Uni-Dragon denies illegal mining activity

MANILA, Philippines - Uni-Dragon Mining & Development Corp., a legitimate and law-abiding mining corporation, completely and absolutely denies the Pulang Daga Movement accusation of illegally operating by virtue of Temporary Small-Scale Permit.

Records will fully show that Uni-Dragon has been granted two Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA No. 271-2008-V and MPSA No. 272-2008-V) as legitimate mining permits issued in November 2008 by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB). Uni-Dragon does not have and has not been issued any Temporary Small-Scale Permit.

Uni-Dragon likewise completely denies any illegal smuggling out of iron ore. Uni-Dragon actually has a magnetite sand proposed project with an Environmental Compliance Certificate. The magnetite sand project does not involve any iron ore. Rather it involves the recovery of iron sand from the lateritic soil. This process of recovering iron sand from the top soil actually has the beneficial effect of making the soil fertile which can now be planted with plants and trees. Also, the proposed magnetite sand (iron sand) project will actually employ more than 500 workers who are the residents in the mining area. —