SMI gets 5th Palace award

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang has given Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI), the government contractor for the $5.9-billion Tampakan copper-gold project in South Cotabato and Davao del Sur, its fifth Presidential Mineral Industry Environmental Award last week.

Mines and Geosciences Bureau director Leo Jasareno presented the award during the culmination of the 59th National Mine Safety and Environment Conference in Baguio City.

SMI received the same award in 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2011 The award was instituted by Malacañang, through Executive Order 399 signed by President Fidel Ramos in 1997, to recognize a mining company’s initiatives “in the protection of the environment and ecology” based on a multi-agency assessment.