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PHILIPPINE RESOURCES

JOBSEEKERS JUBILANT AT DIDIPIO’S REOPENING PENARROYO:

A SHOT IN THE ARM FOR PHILIPPINE MINING

BUNYE:

LIFTING THE OPEN-PIT BAN, USING ‘AI’ IN MINING HOW INDONESIA BEAT PH IN NICKEL PIG IRON PRODUCTION RACE SAFE, CLEAN MINING:

CAN ARTISAN MINERS SURVIVE REGULATION?

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CONTENTS MINING 20 HOW INDONESIA BEAT PH IN NICKEL PIG IRON PRODUCTION 26 28

SAFE. CLEAN MINING: CAN ARTISAN MINERS SURVIVE REGULATION? 7TH PH-EITI REPORT, INDUSTRY OUTLOOK AND TRANSPARENCY

32 GEOSCIENCE DATA MANAGEMENT AMID MINE DIGITALIZATION

COMPANIES

COMMENTARY

A SHOT IN THE ARM FOR PH MINING By Fernando Penarroyo / page 6

44 WEIR MINERALS NEW MULTIFLO MUDFLO SUBMERSIBLE PUMP

COMMENTARY LIFTING THE OPEN-PIT BAN AND ‘AI’ IN MINING

45 POINT AND SHOOT FOR ACCURATE RESULTS IN SECONDS

By Patricia A.O. Bunye / page 14

46 INNOVATION TOWARD FLEXIBILITY IN CONSTRUCTION WORK

CONSTRUCTION 48 GUIDE TO SMARTER CONSTRUCTION: 3 KEY TRENDS IN 2021 49 MANILA FINISHES FIELD HOSPITAL FOR COVID-19 PATIENTS 53 RE PROJECT WITH GERMAN BIOGAS TECH, METPOWER 54 DPWH OPENS NEW SUBSECTION OF CALAX TOLLWAY

MINING

CONSTRUCTION

At reopening of Didipio mine / page 18

DENR pushes $27.5m funded work / page 47

JOBSEEKERS JUBILANT

GREEN COOLING TECH PROJECT

ISSUE 3 2021 • WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM

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RESOURCES COMMENTARY

PHILIPPINE RESOURCES THE MAGAZINE FOR MINING AND CONSTRUCTION Philippine Resources is published independently for executives in Philippine mining, construction, resources and associated business sectors. Publisher Elizabeth Galura Consulting Publisher Greg Brimble Editor Jimbo Owen Gulle Sales and Marketing Manager Matt Brimble +63 927 721 6622 Matthew@philippine-resources.com Account Manager Merian Jay Fallan +63 955 738 0266 merian@philippine-resources.com Administration Cecilia Pamular +63 917 308 1971 cecille@philippine-resources.com Design/Production Elizabeth Galura Journalists Marcelle P. Villegas Bernabe Almirol Columnists Patricia A.O. Bunye Fernando Penarroyo Manila Publishing Office Suite 6, 2nd Floor Corinthian Plaza Building 121 Paseo de Roxas Legaspi Village Makati City, Philippines 1226 Phone +632 8251 5599 Digital Online Edition www.Philippine-Resources.com ON THE COVER:

The processing plant at the OceanaGold gold-copper mine in Didipio, Nueva Vizcaya. Photo courtesy OceanaGold Philippines

A shot in the arm for Philippine mining

uring the early stages of the pandemic, the performance of the mineral industry was seriously dictated by the slowdown of economic activities, lethargic world metal prices, and limited and hampered mining operations. The mining index, however, made a turnaround by the end of 2020 and has recovered by an astonishing US$636 billion, thanks to a boom in spending brought about by the current green energy and digital transition, and unprecedented infrastructure-focused stimulus packages initiated by many governments to lift their economies. As the global economy slowly recovers, prices for energy and metals are helping big commodity producers and exporters. Big miners, awash with cash from recordhigh metals prices and forced to adapt operational efficiencies during the pandemic, are returning billions of dollars to shareholders through dividends and buybacks. Bullish investor sentiment has been a critical driver of surging metal prices, as the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines sees major economies emerge from lockdown restrictions. Mining financing hit an eight-year high in 2020. Dawn of a Super-cycle? The rapid expansion of a global middle class continues to fuel the demand for coal, copper, and iron ore. While the mining and refining sectors for “traditional” base metals are well established, lithium and cobalt mining will develop quickly in the coming years. Copper, nickel, tin, aluminum, and rare earths which, together with lithium and cobalt, are expected to see a demand boom amidst the battery revolution. In the case of copper, some major banks are already predicting a super-cycle, i.e., a sustained spell of abnormally strong demand growth that producers struggle to match, sparking a rally in prices that can last decades. Previous copper rallies reveal a pattern of broad-based growth, industrialization, and new technologies that can help drive demand and prices. As copper is set to play a key role in electricity infrastructure, electric vehicles (EV) including hybrids and renewables, fuel additional demand. The copper price hit a record high in May 2021 ($10,476

a tonne) and trading house Trafigura Group, Goldman Sachs, and Bank of America expect the metal to extend its recent gains. Market watchers and analysts, however, have debated how long the boom will last. By Fernando Penarroyo On the other hand, the EV Metal Index, which tracks the value of battery metals in newly registered passenger EVs around the world, came in at $477 million in April, an increase of 326% over the same month last year and bringing the year-to-date total to $2.03 billion. Lithium prices are averaging $10,800 so far in 2021 versus over $17,000 in 2018. Fitch Solutions Country Risk & Industry Research expects lithium consumption growth to outpace current supply developments. Demand is to be boosted by strong government support to promote EVs and largescale energy storage systems. Low supply means that prices will remain high in the short term. Mining as a Contributor to a Battered Economy The Philippines is one of the countries that has a high vulnerability to COVID-19 as it continues to struggle to contain the pandemic and normalize economic activity. The economy contracted last year by 9.6% while GDP shrank by 3.9% in the first quarter this year. While the economy registered 11.8% growth in the second quarter, the country is currently battling the latest surge of COVID-19 cases under the more infectious Delta variant. With the reimposition of the Enhanced Community Quarantine in the National Capital Region, renewed mobility restrictions, and higher petroleum prices, full economic recovery is expected to be delayed further. According to a report from the Asian Development Bank, public spending on infrastructure and social assistance, better progress in the country’s

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ISSUE 3 2021 • WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM

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COMMENTARY

< Page 6

benefits from mineral resources.

vaccination drive, and a steady recovery in the global economy will underpin the growth of the Philippine economy this year and the next. Despite the pandemic, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) reported that the metallic mineral production value ended 2020 on a positive note with a 1.13% gain from P130.74 billion in 2019 to P132.21 billion, a P1.47-billion increase. The gains were driven mainly by nickel demand from China and high gold prices. The MGB further reported that: • Mining industry contributed P102.3 billion to the GDP in 2020 comprising 0.76% and P25.52 billion from national and local taxes, fees and royalties; • Mining and quarrying activities generated 184,000 jobs and around P25.71 billion was committed for Social Development and Management Program to host communities; • Metallic mineral production was at P132.69 billion; and • Total value of minerals, mineral products, and non-metallic mineral manufacture exported was at US$5.2 billion.

Government’s New Policies Expected to Give Mining a Boost

The domestic nickel industry also benefitted as Indonesia, the world’s biggest nickel producer, continues to impose an export ban on the metal. The Philippines, the world’s number two producer, stepped in to fill the demand from China, exporting 333,962 tonnes in 2020. Government policy changes and upbeat commodity prices boosted mining and oil stocks in the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE). The sector closed 17.5% higher by the end of 2020, making it one of the biggest gainers for the year. According to the Philippine Statistics Office (PSO), the government expects an increase in earnings from excise tax collections. The PSO attributes this to the Tax Reform for Acceleration of Inclusion (TRAIN) Act passed in 2017, which doubled excise taxes on minerals, mineral products, and quarry resources from 2% to 4%. Meanwhile, the Department of Finance (DOF) is proposing further amendments to fiscal provisions in mining laws that will allow for the rationalization of existing revenue-and benefit-sharing schemes and incentives given to companies to ensure that the country

President Rodrigo Duterte’s earlier policies on mining have caused anxiety in the industry. At the start of his administration, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) issued Memorandum Order 2016-01 on 08 July 2016, mandating the audit of all operating mines, and declaring a moratorium on new mining projects, covering the environmental, economic, social, legal, and technical aspects of the mining operations. In addition, DAO 2017-10, issued on 27 April 2017, banned the open-pit mining method for gold, silver, copper, and complex ores, describing open-pit mines as “perpetual liabilities, causing adverse impacts to the environment, particularly due to the generation of acidic and/or heavy metal-laden water, erosion of mine waste dumps and/or vulnerability of tailings dams to geological hazards.” What hit the industry real hard was when former DENR Secretary Regina Paz Lopez ordered the closure of twenty-eight (28) operating mines and the cancellation of seventy-five (75) Mineral Production Sharing Agreements (MPSA) as they allegedly encroached on watersheds and destroyed marine ecosystems. These developments dampened investor interests in the local industry. Lately however, the Philippine government seemed to be considering the mining industry as part of its economic recovery plans in light of the havoc created by the pandemic. Various policies and administrative actions, notably the lifting of the moratorium on new mining agreements and the favorable resolution of an FTAA renewal, were implemented with the view of attracting more mining investments. Lifting the moratorium on new mining agreements The industry was given a boost when President Duterte issued Executive Order (EO) No. 130 on 14 April 2021, which lifted the nine-year moratorium on mineral agreements. EO 130 amended Section 4 of EO No. 79, series of 2012 that prohibits the grant of mineral agreements “until a new legislation rationalizing existing revenue sharing schemes and mechanisms shall have taken effect.”

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ISSUE 3 2021 • WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM

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RESOURCES COMMENTARY

< Page 8 The MGB has noted an increase in mining applications, especially coming from inactive mining companies and exploration permittees that have scaled down their operations in the last few years. Three months after the issuance of EO 130, the MGB approved 26 out of 36 applications for new non-metallic mining operations. In April this year, 36 new metallic and non-metallic mines have been identified as priority in terms of the processing of applications. The MGB will also be prioritizing 65 applications that are likely to be granted with MPSAs. These mining applications were accepted and processed and the MPSAs will be issued once EO 130’s implementing rules and regulations (IRR) take effect. According to the DOF during the Philippine-Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative National Conference 2021, the lifting of the moratorium on new mining projects is expected to boost mineral production by around ₱15 billion every year until 2023, and an additional ₱43 billion annually until 2027. Potential new entrants will increase exports by $1 billion to $2 billion every year, as well as employ as many as 1.3 times more workers. The DOF is expected to collect an additional ₱34 billion in taxes and fees. In the same conference, Rep. Joey Salceda, Chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means, however, identified key deficiencies in the country’s extractive industry governance framework which could be resolved by a “coherent tax regime.” He noted that in EO 130, neither Congress nor the DOF is given a specific role in the taxation process. Salceda also observed that EO 130 delegated some powers that were not supported by law, including the power of the DENR to negotiate tax agreements with mining applicants. He recommended that the DOF, which has the experience in financial management, negotiate revenue sharing agreements on the government’s behalf. Resolution of OceanaGold FTAA Renewal Another recent bright spot for the industry was the much-awaited government’s renewal of the Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement (“FTAA”) of OceanaGold Corporation’s Didipio operations. The FTAA was renewed for an additional 25-year period on substantially the same terms and conditions, but included certain modifications: • The equivalent of an additional 1.5% of gross revenue shall be allocated to community development in the form of increased contributions to communities in the region and provincial development projects in addition to the existing fund for Social Development and Management Program provided to the host and neighboring communities. One percent (1.0%) will be allocated to community development for additional communities and half-percent (0.5%) to the host provinces of Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino; • Net Smelter Return will be reclassified as an allowable deduction and shared 60%/40% rather than wholly included in government share; • At least 10% of the common shares in OceanaGold Philippines Inc. (“OGPI”), the Company’s Philippine operating subsidiary and holder of the FTAA, shall be listed at the Philippine Stock Exchange

within the next three years; • OGPI shall offer to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas for the latter to buy not less than 25% of OGPI’s annual gold doré production at fair market price and mutually agreed upon terms; and • OGPI’s principal office shall be transferred to the host province within the next two years from execution of the renewal agreement on 19 June 2019. (More details on our story on page XX – Editor). OGPI plans a staged restart of operations with milling to recommence utilizing stockpiled ore approximately 19 million tonnes. It also aims to achieve full underground production capacity within 12 months. Once fully ramped-up, OGPI expects Didipio to produce approximately 10,000 gold ounces and 1,000 tonnes of copper per month. The resumption of Didipio’s mine operations will give direct employment to about 1,800 people and indirect employment for another 2,000 to 3,000 employees. Addressing the open pit mining ban The issuance of EO 130 sparked some hope in the industry that President Duterte will give the go-signal to the DENR to lift the ban on open-pit mining, which has been a contentious issue among miners, host communities, local government units, and environmental advocates. Among the salient features of the DENRdrafted EO 130 IRR was the provision lifting the ban on the open-pit mining method. Open pit mines are often used in mining near-surface metallic or non-metallic deposits and more sparingly in coal and other bedded deposits. Open pit mining is an internationally accepted method done in many countries and repeatedly proven to be safe for miners, the community, and the environment. While the environmental footprint may be visibly large, open pit mines can be successfully rehabilitated and converted into other land uses like agriculture, forestry, tourism, and recently as sites for renewables. For shallow ore deposits, such as nickel, iron, coal, and copper, open pit mining is the only economically viable method extraction. An open pit mining ban will also have adverse impacts on our energy security, as coal mining is presently done in the country only through open pit mines. In the meantime, the definition of open pit mining method as per DAO No. 2017-10 vis-a-vis other surface mining methods was clarified by the MGB through the issuance of MC 2019-08 on 10 December 2019. Open pit mining method is the process of mining by means of

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ISSUE 3 2021 • WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM

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RESOURCES COMMENTARY

< Page 10 a surface pit excavated using one or more horizontal benches. The MC defined and clarified that open cast mining, strip mining, and quarrying are not considered as open pit mining methods. PMRC 2020 Approval and CRIRSCO Membership to Boost Investor Confidence The ongoing revisions to the Philippine Mineral Reporting Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (“PMRC”) is considered auspicious by the industry, as investors are expected to take a look at the Philippines following the lifting of the nine-year moratorium on new mining projects. The PMRC was created on 08 August 2007 to set out the standards, recommendations, and guidelines for public reporting of exploration results, mineral resources and ore reserves, as may be required as a listed company or when applying for listing with the PSE. The PMRC is also currently used as a reporting standard by the DENR/MGB in technical submissions by mining companies under DAO 2010-09, “Providing for the Classification and Reporting Standards of Explorations Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves.” Last 26 February 2019, the PMRC Committee (PMRCC) applied for membership in the Committee for Mineral Reserves International Reporting Standards (CRIRSCO), the committee of all internationally recognized national reporting organizations. When implemented in 2008, PMRC was compatible with the Australian Joint Ore Reserve Code of 2004 and CRIRSCO Template 2006. As a condition for PMRCC’s acceptance under the Memorandum of Understanding dated 27 February 2019, there is a need to revise the 2007 PMRC to make it compatible with the current 2019 CRIRSCO template. The PMRCC Standards Sub-Committee (StandCom) completed the current draft of PMRC Edition 2020 after CRIRSCO finished its detailed review on 10 October 2020. The PMRCC submitted the draft to the PSE on 30 October 2020 that was followed by a public comment period from 04 to 16 March 2021. The PMRCC conducted virtual public consultations on the drafts on 11 June and 18 November 2020. The PSE Board approved the draft on 25 March 2021 with additional revisions on sustainability: such as mitigation and remediation plans to solve environmental, social, and health and safety impacts; and the inclusion of a consent form to indicate the accredited competent person agrees to the public disclosure of the report. The PSE endorsed the revised draft to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) which is currently under deliberation. Once the PMRC has been upgraded to the 2019 CRIRSCO Template and approved by the PSE and SEC, the PMRCC is expected to be accepted as a CRIRSCO member. The sooner the PSE and SEC approve the submitted draft, the better for the mining industry so that it will be at par with global reporting standards to professionalize the industry and attract investors. Meanwhile, the PMRC StandCom is currently reviewing the draft IRR of PMRC 2020, which is targeted for completion in 2021 and will be subsequently submitted to the PSE anew for endorsement and approval. Offshore Mining Permits Another area of interest for possible investments is offshore mining. MGB MC 2016-05 covers the conduct of offshore mining within the country’s territorial sea

and exclusive economic zone and extended continental shelf, as established under Parts V and VI, respectively, of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Under MGB MC 2016-05, offshore mining operations shall be conducted in a manner that will not adversely affect biodiversity, safety of sea navigation, and other marine activities. The Offshore Mining Chamber of the Philippines (OMCP) announced that it received numerous expressions of interest in offshore mining following the issuance of EO 130. The OMCP urged the MGB to approve offshore mining tenement applications only from qualified offshore mining companies with adequate capital, proven technical expertise and demonstrated capability to engage and deploy offshore equipment for exploration, seabed scientific research, and sea bottom profiling. OMCP further recommended that the MGB should start a review of mine tenement systems and processes, with a view towards terminating inactive claims for offshore mining. Dealing with Mining Industry Risks Uncertainty concerning the administration, interpretation, or enforcement of existing laws and regulations on environment, taxes, land use, infrastructure, socio-economic agreements, and labor remain to be the biggest investment barriers to mining investments, according to the Fraser Institute Annual Survey of Mining Companies 2020. Companies are also more exposed now to political risks and security issues. In addition to the traditional risk factors, the mining industry faces a wider range of challenges such as climate change, new technologies, and economic uncertainties. The economic crisis caused by the pandemic that heightened fiscal and external imbalances in many emerging markets has led host governments to review existing mining contracts and legislations and introduce new taxes and royalties to replace lost revenues. Resource nationalism has become much more sophisticated and complex in the forms it takes, not purely driven by nationalistic policies but by wider political, economic, social, and environmental drivers. The Philippine government is fully aware that existing mineral agreements entail that some deposits can only be extracted through open pit mining, given

