MGB stops operations of 3 Chinese black sand mining firms

MANILA, Philippines - The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) has stopped the operations of three Chinese companies engaged in magnetite sand mining and processing along the beaches of San Vicente town in Ilocos Sur.

The MGB has issued a cease-and-desist order (CDO) against Yinyi Philippines Investment Holding Group Inc. and An Bang Mining Co. which were found to be operating in prohibited areas.

Hong Ze Mining Corp., on the other hand, holds a mineral processing permit but has been mining within the 200-meter onshore area that is closed to mining activities.

To prevent the transport of magnetite sand coming from San Vicente, the MGB would refrain from issuing any mineral ore export permit for the black sand mined by the three companies.

Engineer Carlos Tayag, MGB Region 1 director, said mining activities are not allowed along shorelines.

He said he has officially informed the Philippine Ports Authority, the Coast Guard District for northwestern Luzon in Poro Point, San Fernando, La Union, and the Bureau of Customs in Aparri, Cagayan of the issuance of the CDO and a halt to the transport of magnetite sand.

The three companies face charges of mineral theft and illegal mining.

Government operatives, with the MGB’s guidance, recently seized 3,000 metric tons of processed magnetite sand from the port complex of the former Ilocos Norte Mining Co. (INMC) Inc. in Badoc, Ilocos Norte.

The seized black sand reportedly came from San Vicente town.

MGB director Leo Jasareno earlier said his agency and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) had been conducting surveillance on illegal mining activities in San Vicente.

The INMC, according to the MGB, used to quarry coralline limestone – a key material used in manufacturing cement – which it exported to Taiwan.

An administrative confiscation hearing committee, composed of MGB-Region 1 officials, is conducting hearings on the disposal of the confiscated black sand.

The bureau said local officials have been informed of the seizure and were asked to help make sure that black sand would not be transported from the site.

The MGB-Region 1 office is also helping the provincial police in the seizure of processed magnetite sand stockpiled in Barangay Caparacadan, Caoayan town and in Barangay San Sebastian, San Vicente.