The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (COMP) urged the government to fight illegal small-scale mining (SSM) following a report of a landslide caused by Tropical Depression Amang in an illegal mining site in Agusan del Norte.
The said incident had four casualties and resulted in the disappearance of three small-scale miners in Mount Mahupaw in Agusan del Norte.
COMP expressed their belief that accidents like this can be prevented if only SSM activities together with their safety practices and environmental performance will be closely monitored by the government recognized Minahang Bayan.
Small-scale miners are authorized to conduct mining operation in common areas of Minahang Bayan in their localities.
COMP also detailed how illegal SSM operations stain the image people have toward the mining industry. This is due to the grouping of formal large-scale sector with unpermitted SSM which operates regardless the lack of safety and environmental standards which are required of legitimate large-scale mining operators.
As dictated by the law, small-scale miners are only allowed to mine three metallic minerals – gold, silver, and chromite.
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau estimated that unregulated SSM operations produce more than 60 percent of the gold mined in the country. All of which do not have government taxes.
