SMI still on track with Tampakan timetable

MANILA, Philippines - Sagittarius Mines, Inc. (SMI) is still on track with its timetable for the Tampakan copper-gold project in Mindanao, even as it awaits the government’s decision on its appeal for an environment permit for the project, company officials said on Friday.

   SMI general manager Mark Williams told reporters on the sidelines of a mining forum that the Tampakan project is still on schedule even as the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), an attached agency of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has yet to give its decision on the appeal of the environment compliance certificate (ECC) for the project.

“I would not say that is correct. The stage of the project is in the approvals phase. We’ve done the technical studies… feasibility and environmental impact study,” he told reporters when asked if the project has already been delayed.

“At the moment, we’re still on track with the approvals phase,” SMI communications manager John Arnaldo said in the same event

SMI filed a motion for reconsideration of the EMB’s decision to deny an ECC for the Tampakan project on Jan. 27.

SMI had said it was disappointed with the government’s decision to deny the ECC for the project citing it did not take into account the merits of the firm’s mine project environmental impact assessment.

An ECC certifies that a specific project will not bring unacceptable impact to the environment. It is one of the requirements to secure a permit to operate the mine.

Earlier in January, DENR Secretary Ramon Paje said an ECC could not be issued for the Tampakan project which would be using the open-pit mining method, while a ban on open-pit mining is in place in the province of South Cotabato.

EMB director Miguel Cuna said yesterday the EMB has yet to come up with a decision on the motion filed by SMI.

“It is with the legal office,” he said in a text message.

When asked if the firm is worried that the project may be delayed as the government has yet to act on the appeal for the ECC, Williams said SMI is confident that the government once be able to provide clarity over the conflict on the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 which allows the open-pit method and the South Cotabato ordinance which prohibits open-pit mining.

“We’re confident that the Philippines’ government will not ban open-pit mining and will insist on responsible mining,” he said.

He said that if open-pit mining can be used in other countries, there is no reason why it cannot be applied in the Philippines.

He also said that the only feasible mining method for the Tampakan project is the open-pit.

The Tampakan project which spans the provinces of South Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat and Davao del Sur is said to likely contain 15 million tons of copper and 17.9 million ounces of gold.

The project has an estimated capital requirement of $5.9 billion and is scheduled to start commercial operations in 2016.

The project is likewise expected to add one percent to the country’s gross domestic product per year after 2016.