For all your information.SAGITTARIUS MINES, Inc. (SMI) the...

For all your information.

SAGITTARIUS MINES, Inc. (SMI) the consortium behind the $5.9-billion Tampakan copper-gold project, has begun forwarding to local officials its environment impact study said to be the possible key to overturning the mining ban covering the site.
SAGITTARIUS Mines, Inc. has begun forwarding its impact study to secure permits.Feedback from the consultations will be used to finalize the study?s draft before it is ultimately submitted to the national government for the requisite clearances, a spokesperson yesterday said.

?We hope with the presentation of the environmental impact statement and the questions raised by the leaders being answered, they would hopefully review the section of the environment code,? SMI Communications Director John B. Arnaldo said at a press briefing, referring to the provision banning open-pit mining in South Cotabato.

The study is being presented to local officials in South Cotabato over the next 12 weeks as well as three other provinces -- Davao del Sur, Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat -- that have jurisdiction over the mine site.

The study identifies the potential environmental and social impacts of the proposed mining operation as well as the strategies of SMI to mitigate such.

The study details the potential impact on water resources such as contamination due to discharge from the project site, generation of tailings and waste rock and clearing of rainforests.

SMI has proposed mitigation measures such as putting in place a water management system which involves treatment of all mine water prior to release from the site as well as having a storage for the waste rock and tailings and having a plan for clearing procedures.

?Whatever rehabilitation we put in place, it is going to be a collaborative effort with the [local government units],? Mr. Arnaldo said.

After the study is presented, he said that the feedback of the local government leaders will be included in the final version that will be submitted to the Environment Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) when it applies for the environmental compliance certificate in October or November.

?We hope to get that [certificate] by the end of the year. If we get that by the end of the year, we hope to get the DMF (declaration of mining feasibility) from the DENR in the first half of 2012,? he said further, referring to the final hurdle before operations can begin.

Application for the DMF, he said, would require an endorsement from the local government leaders of the four provinces.

The firm had earlier said it was targeting to start the four-year construction by 2012.

The $5.9-billion Tampakan copper-gold project, said to cover the largest undeveloped copper- gold deposit in Southeast Asia, has been described as having the potential to be the largest mine in the Philippines and the fifth-largest copper mine in the world by 2016.

It is likewise projected to add 1% to gross domestic product yearly after 2016.

Sought for comment, South Cotabato Governor Arthur Y. Pingoy said that it is too early at this point to lift the ban on open-pit mining in the province.

?As of now, it is still premature. We still have to study the EIS,? he said in a text message yesterday.

Indophil Resources NL owns 37.5% of the controlling equity in the Tampakan project, which is pursued by SMI.

Xstrata Copper, the world?s fourth-largest copper producer, leads SMI through its 62.5% majority stake in the controlling equity. -- Louella D. Desiderio


Lets see what happens now.