Zamboanga del Norte mine operations get backing from elder of tribe

DAVAO CITY—Canadian mining firm TVI Resources Development Philippines (TVIRD) said its Canatuan mine site in Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte, would be out of ore by the end of 2013.

But the development of new mine sites in the town is being hampered by a new mining policy the government has issued, the company said.

TVIRD said activities in the Malusok mine site, which is part of the recognized 8,000-hectare ancestral domain of the Subanens, is still in the exploration stage, but it was discontinued because of the moratorium under President Aquino’s executive order on mining.

Zenaida Dandana, a Canatuan-based Subanen elder who openly supports the company, had backed TVIRD’s proposed exploration of the Malusok area, the company said.

Dandana, TVIRD said, had warned the depletion of ore at the Canatuan mine site also threatens the stability of the economic condition of the Subanens.

“TVIRD has been a great help to us. They provided us with employment, schools, roads, livelihood, electricity, water system, health care, sent our children to college and many more,” said Dandana.

“But with the end of the mine’s life by 2013, this will also mean the end of much progress for us,” said the Subanen elder.

TVIRD has been constantly shipping out zinc and copper concentrates from its Canatuan mine site since its actual operation started a few years back. Allan Nawal, Inquirer Mindanao