Philex guarantees safety of Padcal tailings facility

MANILA, Philippines - Pangilinan-led Philex Mining Corp. maintains that its tailings storage facility in its Padcal mine in Benguet is effective and can withstand typhoons.

Philex made the assurance after Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu visited and inspected its gold and copper mine site, particularly its tailings storage facility.

“Our tailings pond can handle the volume of rainwater more than what the worst typhoons and earthquakes had caused,” Philex president and CEO Eulalio Austin Jr. said.

Philex Mining senior vice president and Padcal resident manager Manuel Agcaoili said the facility’s open spillway, which replaced its underground drainage system since August 2013, was built with embankment-design parameters and can handle the amount of rainwater.

Having three chutes, each measuring 12 meters wide and 300 meters long, the open spillway can channel up to 1,500 millimeters of rain over 24 hours.

According to government regulations, open spillway must be able to withstand a flood event and an unusual rainfall with a one-percent chance of occurring at any given time.

During the visit, Cimatu acknowleged Philex’s efforts to upgrade its facilities, particularly the ongoing improvement of the open spillway, through which nontoxic water passes from the tailings pond and onto the Balog Creek, a tributary to the Agno River.

“Padcal mine and Philex have been consistent in the implementation of the various programs on community development, nation-building, and environmental protection,” he said.

To recall, Philex voluntarily suspended its operations in August 2012 as nontoxic tails and water was discharged from the facility and onto the Balog Creek, following unprecedented rains brought about by the typhoons.

It resumed production in March 2013 after a four-month suspension following the issuance of a temporary lifting order issued by the government and which was extended indefinitely afterwards.

The government allowed Philex to resume operations after the company implemented remediation measures, such as assistance to the affected residents, cleaning up of the Balog Creek, and ensuring the integrity of its facility by building an open spillway.

Philex also paid P1 billion to the Mines and Geosciences Bureau over the accidental discharge of sediment and P189 million as environmental obligation to the Pollution and Adjudication Board as a violation of the Clean Water Act.