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RESOURCES COMMENTARY

Lifting the open-pit ban and using AI in mining

n my previous column, I had mentioned that in the Stakeholders’ Forum on Recent Policy Issuances Relating to Mining conducted by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) last June, hopes were raised that the ban on open pit mining would finally be lifted. In response to a question in the open forum, MGB Director Wilfredo Moncano stated that the repealing clause of the draft Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Executive Order No. 130 (EO 130) would refer to Department Administrative Order 2017-10 (DAO 2017-10) on the ban on open pit mining. Thus, while EO 130 itself does not explicitly refer to the lifting of the ban on open pit mining, the intent was to lift it since, in the proposed IRR, Section 11 referred to the repeal of the said DAO. Administrative Order No. 202125, or the IRR of EO 130, which was published on 08 August 2021, and which will take effect 15 days therefrom and registration with the Office of the National Administrative Register, did not repeal DAO 2017-10 or mention open pit mining at all, dashing any expectation that the ban will

be lifted during this administration, notwithstanding the professed objectives of, among others: promoting direct investment for significant economic benefits of the country; ensuring adequate raw materials to support the various government projects, such as the “Build, Build, Build Program” and the mineral and allied industries; and promoting the development and increasing of employment opportunities in remote rural areas where there are mining activities in support to the “Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa Program” of the government. All of these laudable objectives would be met if only the long-stalled priority open pit mining projects were allowed to proceed to operate. On the positive side, with respect to the grant of new mineral agreements, upon effectivity of the IRR, all qualified applicants for a Mineral Agreement may now file their applications pursuant to Department Administrative Order No. 2010-21 and Republic Act No. 11032 (the AntiRed Tape Act). Further, the permittee of an existing Exploration Permit with an approved Declaration of Min-

< Page 12 the available data already known to both regulators and developers. An open pit mining ban would in effect cause these resources to be stranded, and mineral agreements impaired if the ban is continuously imposed. The government must put in place stable policies if it wants the industry to move forward by expeditiously lifting the open-pit mining ban and existing suspension orders. The industry is keenly awaiting a favorable outcome on these issues. Conclusion Recent policy initiatives by the government are laudable to erase policy uncertainties that can be extremely damaging to both investors and the host country and hamper the successful development of mineral endowments. The key challenge is to bring back investors’ confidence to the mining industry that will assure appropriate profit to investors, protect our natural resources, and provide other long-term benefits to the Filipinos. Fernando “Ronnie” S. Penarroyo specializes in Energy and Resources Law, Project Finance and Business Development. He may be contacted at fspenarroyo@penpalaw.com for any matters or inquiries in relation to the Philippine resources industry and suggested topics for commentaries. Atty. Penarroyo’s commentaries are also archived at his professional blogsite at www.penarroyo.com

ing Project Feasibility (DMPF) may apply for a Mineral Agreement and submit to the MGB Regional Office concerned within 90 days the mandatory requirements outlined in the IRR. If complete, the MGB Central Office, 15 days from receipt of the Mineral Agreement application, shall review and shall endorse the same, to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary, for approval and issuance of the Mineral Agreement. By Patricia It must be noted that new Mineral Agreements shall include a stipulation that they shall adhere to the existing revenue sharing scheme and to any future legislation pertaining to revenue sharing, taxes, fees, royalties, and charges. Previously, I also touched on how artifical intelligence (AI), which

A. O. Bunye

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References Annual Survey of Mining Companies, 2020, Fraser Institute, 23 February 2021, https://www.fraserinstitute.org/ studies/annual-survey-of-mining-companies-2020 Are Copper Prices in a Supercycle? A 120-Year Perspective, MINING.com, 19 July 2021, https://www.mining. com/web/are-copper-prices-in-a-supercycle-a-120-yearperspective/ COVID-19 Impact & Recovery: Metals & Mining, S&P Global Market Intelligence, https://www.spglobal.com/ marketintelligence/en/news-insights/blog/covid-19-impactrecovery-metals-mining EO 130 Spurs Growth of Offshore Mining, Manila Standard, June 13, 2021, https://manilastandard.net/mobile/ article/356999 EV Metal Index Quadruples Year-on-year as Lithium, Nickel Prices Rally, MINING.com, 19 July 2021, https:// www.mining.com/ev-metal-index-quadruples-year-on-yearas-lithium-nickel-prices-rally/ Miraflor, Madelaine B., 26 New Non-metallic Mines Cleared to Operate, Manila Bulletin 19 July 2021, https:// mb.com.ph/2021/07/19/26-new-non-metallic-mines-clearedto-operate/?fbclid=IwAR3UL8vfSYuCqu_zMLzt3LRp6th9_ xOa99V5afeF4xXZQHQhXodpkHp7CfQ Oceanagold Advises Didipio FTAA Renewal and Provides Operations Update, 14 July 2021, https://www.newswire. ca/news-releases/oceanagold-advises-didipio-ftaa-renewal-and-provides-operations-update-844978564.html Philippine Economy Seen Recovering in 2021, with Stronger Growth in 2022 - ADB, 28 April 2021, https://www.adb. org/news/philippine-economy-seen-recovering-2021-stronger-growth-2022-adb Solutions to Mining Industry Risk Challenges, Marsh, https://www.marsh.com/us/industries/mining-metals-minerals-insurance/solutions-to-mining-risk-challenges.html ISSUE 3 2021 • WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM

RESOURCES COMMENTARY

< Page 14 is defined as the ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings, such as learning from past experience, is creeping into many aspects of how we do our work. Repetitive tasks, or those which may be done more efficiently are seen as better done by AI. The mining industry, where efficiency and productivity are paramount, has made profitable use of AI throughout the world. In Bagdad, Arizona, for example, data scientists, metallurgists, and engineers from Freeport-McMoRan created a custom AI model at a copper-ore concentrating mill in 2018 which was loaded with three years’ worth of operating data. It was programmed to look for operational tweaks to boost output. Thirteen monitors were placed in the control room to show readings from hundreds of performance sensors located around the mill. Over time, the collected data were used to maximize copper production at a reasonable cost, with little new capital investment. The team created, tested, and refined algorithms that would look into the data and recommend settings to maximize the copper output. Their prediction model, called “TROI”, became so agile that it was capable of issuing recommendations every 12 hours. Though not initially reliable, “TROI” was continuously improved by the team such that its recommendations became more plausible, to the point that 80% of its recommendations were accepted by the company’s metallurgists. The mill’s production substantially increased in just four quarters with its throughput exceeding 85,000 tons of ore per day, while its copper-recovery rate rose by 10% and its operations became more stable. In Canada, the government utilizes AI to promote clean, sustainable growth of its mining sector competitiveness by reducing costs and increasing productivity through automation. It recognizes that innovation may lead to increased efficiency and productivity, reduced costs, and improved environmental performance. The Canadian government is now using machine learning to develop better models for the prediction of rock type and economical mineral deposit locations for extraction purposes without engaging in time and resource-intensive approaches. It also uses AI to map Canada’s water and infrastructure, and to improve its ability to create geospatial data layers which can be used for emergency management, flood mapping, and change detection.

In the Philippines, despite rapid technological developments, there are currently no government issuances governing the use of AIrelated technologies in the mining industry. Nevertheless, the DENR appears to recognize the impact that AI can make in preserving and protecting natural resources as it recently partnered with SMART and PLDT to protect peatlands in the Philippines using AI solutions. Outside the mining industry, other government agencies, notably the Department of Trade and Industry considers AI as a “nation defining capability” as it created an AI Roadmap to provide an actionable guide on how to “harness AI’s potential to uplift Filipinos, our local industries, and our economy.” It is geared towards preparing the nation to maximize the benefits of employing AI technologies. The Philippines is supposedly among the first 50 countries in the world to have a national strategy and policy on AI. Such a policy is touted to increase the Philippines’ gross domestic product by 12% by 2030 as the roadmap can establish the Philippines as an “AI Center for Excellence in the region” and be a “hub for data processing” which can provide highvalue data analytics and AI services to the world. The trouble with such projections and roadmaps is that, unless they are acted upon, and until we stop shooting ourselves in the foot, they remain aspirational. We have roadmaps for practically every industry, yet we have spent decades going around in circles instead. Back in 2004, a Mineral Action Plan for the revitalization of the mining industry had already been put in place to implement Executive Order 270 (The National Policy Agenda on Revitalizing Mining in the Philippines). The DENR was to be the lead agency

in crafting and implementing a strategic plan, in consultation with the other concerned agencies, such as, but not limited to, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of Finance, the National Economic Development Authority, the National Anti-Poverty Commission, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, the mining industry and civil society. Despite the fantastic roadmap laid out, and three administrations later, we all sadly know what followed next: the saga of Executive Order 49 and all the other monkey wrenches thrown in, which prevented the approval of new mining agreements and projects from proceeding for many years. While this may be oversimplifying all the myriad challenges the mining industry has faced, instead of trying to find new solutions to age-old problems, it may be worth taking a second look at prescriptions that may have been there all along. Unfortunately, rare is the administration that considers and implements the plans and strategies of the previous ones, no matter how well thought out, for the simple reason that it is “contra-partido” or someone else’s idea, which is why our country has not fared as well as others in the execution of long-term strategic plans. The issuance of Administrative Order No. 2021-25 is undoubtedly a welcome development, but the road (though paved with good intentions) is still littered with obstacles, many of our own making. As we soldier on, I cannot help but wonder whether it is AI that can help humans truly learn from past experiences by warning us against committing the same mistakes and allowing us to make better decisions, or humans should finally just face up to the consequences of our folly.

Artificial intelligence in mining illustrated. (Image from Global Mining Guidelines Group website).

Patricia A. O. Bunye is a Senior Partner at Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia where she heads its Mining & Natural Resources Department and Energy practice group. She is also the Founding President of Diwata-Women in Resource Development, Inc., a non-government organization advocating the responsible development of the Philippines’ wealth in resources, principally through industries such as mining, oil and gas, quarrying, and other mineral resources from the earth for processing.

ISSUE 3 2021 • WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM

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MINING NEWS

Jobseekers jubilant at Didipio’s reopening By Abe Almirol

AYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya -- A month after Australian-Canadian miner OceanaGold Corporation (OGC) announced that the company hurdled a breakthrough after more than two years of operational stand-by in Didipio, jobseekers virtually flocked to the company’s local social media page. Didipio mine is OGC’s major asset in the Philippines, located 364 kilometres north of Manila. It is under the Financial and/or Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA) scheme provided by the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 which was renewed for another 25 years after Pres. Rodrigo Duterte signed the agreement, its effectivity commencing June 19, 2021. The social media page “Didipio Mine” has made its following jump to 18,264 with 17,159 likes after a month when job openings were posted. At least 174 job openings were recently announced. OceanaGold Philippines, Inc. (OGPI), the company’s local subsidiary and holder of the FTAA, has 141 positions open as announced in various social media posts from July 21 to August 4. Its homegrown contractor, DiCorp, also announced 19 vacancies. SGS Philippines, its assay laboratory contractor,

has two jobs open, while Delta Earthmoving announced 12 vacancies recently. The Didipio Mine page has pledged to abide by the Data Privacy Act to assure applicants that any sensitive information they passed to the hiring department will be treated with strict confidentiality. “Didipio Mine employees work on a family-friendly roster schedule (10 days on/5 days off; 14 days on/7 days off; 20 days on/10 days off and 28 days on/14 days off) and working 11- hour shifts. Meals and accommodations are provided for non-Didipio residents in the mine’s camp facilities,” the job offer reads. As new jobs are generated, the government hopes for an economic rebound from the effects of lockdowns last year. Income taxes paid by Didipio mine employees alone has made the Bureau of Internal Revenue district here as a top achiever in terms of collection since 2013. Locals First Policy One of the demands raised by residents when they opted to endorse the first FTAA in 1994 is to have the right to priority employment. As this is easier said than done, OGPI explored many options to abide by this commitment of its predecessor companies. OGPI’s most notable innovation

is the creation of DiCorp, a local company established by longtime residents whose lands were affected during the construction of the Didipio mine. Since the mine needs a variety of services such as laundry, housekeeping, food catering and transport, OGPI encouraged those compensated with large sums of money for their lands to invest in DiCorp. DiCorp was established before Didipio mine commenced commercial operation in 2013. It has played a major role in the operation of the mine since then. “Today and onwards, we see a brighter future, better opportunities and hopefully a stronger DiCorp in terms of dedicated, sensible and responsible staff, improved income, and credibility,” said Simplicia D. Ananayo, who was then serving at the Community Relations Office when DiCorp was established 10 years ago. Ananayo has retired after reaching the mandatory age serving at the Community Relations Office of OGPI. She is now part of DiCorp’s top management since she had acquired some of the company stocks when it was established. Hope in Pandemic Times The resumption of Didipio mine’s operation will certainly boost the country’s economic survival amidst pandemic times. As hundreds of

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MINING NEWS

How Indonesia beat the Philippines to become the world’s undisputed Nickel Pig Iron producer

(and likely to replicate this as a battery feedstock supplier) By George Bujtor, with foreword by Marcelle P. Villegas

hen Indonesia announced the reimposition of their nickel export ban in 2019, why were many key players in the Philippine mining industry optimistic about this? Was their optimism based on the belief that Indonesia is out of the game due to their nickel export ban? Did the Philippines really benefit from Indonesia’s export ban on laterite nickel ores? What actually happened is that during the years when Indonesia halted their laterite nickel ore exports to the world, outsiders still got their nickel supply from Indonesia by investing in the country, thus giving them internal access to Indonesia’s nickel. This investment strategy brought a win-win situation to both Indonesia and their foreign investors. This is an angle of the Indonesian nickel export ban story which is disadvantageous to the Philippine nickel industry. But are the industry players in the

< Page 18 companies went broke or were forced to close, and even Filipinos gainfully employed oversees came home, the Didipio mine is an excellent choice of employment. Furthermore, the new FTAA widened the scope of its Social Development Management Plan (SDMP). The company explained that the FTAA was renewed on substantially the same terms and conditions and includes the following modifications: • The equivalent of an additional 1.5% of gross revenue to be allocated to community development.

