The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) in the Davao Region has held in abeyance the Declaration of Mining Project Feasibility (DMPF) submitted by a foreign mining firm associated with the Nationwide Development Corporation (Nadecor).
MGB Regional Director Edilberto Arreza said MGB-11 has to set aside the DMPF of St. Augustine Gold and Copper Ltd. (SAGCL) due to some internal problems within the company.
He said each faction of SAGCL submitted its respective DMPF which puts MGB-11 in a quandary as to what document it should evaluate.
Pending the resolution of the internal problems, MGB-11 will continue to hold the DMPF of the mining firm, he said.
“I don’t want to be involved in whatever imbroglio within the mining firm, that’s why MGB decided to freeze the DMPF of SAGCL,” Arreza said.
He said with two DMPFs, it could not be ascertained as to which party is the legitimate one to transact business with MGB.
A DMPF refers to the competence of a mining firm and its ability to implement a mining project. The lapses which marked the submission of the document reflected poorly on the professionalism of the firm submitting, according to industry sources.
MGB-11 said the deficiencies of the foreign firm in its DMPF are as follows: no incorporation papers filed with the regional office; non-registration of SAGCL’s technical services agreement and onshore services with MGB’s Mining Tenement and Record Section; and failure to register SAGCL’s certificate authorizing the person submitting the documents.
