Thursday, March 06, 2008 LGUs restive about Tampakan mining
LAKE SEBU, South Cotabato -- Xstrata Copper-led Sagittarius Mines Inc. came under fire here after government officials tackled the project's looming impact to the environment and food security in the region.
South Cotabato Governor Daisy Avance Fuentes raised fears on the effects of the huge mining venture during the 9th Mindanao Super Region Interagency meeting last week attended by at least 50 leaders of various national government agencies.
Fuentes called for a conduct of a government-led technical study on the mining project to determine its effect on the river system and siltation that could pose problems to irrigation infrastructures serving at least three provinces.
"At least 200 hectares of our mountains would be damaged, but I don't know how deep will the excavation be [using open pit mining]. In three years time, Sagittarius will likely start digging the deposits but we [government] don't have a study on its effect," Fuentes said.
She feared that 10,000 to 20,000 hectares of farmlands might suffer from the environmental effects of the mining project, thus affecting the food security of the region.
Among the areas that Fuentes identified would suffer from the possible ill-effects of Sagittarius' Tampakan copper and gold project are Koronadal City, Tantangan in South Cotabato, Lutayan in Sultan Kudarat, and Buluan in Maguindanao.
The towns of Lutayan and Buluan are dependent on Lake Buluan where a thriving fish-cage venture on tilapia and bangus sparked economic activities for the townsfolk.
The watershed within the Tampakan project is also said to be one of the major sources of water for Lake Buluan. Officials in Buluan town earlier passed a resolution opposing the project of Sagittarius.
Fuentes said they did not ask Sagittarius to fund the study to avoid casting a doubt on the findings.
The study would cost between P3 million to P4 million, she added.
Carlos Salazar, representative of the National Irrigation Administration central office, said the mining venture would "cause siltation problems even if there's no study."
"The holding capacity of the mountains [for water] will be lost due to the destruction. Trees will be cut down [to give way for the development of the mines site]," he told the plenary.
Undersecretary Virgilio L. Leyretana Sr., chair of the Mindanao Economic and Development Council, also expressed fears of the project's "massive environmental effects".
Leyretana conceded it is essential to conduct technical study to abate the apprehension and establish measures that will address possible environmental problems.
He directed the regional National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) to discuss the matter with concerned government agencies such as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Sagittarius officials have repeatedly said they will conduct the mining activity in a "responsible manner" with environmental concerns as a major thrust. The firm has an ongoing technical study involving the environment.
The company is presently in a simultaneous extended pre-feasibility and feasibility study stage with Xstrata Copper as top investor and Australian firm Indophil Resources NL as junior partner.
Last December, Xstrata Copper released its first estimate that pegged resources at 2.2 billion tons, up to 10 percent from the last estimate declared in April 2006.
The measured resource totals 2.2 billion tons at a grade of 0.6 percent copper and 0.2 grams per ton gold and contains 12.8 million tons of copper and 15.2 million ounces of gold using a 0.3 percent copper cut-off grade, the company said in a statement.
The new mineral resource, which includes 24,700 meters of drilling conducted in 2007, also includes estimated average grades for molybdenum of 70 parts per million.
Previous estimates pegged resources at two billion tons, containing 11.6 million tons of copper and 14.6 million ounces of gold at a 0.3 percent copper cutoff grade.
