dowjones laf may fully restart ops in dec DJ Lafayette May Fully...

dowjones laf may fully restart ops in dec DJ Lafayette May Fully Restart Philippine Mine Ops In Dec

MANILA (Dow Jones)--The Philippine government is expected to finally allow Lafayette
Philippines Inc. to fully restart commercial mining operations next month, as the company
is deemed to have met with environmental requirements, a senior government official said
Wednesday.
"As far as we are concerned, Lafayette has complied with environmental standards
concerning two most critical areas of concern, which are the dam stability design and
acid mine drainage," Mines and Environmental Safety Chief Michael Cabalda of the
Mines and Geosciences Bureau, or MGB, said.
Lafayette is currently operating on a 30-day test run permit granted by the
government's Pollution Adjudication Board, or PAB, which is due to expire Dec. 8,
Cabalda said. The PAB is headed by Environment Secretary Angelo Reyes.
According to Cabalda, the PAB is likely to give Lafayette the go-ahead to start full
operations or grant an extension of the test run permit.
"But why prolong the agony when the measures adopted by Lafayette are deemed
acceptable and sufficient. The government might as well lift the closure order on a
permanent basis," he said.
Lafayette's mining operations in central Philippines were halted in November last
year following two incidents of cyanide spill in its mine site in Rapu Rapu island. The
spillage resulted in fishkill.
Lafayette' Rapu Rapu Polymetallic project started commercial production in July
last year, producing copper, gold and zinc.
Lafayette Philippines is a unit of Australia's Lafayette Mining Ltd. (LAF.AU),
with South Korea's LG Collins and Korean Resources as its partners.

-By Rhea Sandique-Carlos, Dow Jones Newswires, 63-918-9014158;
[email protected]
-Edited by Ryan Woo

(END) Dow Jones Newswires
November 29, 2006 04:36 ET (09:36 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

Wednesday 29 November 2006 20:36:37:830 AEST