Philippines aware of this? To give an in-depth analysis on what really happened to the Philippine nickel industry while Indonesia was implementing their nickel export ban, top Australian mining executive and CEO of Electric Metals Limited, George Bujtor shares his thorough research about the matter. For background, George Bujtor has extensive work experience in

• Reclassification of Net Smelter Return to be an allowable deduction and shared 60%/40% rather than wholly included in government share. • Listing of at least 10% of the common shares in OceanaGold Philippines Inc. (“OGPI”), the Company’s Philippine operating subsidiary and holder of the FTAA, on the Philippine Stock Exchange within the next three years. • OGPI shall offer for purchase by the Philippine Central Bank not less than 25% of its annual gold doré production at fair market price and mutually agreed upon terms.

technical, financial and commercial aspects of mining operations. He is one of the authors of a paper titled “A Guide to the Understanding of Ore Reserves Estimation”.[1] The paper was published by the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy in March 1982 and was the basis for the development of the JORC Mineral Code used worldwide today. This study is a remarkable peer-reviewed

Page 22 >

• Transfer of OGPI’s principal office to a host province within the next two years. “The additional 1.5% allocated to community development will take the form of increased contributions to communities in the region and provincial development projects. While the existing fund for Social Development and Management Program will continue to be provided for the host and neighbouring communities, 1.0% of the additional 1.5% will be allocated to community development for additional communities and 0.5% to the host Provinces of Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino,” OGC explained in a press statement. ISSUE 3 2021 • WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM

MINING NEWS

< Page 20 journal and significant reference of most international mining studies and academic research in relation to JORC studies and Mineral Reporting Code.[2] His career is notable as past General Manager and Managing Director during his 22 years in Rio Tinto, Australia, and as former CEO of Aldoga Aluminium, Australia. On his first years in the Philippines, he developed the Berong Nickel mines in Palawan as CEO of Berong Nickel Corporation. Following this, he became the CEO of Carmen Copper Corporation/ Atlas Mining where he successfully raised over US$200 million in bond issue for the expansion of the mine and processing operations. He held numerous Board positions and is a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, and is a Competent Person as defined by the JORC & NI 43-101 codes (Australasian Joint Ore Reserves Committee). Here’s an extensive report, analysis and forecast by George Bujtor about the current situation of the Philippine nickel industry.

n n n Indonesia banned the export of laterite nickel ores in 2014 and went all out in developing its value-added nickel processing industries. In seven years, over US$30 billion has been invested into NPI (nickel pig iron) production facilities and stainless-steel plants with associated power stations, infrastructure development, industrial zone developments, skills development, employment opportunities, and so on. Today, there are over 115 RKF plants (Rotary Kiln Electric Arc Furnaces) and 3 stainless steel plants operating in Indonesia. Yearly, these process plants convert over 50 million tonnes laterite nickel ore into approx. 800,000 tonnes nickel metal in the form of NPI, stainless steel sheet and sections, etc. The valueadded nickel products generate over US$15$B billion in revenue every year, some 15 times higher than if the country exported unprocessed laterite ores. In the same time horizon,

from 2014 till today, there has been ZERO investment in value added nickel processing in the Philippines. This has resulted in a massive lost opportunity for the Philippine economy and its people. Short-term thinking, the lack of a coherent minerals policy and the lack of an ore export ban has rendered the once promising nickel industry in the Philippines irrelevant. The export of laterite ores to China will inevitably disappear as Chinese RKF plants and blast furnaces operations relocate to Indonesia for cost and environmental reasons. The Philippines will be left with abandoned mines and impoverished communities, and no stainless-steel industry. Some pertinent questions one can ask include: Where is the development road map proposed by the Philippine Nickel Industry Association in 2019? Why is the Chamber of Mines not being proactive and pushing for incountry value added processing? Where is the Government resource policy to address the wholesale exporting of unprocessed ores? Will the Philippines ever have a stainless-steel industry? This is a two-part series of articles on the Philippine laterite nickel Industry: Part 1 – How Indonesia Beat the Philippines to Become the World’s Undisputed Nickel Pig Iron (NPI) Producer Part 2 – Will the Philippines be Able to Succeed in the Battery Feedstock sector and Become a Battery Cell Producer? Philippine Laterite Nickel/ Cobalt in Perspective The Philippines has the world’s third largest resource of nickel metal in laterite ores (~14Mt contained nickel) and the world’s fourth largest resource of cobalt metal (~1.3Mt contained cobalt): This is an enviable position and one which should confer considerable advantages to the host country. Unfortunately, the Philippines has not capitalized on

its industry leading position. Between 2005 and 2020 inclusive, the Philippines had exported in total ~300 million tonnes of laterite ore averaging ~1.2% Ni and containing some 3.6 million tonnes contained nickel metal. Over the last five years, exports averaged ~25Mt per year laterite containing ~300,000 tpy contained nickel. Most of the laterite nickel was exported to China to feed the numerous NPI plants and blast furnaces servicing the stainless-steel industry. As reported by the MGB, the revenue generated from the export of the ~300Mt of laterite ore amounted to approx. US$7.8B (equivalent to ~US$28/t ore). Whilst this may seem like a lot of money, it is an extremely poor return for the Philippines. Had this laterite ore been converted to NPI or stainless steel, the revenue would have been over US$65B to US$75B, some 8 to 10 times higher. Regional economic development would have been much higher, more extensive, and sustainable. In contrast, in 2021 Indonesia is forecast to export ~800,000 tonnes contained nickel metal in NPI which is conservatively valued at ~ US$15B. This is some 10 times the value which might have been generated from the export of the ~50Mt of laterite ore. The Philippines has always favoured the export of laterite ores over in-country processing and continues to do so. Mining companies celebrated on hearing Indonesia had banned the exports of laterite ore. However, this is all short-term thinking and does not recognizing the consequences over the medium term. The “quick” returns from the direct shipping of ore will be short lived and certainly not in the national interest. High grading of the remaining laterite deposits is just one consequence. The Indonesian Ban on the Export of Unprocessed Ores Indonesia introduced a ban on the export of unprocessed laterite nickel ores in 2014 after passing

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ISSUE 3 2021 • WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM

MINING NEWS

< Page 22 legislation in 2009 and providing the industry with a five-year grace period. Only Tsingshan took the Governments legislation seriously. At the time of the ban, Indonesia was exporting over 41 million tonnes laterite ore to China. The short-term pain was a silver lining in disguise. The export ban was specifically intended to force the nickel ore miners to invest in value added processing. History shows the impact has been profound and Indonesia has emerged as the world’s dominant producer of nickel over the last 7 years. The export window opened a little in 2017 to help ore miners to raise funds to build processing plants but was firmly shut again at the end of 2019. The impact of the export ban resulted in two investment waves. The first wave involved Chinese NPI operators relocating and ‘offshoring’ to Indonesia as shown in the chart below. Tsingshan led this first wave and is the dominant producer of NPI in Indonesia. Today Indonesia produces more NPI than China, and by 2025 will produce ~5X the tonnage of Ni in NPI. The offshoring of nickel plants to Indonesia is expected to continue and will result in a diminishing market for laterite ores from the Philippines. As shown, NPI production in China is forecast to fall to 250,000 tpy contained nickel by 2025. With NPI production costs being 30% to 40% cheaper in Indonesia, the offshoring of Chinese production plants is likely to accelerate. This is all bad news for the Philippines’ nickel export industry. The second wave of investment involved the building out of stainless-steel plants using the hot metal feed from the NPI furnaces. This was likewise led by China’s Tsingshan. Today there are three stainless steel plants in Indonesia with further plants planned. To date, over US$30B has been invested by mainly Chinese

companies in nickel processing plants in Indonesia. In the same time horizon, there has been no investment in the Philippines. We should not be surprised. Why invest in the Philippines when laterite ore can still be easily purchased and there is no export ban? The lack of nickel investment in the Philippines has been due to a number of factors including – failure to implement a coherent minerals policy, excuses by mining companies about the lack of electricity, most mining companies chasing the quick “buck”, “greed”, and overall lower laterite Ni grades compared to Indonesia. The Indonesia Government made the hard decisions and has been rewarded accordingly. Companies investing in Indonesia built their own power stations to underpin their operations. The same could have been done in the Philippines. Indonesia and China now Control the Stainless-Steel Market Indonesia and China now control the stainless-steel market and account for over 70% of worldwide stainless-steel production. This dominant position will only increase as more NPI plants and stainless-steel plants are built in Indonesia. By 2025, Indonesia and China will produce a combined annual 1.5Mt of Ni metal equivalent in NPI, amounting to >50% of worldwide primary nickel supply. This has all been on the back of the export ban of

< Page 26 out very recently. Clean Earth Technologies now owns a technology that was tested at Barrick Goldstrike mine by CSIRO. This technology is being expanded to cover other types of ore. Last 18 June 2021, Kevin Fell, Executive Director and CEO of Clean Mining Technologies made a presentation before a webinar with the Philippine Mining Club. His strategy for the Philippine market is founded on favourable environment where

laterite ore. Would an Ore Export Ban Today Help the Philippines Recover its Lost Position in Stainless Steel? The answer is very simply ‘No’. The race has been run and won by Indonesia. This was all predictable many years ago especially after Indonesia banned ore exports in 2014. It is almost impossible now to entice investors into NPI/ Stainless steel in the Philippines. The NPI and stainless-steel market is fully controlled by China and its large corporations. Even if the Philippines were successful, it would always be a price taker and never a price setter. The only option available for the Philippines is to watch its laterite ore export market for NPI/ Stainless steel slowly disappear. This is inevitable. Indonesia has become the envy of many countries on its successful policy of resource nationalism. The Indonesian laterite nickel ore boom has morphed into a stainless-steel boom and may soon become a battery-materials boom. Having lost the race for dominance in the NPI/stainless steel boom, is the Philippines positioned to take advantage of the battery-materials boom? This and other questions will be answered in Part 2 of this series: Will the Philippines be Able to Succeed in the Battery Feedstock sector and Become a Battery Cell Producer?

the authorities are now embracing more sustainable and environmentally friendly mining processes and opening to approving licenses that benefit the community and economy. Fell also believes that foreign Investment is now more palatable with stability and governance which assures tenure. As the CML is the “only available genuine, non-toxic solution that meets all the needs of government authorities and mining communities,” Clean Mining Technologies throws its full support and

Reference: [1] http:// jorc.org/docs/ historical_ documents/kng_ mcmahon1982.pdf [2] http://www. jorc.org/

collaboration with Artisanal Gold Council in the creation of community hubs to process gold extracted by artisanal miners, which is basically the same as the Minahang Bayan. “We are very excited about this opportunity which will set world first standards in the artisanal space which accounts for over 25% of the worlds gold production,” said Fell. As to how quick the government and mining stakeholders can put this technology to work is an interesting research subject in the coming years. ISSUE 3 2021 • WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM

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MINING NEWS

By Abe Almirol

aking good its promise to take drastic action against illegal settlers in the mineral-rich Barangay Runruno in the town of Quezon, Nueva Vizcaya, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) has led an operation leading to the dismantling and confiscation of illegally operating ball-mills, a device used by traditional miners to process gold ore. “The operation came in as a surprise. Even the members of the local media took days to find out,” says Leander Domingo of Manila Times, who rushed to the scene with local journalists and Philippine Information Agency staff stationed in Bayombong. It was only when social media posts began spreading that houses were allegedly being demolished in Runruno in the last days of July 2021 that newsmen learned about the operation. The MGB involved the National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine National Police, and the Philippine Army to assist them. Cagayan Valley Regional Executive Director Gwendolyn Bambalan of DENR was quick to dispel the rumour, citing that it is only the illegal ball-mills that were dismantled during the operation. “These areas were classified as high-risk geo-hazard zones, so we are encouraging them to vacate the area. If needed, we will file appropriate charges just to enforce the law,” she said. In violation of Presidential Decree 705, 32 lawsuits were filed by the DENR against those occupying the prohibited zones, most of them are operators and workers who owned the confiscated illegal gold mining and processing equipment. The sub-villages of Bit-ang and Balcony in Runruno have a long history of unreported deaths due to landslides and caving-in of make-shift tunnels. “Although there was no official confirmation, reports of deaths due to cave-ins and premature explosions as well as the use of deadly chemicals from small scale mining operations have been taking place in these villages,” a 2011 news report of the Philippine Star reads. In November last year, Typhoon Ulysses brought the largest number of casualties in a single incident. The reported death of 10 people at the aftermath of the typhoon alarmed authorities, and even Malacañang Palace issued an order creating the Build Back Better Task Force. The ‘Minahang Bayan’ as a National Strategy DENR has long advised that there

Rescuers carry one of the 10 cadavers retrieved in Sitio Balcony after Typhoon Ulysses ravaged Luzon on November 12-13, 2020. Most of the victims are informal settlers who were repeatedly reminded to leave the geo-hazard zone. Photo from Philippine Information Agency

Safe and clean mining: Can artisanal miners survive regulation? are legal ways for traditional artisanal miners to benefit from the country’s mineral resources. “We can find appropriate places to establish a Minahang Bayan, just approach the MGB. You can look for Director Mario Ancheta,” she told Runruno residents in a video-taped interview with the Philippine Information Agency. Last May, DENR Undersecretary Jonas Leones told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that creating Minahang Bayan sites will generate more jobs in the countryside and fuel economic growth. Republic Act 7076 established the people’s small-scale mining program. It seeks to achieve an orderly, systematic, and rational scheme for the small-scale development and utilization of mineral resources. According to RA 7076, small-scale mining “refers to mining activities which rely heavily on manual labour using simple implements and methods and do not use explosives or heavy mining equipment.” DENR Assistant Secretary Nonita Caguioa, however, clarified that small-scale mining is applicable to gold, silver, and chromite only, and cited a restriction on extracting metallic minerals. The Minahang Bayan is the only area where small-scale miners can operate legally according to the law. In this way, government can better monitor and regulate extractive

activities. The safety of the mine workers, protection of the environment, and generation revenues for the government could be tracked along this set-up. “It is difficult to monitor small-scale miners if they are operating outside Minahang Bayan areas,” MGB SmallScale Mining Development Section chief Joel Natividad. As of May 2021, there are 39 operating Minahang Bayan in the country, almost twice more than the 20 recorded in 2018. MGB has targeted 150 Minahang Bayan to be established by 2022. “Our crackdown on illegal miners continues as we also put up more Minahang Bayan areas. This is to ensure that mining will be concentrated in one area where the DENR can regulate and monitor small-scale operations,” Leones said. Emerging Clean Mining Technology In the Philippines, Executive Order 79 series of 2012 has already prohibited the use of mercury in small-scale mining, yet almost all artisanal miners continue to use it. Since 2019, MGB Acting Director Wilfredo Moncano has been collaborating with a Global Environment Facility-funded USD11.70million project to help eliminate the use of mercury in artisanal and small-scale gold mining sectors in the country and Mongolia. The long-awaited substitute for Page 24 > mercury and cyanide finally came ISSUE 3 2021 • WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM

MINING NEWS

By Marcelle P. Villegas

he PH-EITI National Conference 2021 was held last July 29 with the theme “Resiliency in Transparency”. PH-EITI or Philippine Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, is a government-led, multi-stakeholder initiative that implements EITI. The initiative started on 26 November 2013 under Executive Order No. 147, series of 2013. It is a government commitment first announced through EO No. 79, s. of 2012. The initiative aims to promote the open, accountable management and good governance of oil, gas and mineral resources industries. The three-hour webinar/conference featured various keynote speakers.[1] “This is the second year that we are holding this meeting online due to the pandemic. This underscores the exceptional circumstance under which we have to operate into the foreseeable future. Nevertheless, I congratulate the EITI for its efforts to organize this national conference and produce an annual report despite all the challenges.” This was part of the Opening Remarks given by Hon. Carlos G. Dominguez, Secretary of Department of Finance. He defended the importance of the extractive industries like mining despite the common belief of some groups that these are bad for the environment. “By their nature, the extractive industries involve multi-faceted and complex issues. It is easy to merely brand extractive practices as harmful to the environment. Regulations must ensure the balance between economic and environmental concerns to realize the best outcomes for our people.” Sec. Dominguez explained that EITI helps in achieving that balance by providing fair and accurate data about the extractive industries by describing it as a credible source of information to aid policymakers on the proper fiscal regime for mining. “…EITI enables the productive exchange of information and positive dialogue among stakeholders. This clears the air of misinformation… The most important value we need to uphold at all times is transparency. Without this, there will be constant suspicion and all sorts of unfounded claims… Increased accountability will improve governance of the sector and management of natural resources.”

The 7th PH-EITI Report, industry outlook transparency for oil, gas and mineral resources (Part 1) Sec. Dominguez mentioned that data transparency not only builds public trust but also brings institutional and sectoral resilience. Such resilience leads to better coordination, appropriate interventions and greater agility in times of crises. Other speakers in the forum include Hon. Jose “Joey” Salceda who gave a Keynote Speech. He is the Representative of Second District of Albay and Chair of the House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means. “Key findings of the Seventh PH-EITI Report” was discussed by Hon. Bayani H. Agabin, who is the Undersecretary of Department of Finance and Chair of Philippine EITI. “Industry Outlook” was reported by Hon. Ma. Teresa S. Habitan. She is the Assistant Secretary of Department of Finance and the Alternate Chair of Philippine EITI. The Executive Director of Chamber of Mines of the Philippines, Atty Ronald Recidoro, reported “The Social Development and Management Program”. “The National Wealth Shares Portal” was the topic of Mr Rainier H. Diaz, Chief Budget and Management Specialist of the Department of Budget. “Mainstream Action Plan” was reported by Mr Vincent T. Lazatin, National Coordinator, Bantay Kita - Publish What You Pay Philippines. “The PH-EITI work plan and progress of EITI implementation” was discussed by Eastwood D. Manlises, National Coordinator, Philippine EITI.

