Consultations on Tampakan mining project continue

MANILA, Philippines - Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI) recently completed a successful series of public scoping meetings or consultations with stakeholders for its port, power station and filter plant (PPFP) project, a major component of its $6-billion Tampakan copper-gold project.

After thorough studies over the past year, a detailed analysis has identified Malalag in Davao del Sur as the preferred site for the PPFP development.

Throughout September, and in the lead-up to the commencement of studies for an environmental impact assessment, SMI will hold a series of meetings with key stakeholder groups that may be directly or indirectly affected by the proposed PPFP.

SMI general manager Mark Williams said the consultations are an important stage in the environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) process for the proposed port, power station and filter plant of the Tampakan mine project.

“These meetings provided stakeholders with an opportunity to seek clarification and provide feedback on areas of interest or concern to them. SMI was extremely pleased and encouraged with the turnout at these public scoping meetings as it demonstrates a high level of community interest and support for the consultation process,” Williams said.

In earlier meetings, hundreds of residents from various sectors of the community attended the meetings, including members of the host communities, indigenous groups, the national government, academe, church and religious groups, and the media.

Among those raised were concerns on environment and sustainability which company experts were able to provide adequate explanations on what SMI intends to do in order to protect the environment.

As a major component of the Tampakan project, the PPFP will provide significant economic benefit to the region through direct and indirect employment, local government taxes, procurement of local goods and services, and increased grid stability due to the availability of power supply.

“The Tampakan project has the potential to significantly improve the quality of life for the communities in the region and feedback from our stakeholders, together with the results of the specialist studies, will be incorporated into the PPFP design and planning as part of the ESIA process,” Williams said.

The Tampakan project, Williams said, “is one of the largest undeveloped copper-gold deposits in Southeast Asia and supporting infrastructure such as a port, power station and filter plant are critical to the proposed Tampakan mine’s operation.”

Specialist environmental and social impact studies as well as stakeholder engagement activities for the PPFP ESIA, are expected to be completed in mid-2011.

Depending on the completion of a positive final feasibility study for the Tampakan mine project and all necessary community, government and company approvals, SMI estimates production to start by 2016 on what could be the largest mine in the Philippines, and one of the top copper producers in the world.

 With the operation of the Tampakan project, copper production in the Philippines is expected to increase fivefold.