Carmen Copper violations worth P65,000 in fines

CEBU - The Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-7 has not yet lifted the cease-and-desist order it issued to Carmen Copper Corporation on its Emergency Tailings Pond.

This after the MGB unearthed other violations of Carmen Copper during its inspection last week. Earlier, the tailings pond of the mine was reported to have leaked during a test-run operation last month.

After a thorough investigation conducted by the MGB on October 8, the bureau found other violations of the company aside from those determined during the initial inspection of the company’s Multipartite Monitoring Team.

MGB-7 regional director Roger de Dios said the company was found to have installed 10 facilities without permit. Because of this, the company shall pay the fine for each facility that was not registered with the MGB, he added.

Carmen Copper will be fined P5,000 for each violation or P50,000 for the 10 facilities caught unregistered. Another P15,000 will be added to the penalty for misdeclaration of the ETP in the company’s health and safety program, emergency response preparedness program, and for the failure of the system.

De Dios also said that right now, the mining firm is working on its alternative piping system which will be used instead of the ETP.

He said the company has committed to them on fast-tracking the completion of the things required by the MGB to avoid delays in production and to protect investments.

MGB said the leakage caused only minimal effects to the community. Overflows, de Dios said, were not toxic and only caused minor siltations in rivers.

The Environmental Management Bureau has also checked on heavy metal contaminants in the river and reported that mercury and lead found passed the standards of the DENR.

Carmen Copper will be fully operational next year. By that time, it will be allowed to already produce 42,000 metric tons of mineral ore seen to bring millions in profit. Right now, it is producing 20,000 metric tons of copper ores.

De Dios said the mine could produce mineral ores for the next 12 years at a rate of 42,000 metric tons produced each day. Currently, it employs 5,800 workers.

Meanwhile with the new management of the EMB-7, de Dios admitted that issuances of Environmental Compliance Certificate especially those for mining operations will be delayed.

This after de Dios said that the new EMB director has to review all the ECC applications. – Jessica Ann Pareja/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)