Finally, the closing remarks was delivered by Hon. Dakila Carlo Cua, Governor, Provincial Government of Quirino, and President, Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines. The event was hosted by Triciah Terada. Executive Summary and Overview of the 7th PH-EITI Report The Seventh PH-EITI Report covers data from fiscal year 2019 and the early part of 2020. The goals of the report are the following: 1. Show direct and indirect contribution of extractives to the economy (through EITI process). 2. Improve public understanding of the management of natural resources and availability of data. 3. Strengthen national resource management / strengthen government systems. 4. Create opportunities for dialogue and constructive engagement in natural resource management in order to build trust and reduce conflict among stakeholders; and 5. Pursue and strengthen the extractive sector’s contribution to sustainable development. As an outlook, the Philippines started to implement the EITI for eight years from its membership. Of note, the Philippines was the first to successfully obtain a Satisfactory Progress assessment in 2017. Since 2013, the PH-EITI has been publishing reports yearly. [2] From their outlook report, they mentioned that 2019 is a notable for the Mining and Quarrying (MAQ) Industry for two reasons.

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ISSUE 3 2021 • WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM

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MINING NEWS

< Page 28 1. The industry’s share in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) decreased by PHP1.7 billion to 0.83% due largely to several mines closing. This was despite the fact that the Philippines’ GDP increased by PHP1.3 trillion. Analysis: As presented in Chart 1 in line with the rest of the data from the Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA), the average annual growth rate (AAGR) of the country’s GDP from 2013 was 8.4%, and it was consistently increasing every year with 2018 being the highest at 10%. Even so, year-on-year (YOY) growth in MAQ was fluctuating, falling in 2015 to -17%, and eventually peaking in 2017 at 18%. Much of the reason for this fluctuation is the stifling regulation of the extractive industry. As a matter of fact, the substantial drop after 2014 was attributable to “The Philippine Mining Act of 1995 which stipulates that the state owns all mineral resources on public and private lands within the territory and exclusive economic zones of the country. In effect, the act regulated the Philippines’ mineral resource development eventually deliberalizing it. [3] 2. The second reason is due to the sudden surge of COVID-19 which affected the industry. This was first identified in Wuhan, China in the latter part of 2019. At first, the new disease was not previously seen as a global threat. It was only the following year when the global health emergency began. In the Philippines, the disease led to the implementation of official lockdown in most parts of the country on 17 March 2020. More on the Extractive Industry The first chapter of the Seventh Report detailed the top contributors of the extractive industry by region. Its total value addition in 2019 was PHP162 billion. As per Chart 2 with raw values from Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the mining sector had the highest gross share, making up almost two-thirds of it. This was followed by oil and gas at 24%, and coal at 14%. Mining and Quarrying (MAQ) companies contributed much to the nation’s employment rate. They have around 210,961 workers in July 2019.[3] The report also pointed out that mineral products and nonmetallic mineral manufactures comprised 6.6% of total exported

commodities which were valued at USD4.9 million. “As far as government revenues from these sectors were concerned, it is worth reiterating that it contributed more than a quarter billion PHP in the form of national and local taxes, fees, and royalties.” According to Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), there were 50 metallic mines in operation; 10 of which extracted gold, 3 copper, 31 nickel, 3 chromite, and 3 iron. And as per PSA, metallic mining had the biggest contribution to Gross Value Added (GVA) of the MAQ industry at 35%. It also had the greatest gross share in the production value of mining at a little less than 67%. The Philippines, therefore, has more metals in its production of these commodities. As for Non-metallic mining, there were more in operation in the same period at 53, 28 are limestone/shale quarries, 3 marble/ marbleized limestone, 2 silica, 13 aggregate, 1 dolomite, 3 clay, 1 sand and gravel, 1 volcanic tuff, and 1 greywacke/pozzolan. “With respect to its share in MAQ’s GVA, it stood at a little more than 31%. As a proportion of the mining sector’s volume of gross production, nonmetallic mining’s was 33% which, in absolute terms, was almost half of that of metallic mines.” [3] For oil and gas, covering the fiscal year 2019, Department of Energy (DOE) reported the oil production in the Philippines was all sourced from Galoc, Nido,

Matinloc, and Alegria. The report stated that Galoc was the most prolific among the others, comprising 96% of the total extracted at 744,449 barrels. Nido was second at 20,634; then Alegria at 9,468; and Matinloc at 1,542. According to the report, “…the output from the Malampaya field was not as significant in comparison with these oil fields. Conforming to PH-EITI37, the petroleum service contract operators that voluntarily report to the organization are The Philodrill Corporation, Galoc Production Company WLL, the state-owned PNOC Exploration Corporation (PNOCEC) of the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC), Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. (SPEX), and China International Mining Petroleum Company Ltd.” Reference: [1] https://pheiti.dof.gov.ph/ natcon2021/ [2] https://pheiti.dof.gov.ph/ download/7th-report-contextualinfo-chapter/?wpdmdl=2439 [3] https://pheiti.dof.gov. ph/download/7th-reportindustry-outlook-chapter2/?wpdmdl=2440 ISSUE 3 2021 • WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM

MT LABO EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION is looking for dynamic leaders for senior positions in areas of:

Mine Operations Engineering and Geology Community and Environment Land Management & Permitting Licenses and Legal Contract Finance and Accounting HR and Administration Send your applications to careers@mtlabo.com.ph Explore your future and mine your potentials with MLEDC!

MINING NEWS

Geoscience Data Management in the age of Mine Digitalization

By Engr. Jeffrey Geronimo

ata remains one of the most important assets of any mining company – and for these to become assets, these must be accurate and reliable. Data drives mineral exploration and mining operations. However, with the sheer volume of data we obtain, no one would object that these are usually overwhelming to manage; from the location and geochemistry of every hand sample; to the structural-geochemical-geophysical information collected from the nth drill hole just to define the resource; and even up to the 4D mine model showing the depth, thickness, grade. Gathering geoscience data is crucial for a mining project. Millions of pesos are invested in the process of obtaining new and managing old data. New data brings fresh interpretations to keep mine models updated. Older data may increase in value as the degree of confidence becomes higher proven by the new data obtained. In addition, discoveries and deeper understanding of the project are often attained by continuously reinterpreting data from the past. When effectively managed, geoscience datasets can be aggregated to generate subsurface and resource models that underpin critical financial and engineering decisions.

data? What if I was basing my work on outdated data the whole time? Where was the document saved by my colleague prior to his leave of absence? It is a formula for disaster! Therefore, having a transparent process workflow can ensure geoscience data management be aligned and supported in mining projects.

THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES: DISCOVERY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND SHARING What data do we have? Where are these? How do we access these? These are three of the biggest data management challenges faced by mining companies. In most instances, files are just locally stored on each of the user’s laptops or desktops with the occasional habit of backing it up via the company’s file server. Moreover, sharing of valuable company data is done by just using e-mails, flash drives, FTP servers or even just through social media platforms. All these methods provide limited traceability and will compromise data security. While the abovementioned file management styles can get the job done, these could eventually reduce business efficiency and lead to reduced productivity. Do we have the latest version of the drillhole

THE SOLUTION: STRATEGIC GEOLOGY MODELING Paramina Earth Technologies, Inc. is proud to bring the golden standard for geoscience data management. Through our “Strategic Geology Modeling” solution developed by Dassault Systèmes, it blends the power of the industryleading 3DEXPERIENCE platform to ensure customers unlock and harness the value held within their geoscience data. It seamlessly integrates GEOVIA Surpac, the world’s most popular geology and mine planning software, and ENOVIA Project & Document Management applications. Strategic Geology Modeling enables multiple users to work safely and securely on the same data and also at the same time. It enables tracking and managing user access and file permissions on top of retaining and tracing all changes to the

data via document versioning. This gives the manager confidence that the latest interpretation, model, or plan uses the most up-to-date information - allowing real-time decisions and improved business agility. With Strategic Geology Modeling, your geoscience datasets are safe as these are securely stored in the 3DEXPERIENCE platform - whether on a public or private cloud, or on-premises. With an intuitive and user-friendly interface, users can simply drag-and-drop data on the platform into the GEOVIA Surpac graphics window to begin work - no need to undergo tedious conversions! It also enables: • Document versioning for traceability and accountability • Check-in/out of data • The ability to ‘sync’ data for fast visualization • User file and folder permissions • Bookmark workspaces and folders to create personalized views The synced geoscience data on the platform is accessible anywhere and from any device. Users can build customized dashboards containing the applications and data of their choice, providing a dynamic real- time view of operational information and KPI’s - accessible via

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ISSUE 3 2021 • WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM

MINING NEWS

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

leanout of Coal Mine Settling Ponds: A large Indonesian mining corporation operating an-openpit coal mine in a remote part of South Kalimantan, Indonesia, faced a problem on how to dewater silt sediments from settling ponds that had reached their capacity. As part of the settling ponds cleanout efforts, a TenCate Geotube® dewatering facility was constructed to contain and dewater sediments extracted from the ponds. In total, more than 300 Geotube® dewatering tubes have been used to dewater more than 1,000,000 m3 of slurry containing 170,000 m3 of dry solids annually. To optimize land space the Geotube® dewatering tubes are stacked up to seven layers high based on standardized units with a circumference of 36.6m and lengths between 17.4m to 61.4m to create large solid landfill structures. THE CHALLENGE The problem facing the mine was how to deal with high volumes of silt in evaporation ponds. The silt, originating from a mix of wastewater from the mines open pits as well as eroded silty rainwater runoff from within the mine catchment area, discharged into the ponds rapidly filling the header ponds before overflowing and clogging adjacent ponds. Initially, the problem was solved by constructing new ponds until there was a shortage of free land space. Cleaning the ponds required a constant combination

Cleanout of coal mine settling ponds using TenCate Geotube dewatering tech of silt dredging and truck relocation in a constant cycle to prevent runoff with high levels of suspended solids (TSS) discharging into and polluting adjacent river channels. As silt levels in the ponds increased, the cost of dewatering ponds became prohibitive, requiring a more proactive and cost effective permanent Geotube® dewatering solution.

THE DESIGN To prove the effectiveness and viability of TenCate Geotube® dewatering tubes, a series of on-site evaluation tests was undertaken. Firstly, a series of Rapid Dewatering Tests (RDT) was conducted to determine the most suitable polymer, the optimum polymer dosage and estimate the final end-of-dewatering solids concentration. Figure 1 and 2 shows the RDT test being undertaken and the effluent and dewatered solids captured. Secondly, a pilot tube trial was conducted using a few scaled-down Geotube® units that would simulate actual process conditions. The pilot trial validated the results of the RDT evaluation and was used to quantify information and operational implications that was then used in the final project design. Figure 3 shows the pilot trial set-up which utilized a Geotube® GT 500D fabric with a circumference of 13.7m and length of 30.6m. The pilot trial Geotube® units was laid out over a membrane lined platform to reduce ground infiltration of the effluent. The slurry pumped into the Geotube® units was

WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM • ISSUE 3 2021

dosed with polymer at the rate determined earlier by the RDT test. Figure 4 shows the final dewatered cake achieved in the pilot trial Geotube® units. THE CONSTRUCTION A Geotube® dewatering facility was constructed to contain and dewater slurry extracted from the ponds. Construction of the dewatering pad started in August 2015. Prior to placement of the Geotube® dewatering tubes, the surface area of the land was levelled and cleared of sharp objects such as rocks, roots etc as shown in Figure 5a. The pad preparation included the placement of a LDPE liner, drainage trenches, HDPE piping, manifolds and flexible hoses. A working space of about 5m was also allocated between the edge of the tubes and drainage for the operators as shown in Figure 5b. The first layer of Geotube® GT500D with a circumference of 36.6m and length of 61.4m was installed. Slurry was then pumped into the Geotube® dewatering tubes from a floating dredger in the ponds at a flow rate of 350-500 m³/hour in a 10-hour operation daily. The polymer used was a cationic flocculant injected at a dosage of 1.5 to 3.0 kg/MTds that was into the slurry prior to delivery into the Geotube® dewatering tubes. The maximum filled height was 2.65m and the final height after consolidation was

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MINING NEWS

ailings dams are the most common means of waste disposal in the mining industry because of their ability to hold huge amounts of material, as well as cost effectiveness. Tailings dams can represent an ongoing liability, long after mine operations cease, and facilities are closed and reclaimed. There is a global drive to ensure tailings dams are engineered during construction and evaluated for closure following the end of production. A tailings dam failure is defined as a physical breach of the dam followed by uncontrolled and typically sudden release of stored materials (e.g., fluids, tailings, sludge, etc.). There are several cases per year of significant failures, with many of these claiming lives. As an industry, we have a duty of care to improve approaches and ensure risks are lowered. Often complacency in operations and storage with an approach of “doing the minimum’’ is not the best practice, and every engineer and organization must do better to raise the bar and protect the lives and environments surrounding these often huge structures. In the Philippines, with our frequent and often severe earthquakes, tailings dams require robust engineering, high quality monitoring and civil, geotechnical

Geotechnical investigation approaches on tailings dams

and environmental engineering assessments to ensure the sites are stable long after a mine is a distant memory. Stability assessments referred to as a Tailings Dam Breach Analyses (TDBA) are a common approach to investigating tailings dams, and this requires detailed, high quality site investigation works. This is where RDCL provides various geotechnical and geophysics techniques that feed engineering data into ground models for breach analyses. The most common forms for geotechnical investigations are drilling and installation of ground water piezometers. RDCL takes intrusive testing beyond drilling with highly accurate Cone

Penetrometer Testing (CPT) and seismic testing. The cone of the CPT rig is made up of load cells or pressure sensors, collecting a variety of data used directly in engineering calculations. CPT testing is calibrated to international standards and is repeatable. The data is digital, and the quality control checks during testing removes the risk of collecting poor data, leading to poor engineering assumptions. Do it right to design it right, remove the requirement for over-engineering which can lead to significant cost increases. RDCL operates GeoMil CPT rigs in Philippines and has tested to 68 m below ground in tailings dams. Typically, CPT tests reach depths

tive Tasks. Users can dynamically visualize GEOVIA Surpac content in 3D within the platform. They can also engage with colleagues or contractors at the same time through 3DSwym communities and conversations, or comment on the data itself. The connection enabled by our Strategic Geology Modeling solution saves time and helps the user identify issues and bottlenecks earlier in the modeling process. These dynamic datasets and user-centric

collaboration help staff understand the real-world problems that impact business performance and agility, ensuring operational excellence in the age of mine digitalization. Let Paramina Earth Technologies, Inc. be your partner towards your mining journey! Contact paramina_solutions@paramina.com or www. paramina.com for more information. Reference: Dassault Systèmes. (2021). Geoscience Data Management: Challenges and a Solution.

