The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) in Region 4-B on Friday (October 20) reported that no mine facilities or structures of Marcopper Mining Corp. (MMC) in Sta. Cruz, Marinduque were damaged by typhoon Milenyo that hit the country early this month.

MGB-Region 4-B Director Roland de Jesus said a monitoring team from his office, which went to the area last week, found no damage in Marcopper’s waste disposal facilities that include the Maguila-guila siltation dam, the upper and lower Makulapnit dams, Boi River dam, Tapian pit and San Antonio pit.

“Except for the heavy siltation at the Maguila-guila dam, the rest of the mine facilities are all intact,” de Jesus said.

“The siltation at the dam, however, should immediately be addressed, otherwise, the silt materials will overflow into the nearby Mogpog river and cause clogging in the river,” de Jesus added.

Last July 12, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Angelo T. Reyes issued a memorandum directing all officials of the DENR and MGB nationwide to closely monitor and evaluate all mining activities and critical mining facilities within their respective administrative jurisdiction.

Early this month, typhoon Milenyo struck, causing massive destruction of infrastructure in Luzon, including Marinduque.

Reyes particularly wanted the conditions of tailings dams and waste dams around the country checked to avert mine spills.

The report from the MGB monitoring team disclosed that the Maguila-guila siltation dam does not anymore impound water but currently holds a large amount of rocks, gravel, sand, and other silt materials coming from MMC’s Maguila-guila waste dump.

The report further disclosed that MMC’s facilities and structures are not properly maintained for lack of funding.

The monitoring team recommended that MMC has to immediately rehabilitate its facilities and structures to avoid any untoward incidents in the future. Among these measures are:

· Repair of spillwasys;
· Desiltation at the siltation pond and the Maguila-guila river;
· Dewatering of the company’s Tapian pit until water is maintained at elevation 305;
· Declogging of its Tunnel 310; and
· Rehabilitation of the diversion canal at the East Tapian waste dump area.

Engineer Francis Mirto, a member of the monitoring team, said a maintenance crew from the neighboring town of Mogpog has stopped its rehabilitation activity in the area because the mining firm has not been able to pay them since March this year. (DENR Public Affairs Office)

October 21 , 2006