Team of scientists gives mine firm thumbs up

BUTUAN CITY—An independent team of scientists has cleared a mining firm operating in Agusan del Norte of environmental violations that the province’s top politicians are accusing the firm of committing.

In an April 13 report, a team from the GAIA South Inc., an environmental assessment firm that had done studies on more than 200 firms in the Philippines, cleared San Roque Metals Inc. (SRMI) of environmental violations in its mining site in Tubay, Agusan del Norte.

The GAIA team included environmental scientist Dr. Emmanuel Ramos and Samuel Sendon, former Bureau of Mines senior geologist.

The only thing SRMI was guilty of, said the GAIA report, is “failing to communicate its responsible mining programs to the public.”

“It is important to mention that much had been done by the company insofar as environmental protection and enhancement is concerned,” the GAIA report said.

“SRMI continues to better itself in its environmental performance,” the report said.

Among the accomplishments of SRMI, the report said, was to plant 20,000 trees equivalent to 20 hectares of new forest in an area long denuded by logging and slash-and-burn farming.

SRMI, the report said, had built a total of 35 silt ponds with two more under construction to ensure that no mine tailings enter the Tubay River and Butuan Bay.

“The company has a serious commitment for environmental protection,” said the GAIA report.

The GAIA team is continuing its analysis of the mining site’s condition and would add more details to its report as part of SRMI’s effort to raise its standards on mine safety and environmental compliance.

A multipartite team formed by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau  had also cleared SRMI of accusations of environmental crimes in Tubay.

Tubay town officials had accused SRMI of violating environmental laws and tried to shut down the firm’s operations. With a report from Franklin Caliguid, Inquirer Mindanao