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< Page 32 web browser. Strategic Geology Modeling combines these benefits with GEOVIA Surpac’s out-of-the-box functionality such as drillhole database, surfaces, and solids modeling tools. This allows geologists to truly represent the real world with a digital twin of the subsurface environment. The evolution of the geology model from interpretation, model generation to validation, can be tracked using ENOVIA’s Project Management applications. Managers can assign tasks, create a project plan, and monitor the progress against the plan using various charts. This complete project visibility in real-time means issues or delays are addressed as soon as they occur, reducing the impact on the business and allowing decisionmakers to make critical business decisions faster. This undeniably improves business performance and operational agility. Once the model is uploaded to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, content can be shared with all stakeholders via collaboration tools such as Communities & Conversations, Dashboards and Collabora-

Figure 1: Geoscience Data Management utilizing the 3DEXPERIENCE ENOVIA application

ISSUE 3 2021 • WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM

MINING NEWS

HMC donates P5m for construction of new RHU building

inatuan Mining Corporation (HMC), a subsidiary of Nickel Asia Corp. (NAC), has donated Php5 million for the construction of the first phase of a new Rural Health Unit building in close partnership with Hon. Cesar B. Diaz, Jr., Municipal Mayor of Tagana-an, and Dr. Benjielita P. Notada, Municipal Health Officer (MHO). “HMC committed a total of 10 million pesos for the realization of the infrastructure. The remaining amount will be released in the first quarter of 2022,” said Dr. Oliver Dennis O. Lao, HMC Admin Manager/Company Physician. The fund used for the donation is part of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) fund of HMC. The construction cost of the RHU building is pegged at Php15 million as per individual work plan. The Local Government Unit (LGU) of Tagana-an will finance the remaining Php5 million of the project cost. Dr. Notada said the project will bring positive impact to health care workers and Tagana-an residents. “The completion of the new RHU building will greatly improve the provision of health care services to all residents of Tagana-an. It will bring comfort to both medical and health workers, and our patients in terms of facilities.” “HMC has been our partner in providing medical services to the people of Tagana-an,” said Dr. Notada. “HMC supported us by providing ambulance, medicines, personal protective equipment (PPE) such as face masks and face shields, supplies for this pandemic battle and food supplies at the entry checkpoints in our municipality, air coolers, and almost daily food assistance during our COVID-19

SURFACE EXPLORATION GEOTECHNICAL

BLAST HOLE SPECIAL PURPOSE

WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM • ISSUE 3 2021

vaccination (Resbakuna) activities,” she added. Dr. Notada also expresses her gratitude to HMC for the support given to her team and her municipality. “We are very grateful to HMC for the constant support they have provided to our medical team The support allows us to deliver the needed health services of the people of Tagana-an. They had been a constant partner in our commitment to bring quality health services to the community.”

Plot No. M8, SIPCOT SEZ For Engineering Products, Perundurai, Erode – 638 052, Tamil Nadu, India.

DEWATERING WATER WELL

(From left) ComRel Manager Antonio B. Resuera, HR Manager Marietta P. Ravina, Taganaan Mayor Cesar B. Diaz Jr., and Admin Manager Dr. Oliver Dennis O. Lao.

www.prdrigs.com

+91 97877 03666

suresh@prdrigs.com

MINING NEWS

Advanced froth phase control: the key to higher recovery

onsidered a mix of science and art, flotation is the most widely used process for extracting vital minerals in the modern mining operation. As the amount and type of froth changes from cell to cell, the best recovery systems must be able to accommodate variable froth conditions, otherwise valuable materials end up being lost to tailings. Newer technologies eliminate the guesswork previously associated with flotation, and the latest advancements allow for adapting to the unique conditions within each cell. This improves control of the froth phase and directly affects the mine’s ability to recover either higher volumes or higher grades. As a leading innovator in froth recovery, FLSmidth has created a Froth Recovery Upgrade package that provides customers with more control, resulting in better overall metallurgical performance. The package includes four critical technologies: 1. A level sensor with a robust design and no moving parts, which accurately senses the froth depth and level of slurry within the cell. 2. Actuators that receive data from the level sensor and adjust the dart valve position to maintain slurry levels. 3. Radial froth crowders to reduce top-of-froth surface area and facilitate movement to the nearest radial launder. 4. Froth cameras, which measure the froth’s velocity and stability and can also infer the froth grade. Ideally, a flotation operation would utilise all four technologies to achieve optimal recovery; however, the full package can be segmented and installed as individual components, based on customers’ needs. This flexibility, and the real-world customer results, are illustrated by the examples below. Customer 1 – Level Sensor and Actuator A large copper mine in Peru approached FLSmidth to increase recovery in an 8-cell flotation bank. The mine’s existing equipment for monitoring slurry levels and controlling dart valves lacked consistency, which caused large

deviations in level control. The lack of control and stability reduced overall copper recovery and had a significant impact to the bottom line. Every large fluctuation in level control resulted in two scenarios: First, the cell level would become too high, and pulp would overflow into the launders, resulting in unacceptable grade. Then the level would drop too low and result in little to no recovery of the froth phase, impacting overall recovery. Data from the condition monitoring system revealed an opportunity for improvement, as shown in Figure 1. Sporadic movement of the actuator (blue) caused unstable deviations to the slurry level (green), causing it to fall short of the target level (yellow) needed for optimal performance. FLSmidth engineers recommended installation of new level sensors and FESTO actuators. The customer agreed to replace its current equipment, and the upgrade yielded immediate improvements. Following the retrofit, slurry levels showed significantly higher stability and remained consistent within the target level, shown in Figure 2. After a month with the new equipment, slurry levels consistently remained on target. As a result, the customer recovered 0.5% to 0.8% more copper than previously possible with the older equipment. Based on the short-term results, the customer anticipated replacing the remaining flotation cells in the entire plant with new level control. The mine’s return on investment

Another copper mine in Peru consulted with the FLSmidth Flotation team to improve its froth phase control and improve performance of its rougher flotation circuit. The customer was seeking

a low-capital solution using its existing equipment and opted to install FLSmidth’s Adjustable Radial Froth Crowders. Installation of the crowders required no cutting or welding and was completed during a scheduled downtime. With no required permanent structural changes to the cell, modifications could easily be reversed if the customer chose. After installation of the package on just one row of its rougher flotation cells, the customer noticed significant improvements to its operation. Operators were able to decrease reagent consumption, increase the froth phase depth by 3 to 10 cm, and ultimately improve

(Above) Froth Recovery Upgrade package.

(Above left) Multisense Level Sensor and (above right) Festo Actuator.

Figure 1 (left) and Figure 2 (right)

was less than three months. Customer 2 – Adjustable Radial Froth Crowders

the downstream operations by stabilising concentrate mass flows. With the economic gains seen from the retrofit’s improved perfor-

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MINING NEWS

< Page 36 mance, the mine retrofitted the remaining two concentrator plants with the same type of adjustable radial froth crowders. Customer 3 – Froth Camera A mine in western Canada contacted FLSmidth with concerns about frequent variations in its copper grade, along with low recovery numbers in its flotation circuit. FLSmidth determined that the frequent variations were caused by poor setpoint control and selection, and that a software solution would provide immediate benefits without a large capital investment. The threepart solution utilised a combination of Model Predictive Control (MPC), fuzzy logic and FLSmidth’s newest technology in froth vision systems, to improve recovery by 4% at the desired grade with less variation. The first step was to ensure stabile level control throughout the flotation circuit. This was accomplished by controlling the dart valve positions directly using an MPC controller which greatly reduces setpoint error and variation. This process ensures that when a level setpoint is sent to a

cell, that the dart valve position will be adjusted to reach the desired level set point in a quick and efficient manner. The next step was to obtain data from individual flotation cells, which was accomplished using froth cameras. FLSmidth’s newest froth vision system combines Deep Neural Networks (DNN) technology with traditional froth measurements such as velocity and stability, to provide a cuttingedge system that takes precise measurements from every cell. By

Froth Camera

utilizing DNN technology, the system can classify froth types automatically (i.e., identifying froth conditions, such as barren froth, pulping, etc.) and then make realtime decisions for level, air, and reagent addition setpoints as ore conditions change. As the final component to the

WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM • ISSUE 3 2021

solution, a fuzzy logic controller evaluates the conditions measured in each flotation cell, and simultaneously takes all upstream and downstream constraints into consideration, and then, in real time, elects the optimal setpoint configuration to maintain stability and increase recovery in the plant.

Adjustable Radial Froth Crowders

Summary With these advanced level sensors, actuators, radial froth crowders and froth cameras – installed individually or combined as a package – FLSmidth has proven its technology will allow for quicker reactions to flow and slurry density changes, greatly improving the performance of flotation machines. Better froth phase control methods can not only improve metallurgical performance in existing operations, but also allow performance prediction in greenfield operations.

MINING NEWS

< Page 34 of 20-30 m. In one day, 6-8 CPT tests can be completed, pending site constraints. The CPT rig also has options to deploy seismic geophones, soil samplers and electronic shear vanes, all of which allow discreet soil testing at specific depths. These additional tools, all part of the Geomil suite of equipment allow in-situ measurements of soil characteristics targeting specific layers within tailings, often to determine liquefaction risk. RDCL often recommends more than CPT and drilling data across tailings dams, as both techniques are vertical datasets, effectively creating a series of pin-point datasets across often very large areas. This leads to interpolation between datasets, and generalization of ground features. Surface seismic testing can provide 2D profiles across tailing dams, linking drilling or CPT data creating with good visualizations improving the understanding of soil characteristics across sites. Two common seismic methods are used: • MASW (Multi-channel Analysis of Surface Wave), deliver Shear wave (Vs) data • SRT (Seismic Refraction Tomography), delivers compressional wave (Vp) data The deployment of surface seismic methods typically involving a long seismic array of 24 to 48 geophones in a straight line and seismic shots (mostly via a sledgehammer), which propagate along and through the ground generating profiles as shown in this article. Engineering modulus and Poission’s ratio are a common output from seismic surveys. And ground water levels are also derived, via the compressional wave velocity (Vp). A measure of 1500m/s Vp in soils indicates the soils are >99% saturated – and may be prone to liquefaction. Small strain modulus can be derived from MASW data with fol-

< Page 33 1.8m. After the initial Geotube® dewatering tubes have been consolidated, the following layer was then installed (Figure 5c). This process continued until seven layers of Geotube® dewatering tubes was installed. Effluent discharged from the Geotube® dewatering tubes was pumped back into the settling ponds. THE PERFORMANCE The Geotube® dewatering technology installed in this large-scaled project has proven to be a highly effective

(Above) Seismic Refraction Tomography (SRT) (Below) Multi-channel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW)

lowing equation: Poisson’s Ration can be derived from SRT and MASW data with the following equation:

Seismic Refraction Tomography (SRT) is a good way to define the saturation level of soils, 1500m/s Vp indicated >99% saturation. This provides are very useful “delineation” of where tailings materials may liquefy. This interface between dry and saturated tailings allows determination of groundwater level geometries. Multi-channel Analysis of

Surface Waves (MASW) can provide information on the internal structure of enclosing material, as shown in the equations above. The Vs of soils increases as soil stiffness increases. A high Vs means a higher shear strength. When an earthquake shears the ground, soils with a low Vs are more prone to liquefy if they are silts and sands. In summary tailings dams are not naturally occurring, consolidated deposits. They are often accumulated in very short time scales and can be prone to failure. If tailings dams are engineered, monitored and have robust testing techniques described here, we, as an industry, can lower the risk of catastrophic failures improving the lives of everyone involved working on them and living around them.

and efficient solution with significant benefits in cost savings and environmental sustainability. The design of stacking seven layers of Geotube® dewatering tubes enabled land space to be well optimized while harnessing the performance of Geotube® technology. Geotube® dewatering technology improved the water discharge quality by substantially reducing the total suspended solids (TSS) being discharged back into the ponds with its ability of achieving high rates of solids retention and effluent discharge as compared to the previous dewatering methods used.

The solids contained in the Geotube® dewatering tubes also eliminated the risk of rainfall erosion and silt runoff. Presently, the solids in the Geotube® dewatering tubes are being reclaimed as infrastructure earthworks fill, reducing carbon footprint while returning a revenue contribution to the mine operations. This project has the distinction of being one of the biggest Geotube® dewatering projects ever undertaken in the world providing a wealth of knowledge on the economics of extreme large scale Geotube® dewatering. ISSUE 3 2021 • WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM

MINING NEWS

chaeffler Philippines celebrates its 14th anniversary of opening in Makati City, Philippine on Sep 4, 2021. The company aims for more collaborations and commits to ensuring customer success by providing value-added services and forging long-term relationships.

Schaeffler PH celebrates 14th anniversary of serving customers

The Philippines Journey As early as the 1967, Schaeffler has strong presence in the Philippines through its product solutions, the FAG and INA bearings. -, Recognising the prospects in Philippines, Schaeffler opened its office in 2007 to bring the best of Schaeffler’s entire range of industrial bearings, condition monitoring products and automotive components– all with the highest quality, to better meet the demands and serve the customers in Asia-Pacific. Today, Schaeffler Philippines, Inc. serves more than 500 customers in the local market ranging from agriculture, construction, mining, steel, cement, power transmission, food processing, textile, paper.

Partner to the mining and processing industry In mining and processing, Schaeffler Philippine Partner to the mining and processing industry. Our rolling bearings are essential contributors to technological progress. Rough operating and environmental conditions require extremely robust bearings. More than one hundred years of experience in the rolling bearing business and a strong customer focus make Schaeffler an excellent choice as a partner. Our product range of over 225,000 industrial products is one of the largest in the rolling bearing industry. Systems for condition monitoring, mounting services

By Todd Houlahan

as well as maintenance tools complete our range. All of this ensures that we can offer a solution for virtually any application in the mining and processing industry. Intensive research and development as well as constant close work with manufacturers and operators all result in high levels of operational reliability for all of our bearings. In addition, our solutions always offer economic benefits and this increases their efficiency. We are thoroughly familiar with our customers’ specific requirements as a result of our close cooperation with our customers and with higher education and research institutions for mining and processing. Our state-of-the-art technology permits us to supply the entire industry with the right bearings and offer related services, focusing on high reliability in even the toughest ambient conditions. Here are just some of the benefits for our customers: • Proven and tested quality of FAG and INA product brands • High operational reliability • Long life • High load carrying capacity and stability • Reduced maintenance costs • Easy to install and remove • Suitable for high vibratory stresses

• Resistant to very high temperatures We pioneer motion As a leading global supplier to the automotive and industrial sectors, the Schaeffler Group has been driving forward ground-breaking inventions and developments in the fields of motion and mobility for over 70 years with agility and efficiency. Characterised with long-term thinking and being responsible, the technology company leads with a sustainable-oriented approach in the manufacturing of high-precision components and systems for powertrain and chassis applications as well as rolling and plain bearing solutions for a large number of industrial applications. For more information, contact: SCHAEFFLER PHILIPPINES, INC. 5th Floor, Optima Building 221 Salcedo Street, Legaspi Village 1229 Makati City, Philippines Tel. No.: +632 7189930 Fax No.: +632 7798703 E-mail: marketing_ph@schaeffler.com Contact Person: Jay C. Durante, Country Manager Website: www.schaeffler.ph Date established: 4th Sept. 2007

Automated, robotic innovations for analyzing geological samples with portable XRF

dvances in robotics are leading to faster and more efficient X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses for geo-exploration projects. One new robotics innovation revolutionizing XRF analysis is GERDA, the automated Geochemical Research and Documentation Assistant. Created by the MEFFA Lab Oy in Finland, the automated unit is designed to test core in core boxes and soil, sediment, and crushed rock in plastics bags to achieve higher sample throughput with your portable XRF analyzer. The system is set up on a CNC table with a Vanta™ handheld XRF analyzer, a high-resolution USB camera, a simple control module based on Raspberry Pi 3, and easy-to-use software for visualization of results and data processing. In parallel with GERDA, the inventors have started to develop a unique method known as Nugget

Effect Gold Assay (NEFFA) to estimate gold mineralization in samples (typically crushed rock or crushed drill core). GERDA is used with a Vanta XRF analyzer to automate testing for geoexploration projects. Developing the GERDA System The GERDA system was developed by a team that has been using portable XRF analyzers on mineral exploration projects for over 15 years. Largely focused on the use of pathfinder elements as part of their gold exploration projects, the inventors have witnessed the development of portable XRF

WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM • ISSUE 3 2021

analyzers over time, particularly the improvements in speed and the reduction in the test times required to achieve the levels of precision needed. They have also observed

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MINING NEWS

Apex Mining welcomes 3 Sandvik drills

n June 12, 2021, three DD210 drills arrived in Apex Mining Company Mine site in Maco, Davao de Oro. The three drills were an opportunity won in the first quarter this year, kudos to our Equipment Sales Engineer, Justin “Jap” Palino, for this big win of equipment sales. The units were welcomed by Apex Mining Site officials and Sandvik Service team present on site. On the same day, the drills were unloaded from the containers, travelled, and temporarily parked on Apex Mechanical workshop area where the unit commissioning activity will be done. A Sandvik data collection device was installed on the

units, ready to connect to Sandvik’s Digital solutions. Apex Mining Company has already connected four of their existing units (two LH307 and two TH320) to our My Sandvik Productivity. The firm is looking forward to these three units to be linked and generate operating reports on the dashboard. The Sandvik team prepared a traditional celebration called “Cañao” -- a ritual where animals such as pigs are served for good harvest, progress, and safety. Three pigs were prepared and distributed in all Apex site departments. Also, a small feast was organized at the Sandvik site office, following minimum COVID-19 safety protocols and guidelines.

