LIGTAS KAYA PARA SA KAPALIGIRAN? Alternatives to open-pit mining under analysis of DENR

Alternative ways of extracting minerals aside from open-pit mining are now under analysis of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

According to DENR Undersecretary Jonas Leones, the study of said alternative ways are ongoing. They aim to finish the study in the next six months and present the results to the stakeholders once it has been completed.

“Right now, open-pit is the only method to extract minerals. But we need to look for options and possible substitutes. It may be costly, but we need an alternative,” he said.

Open-pit mining is still widely accepted method for mining worldwide.

In the Philippines, however, open-pit mining is put under close monitoring after former DENR secretary Gina Lopez in April 2017 ordered halt to the mining practice just shortly before she was removed as the environmental agency head.

President Duterte gave a similar order to mining companies urging them to shape up despite recommendation to lift the open-pit ban by the Mining Industry Coordinating Council (MICC) in October 2017.

Supposedly, the three hanging open-pit mining projects of the Tampakan mine in South Cotabato, King-King in Compostela Valley, and Silangan mine in Surigao del Norte could potentially add PhP 303 billion to the national revenue and PhP 40.4 billion in local government revenue.

The Silangan mine of Philex Mining Corporation is already looking at the possibility of adapting underground mining in its operations.

Excessive and improper open-pit mining can cause erosion, sinkhole formation, biodiversity loss, and contamination of groundwater by chemicals.