many were injured.
It was not the first time though. In 2009, a similar landslide struck the same barangay and nearby community, leaving 21 people dead, including children. But despite these events, people still continue mining the area.
The reason: Kingking has one of the largest underdeveloped copper-gold deposits in the world with a measured and indicated equivalent copper-gold resource of 791.5 metric tons, according to some news reports.
The Philippines is one of the world’s producers of metallic commodities. “The country was eyed as the mining country of the Pacific region by 2010,” said Dr. Antonio M. Daño, of Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
In a report released by the DENR’s Mining and Geo-Sciences Bureau (MGB) in 2012, the Philippines was ranked the fifth richest country in the world in terms of mineral resources. In terms of gold, the country ranks second and third in copper.
“When it comes to nickel, the country has the largest nickel reserves,” the MGB report claims. “This is the reason why, of the 35 metallic mines in the country, mostly are operating a nickel mining.”
In 2010, the Philippines became the third biggest producer of nickel ore, behind Russia and Indonesia, vaulting over Australia and Canada.
Dr. Daño, in a forum held in Kidapawan City recently, reported the country ranks second in the world’s source of chromite. “It is considered as one of the largest in the world,” he pointed out.
All in all, the country has an estimated $840 billion worth of untapped mineral wealth, according to MBG.
Mining: Legal Notes and Materials, published by the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center, Inc. and Kasama sa Kalikasan , defines mining as “the process of extracting minerals from the earth.”
“In Mining Engineering practice, mining is usually taken to mean the extraction of ores, coal or stone from the earth,” the book explains. “Ores are mineral deposits that can be worked at a profit under existing economic conditions. Stone includes industrial (usually non-metallic) minerals such as calcite (limestone), quartz and other similar products.”
Mining can be undertaken from the surface or underground. “In surface mining, the rock-breakage-materials handling cycle is usually done first to remove (or strip) the overburden (expose the ore body), and then actual physical extraction,” the book says.
Surface mining can be done either through mechanical extraction or the use of aqueous methods, which makes use of hydraulic action or solution attack. “The most common methods of surface (mechanical extraction) mining are open-pit, quarrying, open-cast and auger mining,” the book states.
Underground mining, on the other hand, can be undertaken through various methods including room-and-pillar, stoping and caving. “Caving methods are particularly distinct in that ‘caving,’ or the collapse of the ore body or the overlying rock is actually induced and controlled during operations,” the book says.
Wikipedia defines stoping as “the process of extracting the desired ore or other mineral from an underground mine, leaving behind an open space known as a stope.” Stoping is used when the country rock is sufficiently strong not to collapse into the stope, although in most cases artificial support is also provided.
Among the most common mining method practiced in the Philippines is open-pit because of relatively low cost. “Open-pit mining entails the removal of any overburden in order to expose the mineral deposit,” the book says. “This operation is dependent on the type of overburden. In cases where the overburden consists of highly consolidated rock, blasting is used.”
Open-pit mining may cheaper when compared to other methods, but it is not environmentally-sound. “Open-pit mining clears the vegetation covering the deposits, exposing the soil and permanently changing the landscape and land use,” Dr. Daño reminded.
In Davao City, Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte is very much against mining. In the last 20 years, no mining company has dared to enter the city because the city government’s has banned mineral extraction.
During his Sunday TV program entitled “Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa,” earlier this year, the mayor told prospective mining companies: “I am putting you on notice. I don’t want you here.”
On May 5, the City Council enacted the mining ban. “No approval shall be granted or issued by the city through its Sangguniang Panglungsod to any person, natural or juridical, to undertake any and all forms of mining operation in any area within the territorial jurisdiction of Davao City, except rocks and mineral substances classified under the quarry,” Section 5 of the Ordinance states.
Quarrying, which is a form of mining, is not included in the ban. It is the extraction of rocks, sand, gravel and other quarry resources. “We recognized the importance of these construction materials and the operation of companies, like Holcim, provides labor opportunities to our fellow Dabawenyos,” said Danilo C. Dayanghirang, the city councilor who was the proponent of the draft ordinance. (To be concluded)