< Page 39 Olympus’ developments in detector technology and signal processing and, in particular, the Vanta analyzer’s ability to achieve lower limits of detection (LODs) of elements, including gold (Au). As junior explorers on a limited budget, their focus has been on greenfield exploration, rapid identification of anomalies, generation of drill targets, and potential new discoveries, not resource definition. Key to this has been their ability to test a far greater number of samples using their portable XRF analyzers than would be possible if all samples were assayed in the lab. GERDA is critical to their ability to do this.

GERDA is designed to: • Increase sample throughput for existing portable XRF owners • Help select samples for more expensive laboratory assay • Provide faster access to meaningful results for real-time follow up/infill • Reduce the overall cost of exploration analytical budgets • Make exploration programs more efficient To see how GERDA works with portable XRF, watch this quick video: ttps://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=3-Gesp0Gjpk What is Nugget Effect Gold Assay (NEFFA)? To understand this new technique, it is important to know how

the “nugget effect” works. The nugget effect is a term used to describe the sampling problem that can occur when there are large gold particles (nuggets) in a sample. If a nugget is selected during a traditional sampling process, researchers can overestimate the amount of gold in the sample. But if the nugget is missed, the gold can be underestimated. For gold exploration and mining, this variability can lead to inaccurate results and costly mistakes. The Nugget Effect Gold Assay (NEFFA) technique aims to turn the traditional challenge associated with the nugget effect into an opportunity. NEFFA attempts to measure the nugget effect through multiple nondestructive, systematic

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MINING NEWS

A ‘balut’ dream for Taganito Mining A s a fresh batch of ducklings hatch in an eclectic farm in Taganito Mining, so begins the important step towards fulfilling a dream of having a balut production farm within the mine site. Filipinos love balut. As a matter of fact, balut is associated with the Pinoy’s exotic palate and is accepted as a national delicacy in the Philippines, our “national street food”. The town of Pateros in Taguig City is the acknowledged balut capital of the country but agri-

culturists in Taganito Mining Corp. (TMC) believe that there is a big market for balut in Claver, Surigao del Norte, so they started to dream of having their own balut production as means of livelihood for the communities in this mining area. “Our main goal is to assist our partner communities and teach them to become producers of balut

An employee at Taganito Mining picks up eggs laid the night before hoping for more ducklings to add to the farm.

in the whole of Claver and adjacent towns, with lower prices so people can afford and enjoy balut produced in their own backyards,” says Danding Elizalde, Agriculturist at TMC and the project’s overall

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< Page 40 analyses of a geological material (typically crushed rock or crushed drill core) to identify the presence of gold or other precious metals based upon its distribution within the sample. NEFFA completely redefines and reduces the traditional sample preparation procedure and aims to provide semi-quantitative gold results using portable XRF analyzers to identify samples of potential interest for further laboratory analysis. Here’s how it works: • Representative samples of 20–30 g, depending on the nature of material, are isolated in a medium such as a clear sample bag or under plastic film to ensure that there’s no contamination from an external agent • The sample is distributed evenly over a 10 cm x 10 cm square with the depth of the material being no thicker than 2 mm • A grid or matrix is placed over the sample, with individual matrices measuring 1 cm x 1 cm • Measurements are performed within each square cm, and the average of all results is reported • The technique is most effective on crushed rock or crushed drill core samples with a grain size 3 mm, but not on homogenized pulp samples • Rotary air blast and reverse circulation (RC) samples can be analyzed directly This method takes the throughput advantages of GERDA for general exploration projects and adds additional value for gold exploration by providing gold estimates using XRF.

GERDA is used with a Vanta XRF analyzer to automate testing for geo-exploration projects.

We acknowledge this method may be considered non-traditional. Portable XRF’s weaknesses in analyzing gold are well known (elemental spectral overlaps can cause false positives, relatively high LODs compared to the lab, and fire assay is the best technique to use), however the inventors’ initial work using GERDA and NEFFA suggests meaningful gold data and cost savings are possible with this system. Also, local radiation safety and licensing requirements must be followed with any proposed implementation of this technique. Todd Houlahan, Director, International Mining Group, graduated from the University of

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Newcastle, Australia in 1993 with a degree in soils and hydrology. For the past 18 years, Todd has been a leader in the portable XRF revolution in the mineral exploration and mining industries, publishing numerous papers on the subject and presenting at international conferences. For the past 10 years, Todd has led Olympus’ International Mining Group helping explorers, miners, and their shareholders achieve cost efficiencies by using the best portable XRF and XRD technology solutions. To know more about Automated, Robotic Innovations for Analyzing Geological Samples with Portable XRF, visit https://trisco.com.ph/ or email at trisco@pldtdsl.net.

MINING NEWS

From educators to licensed professionals: TVIRD scholars make waves in their chosen fields

A retrospective on TVIRD’s educational program that launched their careers

iocon, Zamboanga del Norte – She knows what it is to be poor at a young age, being born to poor parents and raised by a single mother who died while she was in her primary years. The harrowing experience of being bullied because of poverty made Joanamarie Gabayan vow to have

a stable job in the future. At 19, she fulfilled her promise to herself and joined the academe where a decent, fulfilling, and stable job as a professional teacher awaited her. Joanamarie, “Joan” to family and friends, earned her degree in elementary education in 2015. She

took and passed the professional board examination for teachers then and landed a teaching job the following year – thanks to the scholarship program of TVI Resource Development Philippines Inc. (TVIRD) in Canatuan. Now 25 years old and already married, Joan is currently teaching the Subanon children at Barangay Tabayo Elementary School of this town. Assigned as an Indigenous People Education (IPEd) teacher by the Department of Education (DepEd), she instructs her pupils on basic education that is responsive to their context, respects their identities and promotes the values of their indigenous knowledge, skills, and other aspects of their cultural heritage – all in line with DepEd Order 50 series of 2016. Looking back at her humble beginning, Joan said she is forever grateful to the company that

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Department of TMC that takes care of the protection and enhancement of the environment in the mining communities came upon the exciting idea of balut production. “After the initial learnings, we’ve warmed up to the system of caring for the ducks and we found out it’s a piece of cake really as we do the feeding and cleaning of cages in between our daily activities and would take turns in collecting the eggs that would be laid during night,” shares Elizalde. “It is very important to document every challenge we’ve encountered,” says Vince Ivan Libao, OICEnvironmental Manager for TMC, and Elizalde’s immediate superior. One of the bigger hurdles was when TMC did not have an incubator. The eggs would be sold to employees every time because it was difficult to hatch them into ducklings since mother ducks would not warm on their eggs and there were bush rats that feed on them at night. “We could not grow healthy breeders because we could not hatch most of our eggs, so an incubator became a necessity, so we had one fabricated in Surigao City for P60,000 pesos” explains Libao. But with an incubator, TMC started producing ducklings and

perfected the system that now produce fertile eggs with better hatchability rate with the target to produce 500 ducklings in the next few months. At the moment, TMC is able to hatch 60 ducklings at a time and is getting nearer to the realization of its dream of having an efficient balut production farm. TMC mine site is located in barangays Hayanggabon, Urbiztondo, Taganito and Cagdianao, in the municipality of Claver, province of Surigao del Norte. Its area of operations is within the Surigao Mineral Reservation.

coordinator. A likely recipient of the balut production technology that TMC is developing is the Sapa Integrated Farmers’ Association (SIFAS), one of the people organizations (POs) that TMC supports under the mining company’s Social Development Management Program (SDMP). SIFAS already has a duck farm but they are selling their egg produce until they are able to produce balut to sell. “TMC is our biggest support in terms of funding and know-how and we cannot wait for our dream to have a balut production here in Claver,” says Mr. Virgelio Buyan, SIFAS President. The critical first step is to grow a healthy batch of “breeders”. Elizalde says that ducks are one of the simplest animals to raise. They are resilient against unpredictable weather changes and do not consume a lot of time to nurture and grow. TMC, a subsidiary of Nickel Asia Corp. (NAC), has always been on the lookout for sustainable community projects to develop and to pass on to the residents of the company’s host communities, and the Environmental

(Left photo) Children study and play at the Canatuan Elementary and National High School – an institution that TVIRD helped build during its operations in the area from 2004-2014, and from which time the company has been the host municipality’s strongest partner in promoting responsive education. TVIRD file photo

SIFAS dreams to be able to produce balut soon to sell to the communities.

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MINING NEWS

Police Corporal Rasul Agang is a beneficiary of TVIRD’s College Scholarship Program and a graduate of BS Criminology. Corporal Agang is now happily serving his kababayans as a peacekeeper and assisted the government’s efforts during the pandemic.

< Page 42 helped her realize her dream. “I could not have reached this far without TVIRD,” she said. Giving back Police Corporal Rasul Agang, also a former scholar of the company agrees with her. A graduate of BS in Criminology at a state university in Siocon town, Corporal Agang is now proudly serving his “kababayans” as a member of the Siocon Police Station. At 27, Rasul said he “walks the talk” of the PNP Motto which is to “Serve and protect.” A son of a fisherman, Rasul shared that ever since he was young, he wanted to become a police officer. “That was my dream, and I was able to achieve it through the help of the company. I am always proud of being a scholar and part of the TVIRD family, knowing that it is a responsible mining company,” he said. Rasul cited TVIRD’s ongoing final mine rehabilitation in Canatuan, which started in 2016. The program consists of “re-greening” and restoring the company’s former mine site to its former condition and covers all disturbed areas during its 10-year mining operations from 2004. Equally thankful is geologistscholar Ryan Lumabi, also a Subanon from Sitio Canatuan. Ryan currently works as a project geologist at Premium Megastructures Inc. in Misamis Oriental. “I just want to say thank you very much to TVIRD for making my dream possible. It really was impossible for me to reach my dream given that we were poor. But (they) gave me the opportunity to study and graduate as well as assisted me financially while taking the board examinations,” he said. Investing in education “TVIRD believes that education plays a vital role in empowering its Subanon partners; hence, the

PCpl Rasul Agang joins members of the Siocon PNP in distributing relief goods to residents of Sitio Busikong, Barangay Sta. Maria during the “Barangayanihan: Ayuda sa Sioconians” program. He is one of 91 TVIRD scholars who completed their college courses.

company must invest on it,” according to TVIRD President Yulo Perez who was then Canatuan General Manager who institutionalized the company’s College Scholarship Program in early 2005. According to him the program seeks to provide the poor but deserving Subanons with access to education so they will be able to help the tribe’s elders in managing the development of their homeland – all according to their needs and outlook, and within their cultural and traditional framework. Also included in the grant were underprivileged but deserving nontribal scholars residing within the immediate community and the host municipality of Siocon. From 2004 to 2020, TVIRD spent more than Php11-million pesos for its scholarship program. The amount is on top of the construction cost of the first school buildings and library of Canatuan Elementary and National High School as well as the salaries of both school’s first four schoolteachers. TVIRD also provided school buses for the pupils and students at both schools. The first bus could accommodate 48 passengers and ferried the children as far as Sitio Kilometer 8, a sub-village of Kilalaban of the neighboring town of Baliguian, and Sitio Paduan of Barangay Candiz in Siocon town. When TVIRD concluded its Canatuan operations in 2014, it also produced professional teachers, nurses, midwives, civil engineers, agriculturists, geologists, an environmental engineer, a forester, and a member of the Philippine Navy. Geologist Ryan Lumabi mentioned earlier that the education provided to him by the company gave him the fighting chance to reach his dream. “Mining may cease, and TVIRD may eventually leave Canatuan. But the education it provided will live on in the hearts of its scholars whose lives were touched and changed for the better,” he concluded.

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Taken in 2015 during their graduation day at Jose Rizal Memorial State University in Siocon, standing at the center is Rasul Agang (center). He is joined by Annette Bade (third from right), who obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science, and Joan Gabayan, who earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education.

Former TVIRD scholar and now IPEd teacher Joan Gabayan teaches the children of fellow Subanons the basic culture and tradition of the tribe.

Geologist Ryan Lumabi is currently working at Premium Megastructures Inc. as Project Geologist and is currently based in Misamis Oriental. He is one of the six TVIRD scholars who took BS Geology at the Negros Oriental State University, Dumaguete City.

COMPANY NEWS

Multiflo® MudfloTM pump and dredge unit before installation in Indonesia.

Weir Minerals Multiflo® MudfloTM 150 pump render

Weir Minerals launches Multiflo Mudflo submersible pump for large particle handling

eir Minerals, global leader in the provision of mill circuit technology, dewatering solutions and services, has launched the new Multiflo® MudfloTM hydraulic submersible slurry pump. Engineered for abrasive applications and large particle handling, the Multiflo® MudfloTM pump features a hydraulically driven wet-end specifically designed to efficiently and safely reprocess and relocate tailings ponds, maintain water retention dams, and manage slimes and sludge ponds. The innovative solution combines the Warman® MGS pumpend, Multiflo® CB32 hydraulic cutters and ESCO® excavation teeth to provide efficient pumping of highly charged and abrasive slurries. Weir Minerals’ unique Ultrachrome® A05 chrome alloy impeller ensures high wear resistance, and the specially engineered suction strainer minimizes the risk of clogging by preventing large solids & debris from entering the pump. Drawing on decades of Warman® pump design experience, the Multiflo® Mudflo™ pump is capable of pumping between 150 and 1,200m3/h, up to 82m head. The Multiflo® CB32 hydraulic cutters feature market-leading ESCO® Ultralok® tooth system to prevent premature breakage,

avoid tooth loss and protect the integral locking system to ensure the continuous operation of the pump. Engineered by the Weir Minerals dewatering pump experts in Australia, it is available for global customers from July 2021. “The Multiflo brand is synonymous with high quality and longlasting equipment. In designing the Mudflo pump, our dewatering experts drew from the very best Multiflo, Warman and ESCO technology and used advanced hydraulics to create an innovative and cost-effective new solution for mine dredging applications,” Cameron Murphy, Director of Dewatering Weir Minerals APAC said. Weir Minerals understands that success is built from enduring partnerships based on close collaboration and a mutual commitment to safety and technical excellence. “It is not uncommon for sites to use a combination of pumps, shovels, excavators and trucks for dredging applications. When one of our long-time partners in Indonesia contacted us about developing a custom solution for the slurry build-up in their sumps, we knew we could provide a better solution,” Geoff Way, Weir Minerals Dewatering Specialist said. “We’re problem solvers. We considered our customer’s pain points and engineered a new

solution to efficiently and safely manage their site processes,” he said. The Multiflo® MudfloTM pump can also be retrofitted to competitor OEM equipment; the quickhitch plate attachment ensures convenient installation and removal from hydraulic excavators. The Multiflo® Mudflo™ pump can be assembled on land, eliminating the safety risks associated with assembling pumps over water. Furthermore, the new hydraulic hose management system reduces the risk of hose entanglement and trip hazards, all the while providing a reliable hose bend radius to ensure smooth oil flow. The Multiflo® MudfloTM pump will be available globally from July 2021. Discover more at https:// info.global.weir/mudflo

Weir Minerals engineer on site with the pump.

