Philippine quarries set to expand

Four applications for expansion of mining areas have been approved by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) since the government relaxed rules in November last year.

"We have already approved several area expansions," MGB Director Leo B Jasareno said in a text message over the weekend.

Holcim Philippines Inc and its Premier subsidiary are the latest cement producers to have secured approvals for two applications. Holcim’s mineral production sharing agreement (MPSA) in Agno, Pangasinan, now covers a total area of 657.8361ha, double the initial site of 328.9ha. Its MPSA in Mindanao has been more than doubled to 1,406.5704 ha in Davao City and Maasim, Sarangani, from an original 642.1537ha.

Its subsidiary, Holcim Philippines Manufacturing Corp, also secured approval to expand its MPSA covering mining areas in Iligan City and Lugait in Misamis Oriental to 518.0196ha from 433.4240ha.

Finally, Adnama Mining Resources, Inc was given permission to expand its MPSA to 1,086.5043ha in Claver, Surigao del Norte from 1,012.02ha.

Mr Jasareno said MGB is evaluating two more applications for contract area expansions. "One is from Holcim and one from TVI," he said.

TVI Resource Development (Philippines) Inc, a subsidiary of Canadian miner TVI Pacific Inc, owns 60 per cent of the Agata mine in Surigao.