The results of a new study by BFAR, it’s fifth, on fish and water samples taken from Sorsogon fishing areas near the mining project show that all 14 fish species gathered for analysis from the coastal areas of Bagcay, Rizal, Barcelona and Manlabong Prieto Diaz, were safe for human consumption and were not contaminated with mercury.
"The samples analyzed are within the standard limit of 0.5 parts per million (ppm) and are therefore safe for human consumption," said Belinda S. Raymundo, BFAR chief of the fisheries product testing laboratory section.
Non-government organizations and local politicians in Sorsogon have been demanding for the permanent closure of the Rapu-Rapu mining operation which they claimed has contaminated Sorsogon’s fishing grounds, resulting in various fish kills that, in turn, have scared people from buying fish.
Lafayette officials are optimistic the latest BFAR study will convince the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to finally allow the mining firm to resume its Rapu-Rapu mining operations.
Previous BFAR studies show that the mercury content of Sorsogon waters and fishes was within the allowable limit of .002 parts per million (ppm) for water and 0.5 ppm for fish.
The water quality criteria for freshwater, coastal and marine waters was set by the DENR through administrative order 34 issued in 1990.
The results of these studies were questioned by NGOs in the region which last month submitted water and fish samples to BFAR that were allegedly coming from Sorsogon fishing grounds. The NGOs however, failed to state where exactly were the samples extracted from but insisted it was from Sorsogon fishing areas.
The outcome of BFAR’s latest analysis of fish and water samples is critical to Lafayette which has come under fire from local government officials, church leaders and NGOs for allegedly poisoning Sorsogon’s fishing grounds.
Fishing is the main source of livelihood in the areas surrounding Lafayette’s Rapu-Rapu polymettalic mining project in Sorsogon.
Company officials maintained that Lafayette does not use mercury in its operations and this was confirmed by the DENR.
The mining company is anxious to resume operations which was suspended since late October last year by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in Region 5 after two mining spill incidents which leaked about five cubic meters of mine effluents containing cyanide into nearby creeks. The PAB order added that Lafayette will not be allowed to operate and discharge wastewater until the full rehabilitation of its settling ponds and polishing and events ponds.
The suspension order will remain until the completion of the following requirements: submission of an Environmental Management System or an ISO 14001 certification; submission of a comprehensive pollution control program which will include specifications on the budget and the antipollution facility it will use; a surety bond equivalent to 25 percent of the total cost of the pollution control program it will undertake; a detailed description of the interim remedial measure to mitigate the pollution caused; and proof of employment of a pollution control officer accredited by the DENR.
Newly-installed country manager of Lafayette Carlos G. Dominguez earlier has given his assurance that operations will resume only after the company has satisfied all the requirements of the government.
"We will not resume operations of the Rapu Rapu polymetallic processing plant unless we are absolutely sure that the project is operated in a responsible and environmentally sustainable manner. Mining is a partnership for the benefit of all parties: the surrounding communities, the government and the economy, and the company itself," said Dominguez in a previous statement.
Dominguez said his priorities would be to create a multi-party monitoring group to find out why the two spills happened last year at the mine site and introduce wide-ranging measures, including full transparency, to prevent their recurrence and ensure full compliance with environmental laws.
He said the group will be formed immediately and expanded beyond what is required by law with representatives from the community, the Church, and other sectors to check the project’s compliance with all environmental and anti-pollution requirements.
The new management is also studying the feasibility of installing an on-line monitoring system to allow interested parties to monitor the plant’s operations in real time any time of the day through the Internet.
Lafayette was supposed to have started last December the operations of its base metals plant that is projected to process 10,000 metric tons (MT) of copper concentrates and 14,000 MT of zinc concentrates yearly. On the other hand, its gold plant is projected to produce 50,000 ounces of gold and 600,000 ounces of silver annually during the entire six-year mine life of Rapu-Rapu.