DMCI Mining Corporation has spent PHP 168.3 million on rehabilitating the Berong nickel mine in Quezon, Palawan, from June 2022 to August 2026, with the six-year program on track for completion next year.
According to the Philippine News Agency, through its unit Berong Nickel Corporation (BNC), DMCI Mining has been implementing a Final Mine Rehabilitation and Decommissioning Plan since 2022.
The Berong mine covers a 288-hectare Mineral Production Sharing Agreement area, of which 137 hectares were previously used for mining operations while the remaining 151 hectares were left undisturbed.
To date, 100 hectares of the disturbed area have already been rehabilitated, with restoration work continuing across the remaining portions.
BNC has also planted 352,000 seedlings and produced more than 497,000 seedlings in its nurseries, exceeding its targets under the six-year rehabilitation program.
“We’re actually ahead of schedule. One of the things we’re doing is being very over-compliant there,” DMCI Mining President Tulsi Das Reyes said.
Reyes said the company continues to coordinate with the local government and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to ensure compliance with rehabilitation requirements.
“We want to make sure we do a fantastic job. This will be the first nickel mine site turned over to the government. So we want to excel,” he added.
The rehabilitation program is expected to be completed in 2027, after which the rehabilitated area will be formally turned over to the government.
DMCI Mining Vice President for Operations Ramon Briones said at least 150,000 more trees will be planted during the remaining rehabilitation period.
“We are still continuously going to be planting up to the end of the rehab period,” Briones said.
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Could the Berong rehabilitation become a benchmark for mine closure and site restoration in the Philippine nickel sector?
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