Semirara Mining and Power Corp. (SMPC) has submitted its proposal to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for increasing its total mine area from 1,200 to 1,630 hectares in Antique.
The proposal aims to improve seawater control measures and raise coal reserves, as reported in a Philippine Star article.
This will come from the expansion of the Narra Pit to 550 hectares and of the Molave Pit to 680 hectares.
The total mining complex will be 4,369.25 hectares from 3,369.25 hectares. This is still within the 13,000-hectare area approved under coal operating contract (COC) No. 5.
The expansion would address “widening of sea barrier for safer mining operation and better control of sea water seepage.”
SMPC expects to increase coal reserves by 34 million metric tons (MT) , with the addition coming from the Molave Pit and Narra Pit of around 22.5 million MT and 11.5 million MT respectively.
SMPC said the expansion would result in an estimated annual production cost of P24 billion once it is completed.
The company’s commercial operation of the Molave mine is expected to begin in 2023, while Narra mine by 2027 depending on coal release.
“These mining activities require a very dynamic drilling program and a vigorous exploration campaign not only to cope with the safety, geotechnical, and hydrogeological aspects of mining areas, but equally important is also to discover additional coal resources that would replenish mined-out reserves,” SMPC was quoted in a Philstar report.
SMPC closed down two mine sites before, which was the Unong Mine in the island and Panian Pit. The Unong Mine was closed in 2000 and now fully restored after 17 years.
Panian Pit was closed in October 2016 due to depletion of its mineable coal reserves. This is currently under rehabilitation.
The company’s total production is already at 14.5 million MT as of December last year. This is 12 percent higher than the previous year’s 12.9 million MT production.
Coal shipment increased by 26 percent, which is 14.6 million MT.
