IRN (ASX) pending mining policy

Originally posted by apples ↑

PUBLISHED ON APRIL 18TH, 2012
‘Lift Tampakan open-pit mining ban’
Written by: Othel V. Campos

DAVAO DEL SUR —- Kiblawan Mayor Marivic Diamante and two fellow executives said the open-pit mining prohibition in South Cotabato spells certain doom unless lifted before irreversible damage is done to their economy.

“We are talking about an investment that promises to bring an economic push that we badly need; the open-pit ban puts everything in jeopardy,” she said.

Kiblawan is a second class municipality northeast of Tampakan which hosts the biggest copper-gold mine site in the Southeast Asia West Pacific Region.

Diamante said the town’s stake in the $5.9 billion venture includes the construction of infrastructure, concentrator, fresh water dam, and a waste rock storage facility, with potential revenue from property and operational taxes for expanding services to communities.

“This is an economic impact that we will protect and we will fight for even if we have to go to the courts,” she said.

A lawyer, Diamante said she has aligned with Tampakan Mayor Leonardo Escobillo, and Columbio Mayor Datu Amirh Musali of Sultan Kudarat to oppose the ban and press for its lifting.

“We have agreed to exhaust all administrative means.”

Diamante said they have sent manifestations to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Malacañang, including signatures of their constituents pushing for the mining project.

“In the spirit of public-private sector partnership, we will fight for this investment,” she said.

“The unconstitutionality of the South Cotabato provincial ban on open-pit mining is very clear in the face of an existing national law on mining,” she noted, referring to the 1995 Philippine Mining Act and its intent to open up business, trade and industry outside urban centers.

“We don’t want to unfairly burden a private sector investor who is willing to bring sustainable development to a remote municipality such as Kiblawan.”

(Published in the Manila Standard Today newspaper on /2012/April/18)