Amid the Marcos administration’s push for a clean energy shift, at least three nickel processing plants are eyed for the expansion of the nickel industry.
The move is to support the transition towards renewable energy and to add value to the country’s nickel resources.
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary Carlos Primo David said that despite having the existing largest nickel deposits situated in Zambales, Caraga Region, and Palawan, only Nickel Asia can cater their own deposit. Thus, an additional processing plant should be put up in Caraga Region, as well as in Zambales and Palawan.
The current nickel processing plants namely Coral Bay and Taganito High Pressure Acid Leach (HPAL) plants in Palawan and Surigao del Norte, are managed by the Nickel Asia Corp..
Since the Philippines is currently the third-largest trader of nickel and has the second-largest nickel deposit globally. The country strives to be a key player in the clean energy market in the world while supplying sustainable solutions to the pressing concern of climate change.
Through a grant from the US government, one mine located in Zambales is currently conducting research on a nickel processing plant.
David stated that the speedy implementation of these highly mineral-intensive ventures will significantly contribute to the increasing demand for strategic minerals including copper, chromium, and nickel.
DENR seeks to pursue government-led exploration targeting essential minerals to the RE transition, and at the same time, determine minerals and more mineralized areas like nickel and chromium.
Through the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), the government will push for the continuation of previously tapped areas that are pending or temporarily stopped, which will be possible through the implementation of a Department Administrative Order or Memorandum Circular.
Presently, the allocated budget for mineral exploration is only PHP 60 million, which was deemed inadequate to conduct large-scale exploration.