ISSUE 3 2021 • WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM

COMPANY NEWS

oday, it is crucial to have an in-depth and well-defined understanding of the geological region when targeting and developing prospective sites. Extensive field work is essential to identify economically significant deposits prior to any extraction operation. This includes comprehensive geologic sampling and analysis, which is costly and time consuming when performed with traditional laboratorybased methods. The TerraSpec Halo, portable mineral analyzer, by ASD, a Malvern Panalytical company, has made a great impact on mining exploration. Many geologists across Australia, South East Asia, the Americas and more are embracing the TerraSpec Halo because of its real-time mineralogical analysis, hence allowing geologists to make more informed decisions; lowering field and drilling costs. When used at an outcrop, at the drilling site, in the core shack, or in the open pit, the TerraSpec Halo mineral analyzer provides the mineralogical information needed to understand the relationship between the potential economic deposit and the local geology and provides the means to use that relationship to better target exploration efforts. As a rapid and reliable analytical technique that requires no sample preparation, it has proven to be an essential tool for field geologists and mine operators. Advantages: • Rapid and Accurate Results. Results are presented within seconds and are available for analysis through a range of spectral analysis software. It has 350-2500 nm range which gives full accurate analysis on minerals. • Point and Shoot, Ease of Use. Handy and can easily bring to the field. Non-technical operators can have used the unit. • Portable. Both the TerraSpec Halo mineral analyzers are portable devices well-suited for both field, drill site and laboratory analysis. • Widely Used. TerraSpec instruments are the most widely used

Point and shoot for accurate mineralogical results in seconds Explore with confidence using ASD’s handheld TerraSpec Halo spectrometers for alteration zone and gangue mineralogy mapping, whether it is for early-stage target generation or late-stage geometallurgical studies. In production, the TerraSpec Halo mineral analyzer is optimal for a wide range of operations including ore sorting, blending, feed control and tailing monitoring for both heap leach and mineral processing • Sample Flexibility. Working with a full line of accessories, TerraSpec analyzers are suitable for measurement of outcrops, hand samples, tailings, drill cores, cuttings and pulps • Non-Destructive Analysis. Materials are analyzed in their original state, intact and unprocessed. Applications: Exploration • Geological/deposit field mapping • Indicator mineral identification • Mineralogical parameters related to thermal and chemical zonation • Drill cuttings analysis • Core logging Laboratory Analysis • Acid consumption determination • Swelling clay assessment • Gangue mineral concentrations • Blast chip analysis Extractive Metallurgy • Ore sorting and blending • Block model development • Improved site mapping • Agglomeration optimization • Heap leach optimization • Flotation feed control

Check out ASD’s other range of portable and conveyor belt solutions:

Smart Features: Minerals and Scalars which includes mineral library and easy to export to 3rd party software such as Aesiris and TSG

Audio Notes which recording of voice notes while in the field

Viewing of Spectra which includes viewing of peaks with full range of wavelength numbers to see the difference of minerals analysis

Getting your Data which includes synchronization of collected data from Halo to the computer for post processing of results

TerraSpec 4 Hi-Res for High-tech Mineral Exploration The TerraSpec 4 Hi-Res spectrometer is a portable, rugged analyzer for field mineral mapping and analysis that represents a new generation of high-speed, high-performance field portable analyzers. The Terraspec 4 Hi-Res has spectra resolution 3 nm at 700nm, 6nm at 1200/2100nm.

TerraSpec Halo Terraspec Halo is portable full-range handheld spectrometer that is fast, accurate, and easy to use for the exploration geology market.

QualitySpec 7000 for Measurement of Material Moving on a Conveyor The QualitySpec 7000 analyzer embodies state-of-theart spectroscopic technology capable of accurately measuring material as it is transported on a conveyor belt. This stationary unit is designed to produce realtime, accurate data in a non-contact manner for process control. The QualitySpec 7000 system saves significant

WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM • ISSUE 3 2021

cost in material sorting and quantifying gangue mineralogy. The QualitySpec 7000 has a spectral resolution of 3nm @ 1400/2100nm. It is used for various types of mineral analysis from nickel, to iron and more. In copper production, the system monitors ore entering the agglomerator to predict and potentially reduce acid usage, and measures swelling clay content for proper hydration. In summary, the ASD TerraSpec Halo and TerraSpec 4 Hi-Res and QS7000 line of mineral analyzers provide portable, rapid and non-destructive analysis of minerals in the lab or the field. Exploration geologists appreciate the ASD TerraSpec mineral analyzer’s portability and ability to rapidly identify key minerals. When used as an ore analyzer, results are presented in seconds to speed ore processing decisions. Go Watch the Video! Scan the QR code or go to https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=RYy_fJ4ukxo or visit our website www.malvernpanalytical. com/ASD or contact DKSH Philippines, Inc. via Andressa.SanGabriel@dksh. com, Sales Manager, BU Technology, +63 998 960 0252

COMPANY NEWS

Innovation towards flexibility in construction projects

he new Atlas Copco’s XAS boX range is the result of 10 years of continuous development and addresses the changing needs of our customers. This range, from 400-850 cfm, combines the rugged durability you need with the performance efficiency you deserve. When we focus on efficiency within this range, it’s all about the strategic triangle of size, flow, and fuel efficiency. Excelling in one of these areas is wasted excellence if you cannot provide the other two. Therefore, our promise to our customers is an industry leading range of optimized size-to-flow compressors, which have unparalleled levels of fuel efficiency and autonomy. The XAS boX range comes with Pressure Adjusted through Cognitive Electronics (PACE) technology. This electronic pressure regulation system brings a wider pressure range to cover more applications. PACE optimizes your compressor’s efficiency, especially at partial load or idle status and is the smart technology that increases your utilization and improves your compressor’s fuel economy. This range is also designed to withstand the toughest working conditions. With a standard operating temperature range of -10°C to +50°C and a strong undercarriage, the range’s robust nature guarantees reliable operation. The design, controller and modularity put you in control. You will see we have also focused heavily on ease of service to ensure uptime and utilization. This range is all about you! Huge number of Atlas Copco machines used in Slope Protection projects Rebtrade International Corporation started its formal operations in 1980 as a trading company for specialty construction chemicals, particularly waterproofing and nonshrink grouts. In 1984, Rebtrade entered a manufacturing licensing agreement with an established

Swiss manufacturing conglomerate. The thrust is to provide quality products meeting international standards using majority of its components from locally available sources. This created a major advantage for the company in terms of pricing and delivery, as our competitors sold finished products imported from either USA or Europe. At present, Rebtrade has more than 50 specialty construction products such as Waterproofing, Waterstops, Fireproofing, Flooring Compounds and Treatments, Adhesives, Non-shrink Grouts, Epoxies, Caulks and Sealants, Concrete Admixtures, Firestops, Carbon Fiber, etc. Rebtrade represents various principal companies from Europe and America and have also exported products to different parts of Asia. The company is constantly evolving as more innovative products are being developed and introduced to the market to cater to all clients in the construction industry. It is now one of the leading manufacturing and trading companies in the country to date. “Rebtrade International Corporation is one of the pioneers for specialty construction materials, slope protection and road stabilization installation. We started out as a trading company way back in 1980 for specialty construction materials. As we continued to expand and diversify, we needed to find good and reliable suppliers to help in our growth, that’s when we partnered with Atlas Copco. This was more than 8 years ago and to this day, Atlas Copco continues to be our go-to supplier for compressed air supply, among other things”, said Mr. Manuel Syyap, President of Rebtrade International Corporation. “We are happy that we have grown together with Atlas Copco, a company who shares our ideals and our vision. We hope that this partnership will continue in the years to come,” he added.

Mr. Manuel Syyap, President of Rebtrade International

Discover the products and services offered by Rebtrade International Corp. via www.rebtrade. com or contact them at info@rebtrade.com and +632 584 6070 to 71. To know more about Atlas Copco’s range of products and services, visit https:// www.atlascopco.com/ en-ph/constructionequipment or email powertechnique.SEA@ atlascopco.com. ISSUE 3 2021 • WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM

CONSTRUCTION

DENR pushes for $27.5-M green cooling tech project By Abe Almirol

o tighten national policy against ozone depleting substances (ODS), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) initiated a big leap towards cleaner technology among industries using cold chain facilities. The environmental agency wants the Philippine government to promote low carbon, energy efficient systems to eliminate the use of hydrochlorofluorocarbons or HCFC in industries requiring heavy use of refrigeration and air-conditioning systems. Cold chain covers every product that needs cooling from the farmgate to the dining table, including aspects such as transport, storage, transformation, and packaging. So far, sectors dependent on cold chains are the biggest users of ODS. The Global Partnership for Improving the Food Cold Chain in the Philippines (GPI-FCCP), a project which got a $27.5 million funding from the Global Environmental Facility, shall carry out a strategic positioning of environment-friendly cold chain technology across the country. “Refrigeration systems for trans-

porting goods in the food industry will no longer use ODS-HCFC. Stringent policies are important in providing a stable investment environment for investors in ‘green’ cooling technologies,” the DENR said in a statement. The new policies will affect national standards for flammable refrigerants and energy efficiency. GPI-FCCP will also initiate a highlevel training for fifty (50) local engineers, system suppliers, and end-users on the use of innovative cold chain technology that are currently used globally. Stakeholders’ participation As a project assisted by the international funder Global Environment Facility (GEF), the GPI-FCCP also includes the training of two hundred (200) key stakeholders on energyefficiency and climate-friendly cold chain technologies. These trained stakeholders shall serve as champions in the advocacy to popularize new technologies replacing ODSHCFCs. The major implementers of the GPI-FCCP are the DENR and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). The German international cooperation agency Gesselschaft fur Interna-

WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM • ISSUE 3 2021

tionanale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) also serves as a co-financer of the project. Agricultural commodities such as meat, dairy, fish, and a broad range of vegetable crops need cooling and freezing systems while in transit, during storage, and at the display shelves. Traditional practices using natural cooling could be seen during harvest times in most farms in the Philippines. The lack of access to refrigerated transportation vehicles taught farmers in Northern Luzon that it is best to transport vegetable products to Metro Manila at night, where heat is lesser, and traffic is lighter. Some known HFC and HCFC alternatives used in Europe include R32 refrigerants tested to have lower global warming potential (GWP), Hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs), and HFC-HFO blends. A European expert said there is no “cure all” alternative because there are varied safety and thermodynamic properties among refrigerants. Some alternatives do no work well in certain types of products and equipment. Also, geographical locations may affect the efficiency and effectivity of each kind of alternative.

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COMPANY NEWS

hanging the way we work: Measures across Asia-Pacific economies to slow the spread of the pandemic meant a rapid reduction in staff working on building sites and in contractor and consultant offices, resulting in an acceleration in the rate of digital transformation. Smart sensors are being used in building systems and infrastructure assets to enable remote monitoring of performance. These, coupled with data integration platforms, give real-time insights 24/7 from anywhere. Drones have been used for spatial surveys and asset mapping before the pandemic; last year saw a new emphasis on remote surveying for more detailed and specific applications, such as progress reporting and workplace safety monitoring.

Guide to Smarter Construction

3 Key Trends Transforming the Industry in 2021

People with skills to manage and operate telematics, drones, digital modelling, the streams of data generated by IoT, virtual inspection tools and digitised safety reporting, are now in demand. Without them, all that information will be next to useless as builders won’t be able to apply those insights to improve performance and productivity. Automation and AI: In Asia, the uptake and installation of process robotics have reached record levels, with two-thirds installed in factories across Asia. On commercial and residential building sites, the impact of robotics and automation will be seen more immediately in supply chains, for example, automated equipment used for manufacturing materials and components. Such robots will soon be tackling jobs like materials handling, welding, and small parts assembly.

Another type of robotic technology whose role in design, delivery, compliance, and asset operation will become increasingly pervasive is AI. AI can assess plans at light-speed against the hundreds of standards and compliance requirements in the building code. The computational design generated by AI can be then analysed by more AI. The resulting analysis can help generate accurate costings, procurement plans, programming and more effective management of milestones, progress payments, safety reporting and quality verification. Digital twins: A digital twin integrates multiple technologies, such as advanced Building Information Modelling, IoT, AI, machine learning, spatial technologies, virtual reality, and augmented information management, all stored in the cloud. One company that has adopted such a technology is Gammon

Construction in Hong Kong, thus offering real-time visibility of pours, curing rates and productivity. This has enabled the company to strike its pours 38% faster and saved over 110 tons of concrete waste. Optimising construction outcomes in terms of quality, safety, and financials is the ultimate benefit of digital transformation. Paper forms, Excel spreadsheets, cluttered email inboxes, and voicemails won’t get us there. Change and progress start from the ground up, and what’s needed is a sound toolkit of digital productivity, project management and business management systems. What’s needed is a transformation in smarter construction. Talk to Procore today about how we can help you face the changes ahead or visit: https://proco. re/3rQtgMl to find out more about how to build smarter.

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which reduces human’s exposure to harmful ultraviolet radiation, said to be the leading cause of skin cancer and cataract. “ODS includes chlorofluorocarbons, halons, carbon tetrachloride, methyl chloroform, hydrobromofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), methyl bromide, and bromochloromethane,” DENR explained. Refrigeration technologies have come out as top concern due to low energy efficiency and high global

warming potential. Common refrigerants extensively use HCFCs. The Montreal Protocol compelled signatory countries to freeze consumption and production of the ODSHCFCs. The treaty also called on developing countries to cut by 100% their HCFC production by 2030. Private sector engagement will be crucial in the Philippines’ effort in obtaining knowledge transfer of the most innovative, climate friendly, and energy efficient refrigeration technologies, the DENR said.

PH compliance to the Montreal Protocol DENR said the green cold chain project came about as part of the country’s compliance to its commitment to the 1987 Montreal Protocol, a global agreement to protect the stratospheric ozone layer by phasing out the production and consumption of ODS. The ozone is the earth’s protective layer, absorbing UV light

ISSUE 3 2021 • WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM

CONSTRUCTION NEWS

Manila finishes field hospital for COVID-19 patients

By Marcelle P. Villegas

ack on 20 April 2021, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso announced plans to build a temporary COVID-19 field hospital at Burnham Green in Rizal Park. A groundbreaking ceremony was held that day. They planned to finish the 336-bed field hospital in two months’ time, dedicated to COVID-19 patients with mild to moderate symptoms and covering 4,402 square meters. [1] Then on 14 June 2021, the Manila Mayor announced on social media the early completion of the field hospital project. He said: “We have just completed the main physical works for a new 336-bed critical care field hospital devoted entirely to Covid-19 cases.” “You might wonder why we in Manila are building out more healthcare capacity right when vaccines are finally starting to ar-

rive in the Philippines.” “The City of Manila is the most densely populated city on Earth (more than 74,000 per square kilometer in some areas) while greater Metro Manila packs an estimated 25-30 million people across its urban fabric. It is one of the world’s top 20 metropolitan agglomerations.” “As we have recently seen in cities around the world and here at home, it is so important to be prepared for more waves of new cases, new variants, etc. I want to make sure we are always prepared,” the mayor explained. [2] He further noted that the City of Manila COVID-19 field hospital will be open to everyone. “No matter where you live (in Manila or not) or who you are (Filipino or foreigner, rich or poor). This much needed facility will reduce

immediate pressure on hospital emergency rooms and ICUs across the entire national capital region which need to be devoted to the most serious cases.” “Delivered in just 52 days ahead of originally planned 60! This is your Manila government at work, for everyone.” During the groundbreaking ceremony last April, Mayor Domagoso said the mild and moderate

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COMPANY NEWS

Ritchie Bros. returns to PH as secondhand prices soar

ith global OEM production slow-moving due to the pandemic and secondhand equipment prices reaching new heights, Ritchie Bros. Senior Territory Sales Manager Chris Edwards is encouraging consignors in the Philippines to bring their assets to market. Edwards, who is based in Manila, was appointed at the beginning of 2021 to accommodate rising demand in the Philippines. “Ritchie Bros. has a long-standing reputation in the Philippines. The first Ritchie Bros. auction ever hosted in Asia was in Subic Bay in 1994. We pioneered the auctioneering business in the Philippines with permanent live auction sites from 1994 to 1999, now we’re back with a new office in Manila to support buyers and sellers in the Philippines,” said Mr. Edwards. “We have returned to the Philippines as the global market appetite for used equipment and machinery has burgeoned over the last 18 months with no sign of demand slowing down,” he added. “Philippine mining companies have experienced record-breaking quarters and rising commodity prices. This is a great time to bring used equipment to our global market and get the best possible price. We continue to secure great results for mining companies across Asia through our various sales channels,” Edwards said.

“We have Territory Managers all throughout the Christ Edwards (right) of Ritchie Asia-Pacific region ready to help consignors get the Bros. (NYSE best price for their used equipment. As world-leading and TSX: RBA), asset remarketers, with expertise on the ground, a global asset our comprehensive sales solutions give consigners management a choice of selling solutions through Ritchie Bros. and disposition Auctioneers unreserved auctions, IronPlanet reserved company, offering auctions, or our 24/7 Marketplace-E.” customers endRitchie Bros. sold more equipment and machinery in to-end solutions 2020 than any other auction company. The COVID-19 for buying and pandemic has continued to accelerate acceptance selling used heavy of large-scale online equipment sales and purchases. equipment, trucks, Since shifting to exclusively online auctions, the and other assets. market leader has continued to see record-breaking bidder participation, strong buyer demand, and outstanding results for sellers. Need help selling your assets? Contact Chris Edwards on +63.917.149.8545 or cedwards@ritchiebros.com

< Page 49 patients in the city’s six district hospitals would be transferred to the COVID-19 field hospital. The field hospital will be fully air-conditioned and equipped with internal communication (intercom), Internet access, and separate wards for female and male patients. Food will be provided to patients for free. [1] The mayor also said that a director would be assigned to manage its operations and Manila Health Department’s medical doctors and nurses would man the field hospital. The mayor plans to put more intensive care units (ICUs) inside the hospitals once public hospitals in Manila becomes less congested. He said the city government decided to construct the field hospital after they received reports of COVID-19 patients with mild and moderate cases who have died while in triage or tents, or in parking areas of hospitals while waiting to be admitted. [1] This field hospital will be a temporary structure at a land area that was lent by Rizal Park Ad-

ministration and the Department of Tourism. “We will temporarily use this area. After the pandemic, the City of Manila will return this in good condition,” said Mayor Domagoso from a report by Philippine News Agency. The City of Manila is currently hiring medical professionals (physicians, nurses, nursing aids) and has allotted Php154 million for this project. The mayor said he patterned this field hospital from a similar facility in Italy. The City of Manila became a highly urbanized city by 22 December 1979. This year on the 24th of June, the City of Manila

celebrates its 450th anniversary. This newly-built field hospital is one of the many accomplishments of the city for their pandemic response. References: [1] Moaje , Marita (21 April 2021). Philippine News Agency. “P154-M Covid-19 field hospital in Manila to cater to mild cases”. Retrieved from - https://www.pna.gov.ph/ articles/1137528 [2] From the LinkedIn Page of Mayor Francisco Moreno Domagoso, Mayor of the City of Manila https://www.linkedin.com/in/ francisco-iskomoreno-domagoso/

An aerial view of Manila’s COVID-19 field hospital at Burnham Green in Rizal Park (left) built under the administration of Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso (right). From the LinkedIn Page of Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso.

ISSUE 3 2021 • WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM

COMPANY NEWS

By Dr. Olivier Lo, Medical Director, International SOS, and Rita Dayoub, Health Consultant, International SOS

hile most of the patients suffering from “acute” COVID-19 would recover fully in a maximum period a four weeks’ time, others will experience long-term after-effects. When existing symptoms may last longer than expected or new ones develop following the “acute” COVID-19 infection, we refer to “ongoing” symptomatic COVID-19 (from four to twelve weeks). In certain cases, this could also lead to more chronic conditions, usually identified as “Post COVID-19” syndrome (when signs and symptoms continue for more than twelve weeks). For simplicity, we will use “long-COVID” definition to describe signs and symptoms that continue to develop after “acute” COVID-19. It includes both “ongoing symptomatic” and “post-COVID-19” syndrome. Even people who did not have symptoms when they were infected can have long-COVID. These conditions can have different types and combinations of health problems for different lengths of time. They can last for months and impact significantly both the physical and mental health of the patient as well as their ability to cope. What should organizations consider managing returnto-work for long-COVID employees? How can employers ensure a safe work environment despite long-COVID risks? How can long-COVID impact employees’ productivity and business continuity? A variety of questions and doubts subsist for organizations on how to approach and manage effectively this emerging and concerning phenomenon. HR preparedness & long absenteeism With this emerging concern around long-COVID, Human Resources professionals must be prepared to respond efficiently, both addressing long-COVID employee concerns and needs and ensuring a safe work environment for their overall workforce. Some preventive measures can be considered to help ensure a smooth return to work despite the long-COVID threat: • Align your HR policies – Long-COVID can imply longterm absenteeism, resulting from the patient’s difficulty to cope. Hence long-term absenteeism needs to be covered in your HR policies with clear directions for such situations. Although is not a legal requirement yet to have it included as part of your official policies, this might evolve rapidly, varying from a country to another. Ensure to remain informed on the latest legal regulations and requirements on this matter to remain compliant. Policies will need regular review and adaptation to reflect the latest evolvements. In a longer-term future, as we will learn more on long-COVID and its implications, this might be considered as a chronic condition for more serious cases and hence be formally included as such in the HR policies as any other disability or chronic disease. Consulting services will help you identify and adapt your current policies in place accordingly, to fully cover the challenges of long-COVID. • Educate and communicate about long-COVID – Make sure your people are aware of the long-COVID condi-

Long COVID another challenge for a safe workplace tion and associated symptoms (1). This will help them to be diagnosed at an early stage. The education process could be implemented internally through email or other education material such as webinars. Talk to medical experts to get all the essential insights. Encourage your workforce to notify their long-COVID condition so you can have it in consideration in your return-to-operation process. • Monitor the workplace – Inform your people on the required preventive measures to adopt in the work environment (social distancing, masks, vaccines) and ensure those are followed by regularly checking. You might also want to consider implementing testing procedures at your work premises as well as Occupational Health on-site solu- For further tions to address any concerns. information contact: Support your long-COVID employees Gmenier Providing easy access to quality care and treatment Mendoza, for your long-COVID employees is crucial and a key part Marketing of your Duty of Care as an employer. Should there be a Commusimple question on their condition or a need for medical nications assistance, ensure your employees can have access to Manager, qualified medical professionals at any time. International SOS Reinforce your mental health and wellbeing agenda Philippines, Mental health and emotional struggles are the most M: +63 998 important stigma of the COVID-19 pandemic. If individu963 3802, als who suffered from COVID-19 are recovered, they still E: gmenier. have higher probabilities to experience emotional health mendoza@ issues. There is even a higher risk of this for people with internationlong-COVID. Make sure your people’s emotional needs alsos.com are addressed by dedicated experts through an appropriate Employee Assistance Programme. Employees should be provided with a route to confidentially discuss their emotional health issues away from their direct managers and team members. This could be with HR or through independent expert support activated by the company and should be communicated widely and consistently. Counselling support services (at https://www.internationalsos. com/medical-and-security-services/assistance/emotionalsupport) will help you assist your workforce encountering psychological issues. ISSUE 3 2021 • WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM

CONSTRUCTION NEWS

RE project with German Biogas Tech and METPower Venture Partners

By Marcelle P. Villegas

o support the Philippines’ renewable energy transformation initiatives, a comprehensive training series on biogas technology was launched by a German biogas technology provider -- Lipp GmbH, and the German Biogas Association (GBA), along with German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI / AHK) [Deutsch-Philippinische Industrie-und Handelskammer]. Their training series covers the functionality, use and maintenance of biogas system in the Philippines. Lipp GmbH teams up with MetPower Venture Partners in building a first industrial-scale biogas plant in Mindanao where the plant will process pineapple waste from Dole Philippines. The waste material from pineapples will be used to generate biogas energy. “Once fully operational, the two plants will generate clean energy to replace fossil fuel for power, steam and heat generation,” according to GPCI’s special report. [1] MetPower Venture Partners is owned by Metro Pacific Investments. MetPower Venture Partners’ major ongoing project, “Waster-toEnergy Project” with Dole Philippines is a Php1 billion investment. “The project will derive biogas from the anaerobic digestion of

fruit waste from Dole’s canneries in South Cotabato.” [2] This will generate 5.7 MW of clean energy for Dole and contribute to reduction of CO2 emission by 100,000 tons per year. The facilities are targeted to be completed by the first half of 2021. Marc Reinhard, Trainer and International Affairs Consultant at GBA said, “Biogas is a renewable energy but can also offer multiple environmental and climate services for a sustainable and circular economy in the Philippines. It even helps to create local jobs and economic development in rural areas.” The training organised by GPCI, Lipp GmbH and GBA is attended

by current and future biogas plant staff, participants from Department of Energy (DoE), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and the academe. The training program is part of a develoPPP.de Project which is 50% co-financed by the German Investment Corporation (Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft – DEG) through public funds of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. “GPCCI supports this initiative as project manager in the Philippines.” [1] Biogas is a gaseous fuel, mostly containing methane, which is an end product of fermentation of

Photo credits: (This page) GermanPhilippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry; (Next page) Metro Pacific Investments; Pineapple image from Pixabay by igorovsyannykov

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BERNABE ALMIROL JOINS OUR TEAM

e would like to introduce you to Bernabe “Abe” Almirol, the newest member of the Philippine Resources Journal editorial team. Abe has over two decades of experience in journalism, research, social media, and communications. Since November of 2020, he is an Assisting Professional for Information, Education and Communication for the DENR Forestland Management Project in Nueva Vizcaya. Here, he is a consultant fielded by Orient Integrated Development Consultancy, Inc. where he provides technical assistance and training to DENR field implementing units for the Forestland Management Project. This project is funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Since May 2017, Abe has been the CEO of Bernabe Almirol PR and Writing Services. His company is a public relations, communications, and research consultancy based in Nueva Vizcaya. In the recent past, he worked as a freelance correspondent for the Manila Standard and GMANews.tv. His past work experience also includes being the Senior Communications Advisor, Communications Specialist and Community Relations Supervisor at OceanaGold WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM • ISSUE 3 2021

(Philippines) Inc., Didipio Mine in Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya. Additionally, he was formerly the Community Affairs and Land Acquisition Manager for FCF Minerals Corporation (Metals Exploration PLC). Earlier in his career, he served the local government with various roles such as: Political Affairs and Networking Officer at the Office of Senator Manuel Villar and Villar Foundation, Inc., Administrative Officer IV at the Provincial Government of Nueva Vizcaya, and as Public Relations Assistant at the Office of the Governor - Province of Nueva Vizcaya. Abe graduated with a degree in Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature/Letters at Aldersgate College, Nueva Vizcaya. His first attempt to finishing a college degree is when he took up Electrical Engineering at Adamson University which was not successful due to financial difficulties. Other than being a seasoned journalist, Abe is also a graphics artist, photographer, mountaineer and a chess player. Marcelle P. Villegas

CONSTRUCTION NEWS

< Page 53 organic matter. Biogas is a renewable resource or renewable energy source because its productionand-use cycles is ongoing and continuous. It does not generate net carbon dioxide. Biogas is different from natural gas. Biogas is created through biological process of anaerobic digestion or generated by the breakdown of organic matter by anaerobic bacteria and is used in energy production. [3] Natural gas comes from fossil fuel produced by geological processes. Reference: [1] Special Projects AHK News (2 March 2021). “ Supporting Philippines’ Renewable Energy Transformation with German Biogas Technology and Know-How”. German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI /

AHK) website. Retrieved from - https://philippinen.ahk.de/news/news-details/ supporting-philippines-renewableenergy-transformation-with-german-biogas-technology-and-know-

how [2] https://www.mpic.com.ph/ investor-relations/investments/ power/metpower-venture-partners/ [3] https://www.britannica.com/ technology/biogas

DPWH OPENS NEW CALAX SUBSECTION

ublic Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar recently led the ceremonial opening of the CaviteLaguna Expressway (CALAx) Subsection 5 from Silang East Interchange to Sta Rosa-Tagaytay Interchange in Cavite. “While this pandemic may have slowed down and disrupted the implementation of projects, the Sub-section 5 or 5.14 kilometers Silang East Interchange to Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay Interchange component of Cavite Laguna Expressway or CALAX Project was completed and will be now opened to public use,” said Secretary Villar during the event. “The opening of Sub-section 5 will be able to cater to around 5,000 motorists daily, adding to the roughly 10,000 users of the already opened CALAx subsections 6, 7, and 8 from Sta. Rosa to Mamplasan,” said Secretary Villar.

< Page 56 Cooking eggs and ham on fresh lava or in hot springs is a traditional experiment among volcanologists, according to Bressan’s report. “During the ongoing eruption in Iceland, scientists and tourists cooked toast and sausages on the cooling lava flows. Some even concluded this meal with a freshly brewed cup of coffee.” The Philippines and Guatemala are similar in many ways with regards to the tropical climate and volcanic features, according to Professor Wayne Allen Parrott from University of Georgia, USA. Back in November 2016, I had the chance to interview Prof. Parrott during one of

According to Secretary Villar, ongoing subsections are also being fast-tracked by concessionaire MPCALA Holdings to be able to fully-open the entire 45-kilometer CALAx connecting CAVITEX in Kawit, Cavite and South Luzon Expressway-Mamplasan Interchange in Biñan, Laguna. Once fully-completed, CALAx will his science lectures in the Philippines, organized by the US Embassy and AmCham Philippines. Prof. Parrott is an award-winning American scientist in the field of agronomy, genetics, and biotechnology, and he grew up in Guatemala. During the interview, he mentions that one of the things he likes about the Philippines is its similarity to Guatemala. “I grew up in a tropical region, very much like the Philippines. The plant life all around me was amazing, and the diversity of plants fascinated me.” Another common thing between the Philippines and Guatemala are the numerous volcanoes present, which makes the soil optimal for biodiversity while the volcano is inactive.

significantly reduce travel time between CAVITEX and SLEX to only 45 minutes, reducing traffic congestion particularly in Governor’s Drive, Aguinaldo Highway and Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay Road which are heavily congested and supporting national development policy and provide efficient transport facilities for the Ecozones in Cavite and Laguna Provinces. “More than providing efficient transportation links, the CALAX project under public-private partnership arrangement with the MPCALA Holdings - a unit of the Metro Pacific Investments Corporation, will help hasten economic recovery by providing jobs and promote the Calabarzon as a preferred destination for investment and growth,” added Secretary Villar. The P35.68 Billion Cavite-Laguna Expressway which began construction in July 2017 is part of a bigger Build, Build, Build Program of the government. Do you think it is safe to use hot volcanic rocks for cooking? What do you think of David Garcia’s pizza treat for tourists at Guatemala’s Pacaya volcano? Marcelle P. Villegas Reference: [1] Bressan, David (14 May 2021). Forbes. “ In Guatemala You Can Enjoy the Experience of Eating Pizza Made on Volcanic Heat “. Retrieved from - https://www.forbes.com/sites/ davidbressan/2021/05/14/in-guatemala-youcan-enjoy-the-experience-of-eating-pizza-madeon-volcanic-heat/ [2] https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/ pacaya/news.html [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacaya

ISSUE 3 2021 • WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM

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COMMUNITY NEWS

When a volcano in Guatemala becomes a pizza kitchen By Marcelle P. Villegas

n the Philippines, Taal Volcano recently manifested strong volcanic tremors in Batangas which the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) declared as Intensity II. This happened last August 12 at 4:36am. While residents are normally encouraged to evacuate before the volcano’s activity escalates into dangerous levels, in Guatemala, the opposite was done last summer by some tourists. In an article from Forbes online magazine by freelance geologist and contributing writer David Bressan, he tells the story of an accountant who cooks pizza using the volcanic heat of Pacaya volcano in Guatemala. Bressan’s article is titled “In Guatemala You Can Enjoy the Experience of Eating Pizza Made on Volcanic Heat”. “Guatemala’s Pacaya volcano is erupting, spewing rivers of lava and ash clouds, keeping local communities and authorities on high alert,” he said.

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Instead of avoiding the area, David Garcia, a 34-year-old accountant, saw the fiery mountainside as an opportunity to make “Pacaya Pizza”. While lava was oozing down the volcano, the glowing volcanic rocks fascinated tourists and locals. Garcia told news reporters, “Many people today come to enjoy the experience of eating pizza made on volcanic heat.”[1] Pacaya volcano is one of the most active volcanoes in Guatemala and in Central America. It is 2,500 meters high and located 30 kilometers south of Guatemala City and close to Antigua. It was dormant for more than 70 years but started erupting again in 1961 and has been erupting often ever since. In March 2021, it had two strong explosions. After four months of being calm, it showed some activity again last August 5; however, it was a low-level activity. [2] Pacaya is part of the Central American Volcanic Arc, a chain of volcanoes from the northwest to the southeast of the Pacific coast of Central America. This was formed by the tectonic subduction of the Cocos Tectonic Plate below the Caribbean Plate. [3] Garcia and his friends chose a spot on the rocky area that leads to Pacaya’s crater. In there, Garcia prepares the dough and pizza toppings on a metal platter that

can withstand 1,000°C. “Wearing protective clothing from head to his military style boots, Garcia places the pizza on the lava. After ten minutes on the 200°C to 300°C hot rocks the pizza is done.” [1] “Lava emerges at temperatures of 1,000 to 1,200ºC, but when the lava’s temperature has decreased to 800°C it quickly forms an insulating crust, keeping the interior still very hot. It can take years to decades for lava within thick flows to solidify. It takes much longer for the flow to cool to ambient temperatures.” [1] Cooking pizza using volcanic rocks is a practice that Garcia first tried in 2013. This year, when Pacaya was regularly erupting, he cooked pizza directly on the moving lava flows. This is indeed a risky activity since an active volcano also expels toxic ash, gases and even pieces of rocks. The practice of using lava stones is actually a traditional cooking method in most countries where volcanoes are nearby, because “lava rocks distribute the heat uniformly and releases it gradually.” [1] The slow heat release is optimal for cooking, according to those familiar with this method.

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ISSUE 3 2021 • WWW.PHILIPPINE-RESOURCES.COM

Philippine Resources Journal - Issue 3, 2021