Geo-hazard expert says mining industry focusing on safety during impact study

MANILA, Philippines - Mining companies put a premium on safety and management of geological hazards, according to Dr. Art Saldivar-Sali, a mining and geo-technical expert with a 40-year industry experience in mining companies here and abroad.

“A mining operation will not start, cannot start, without adapting to the safety needs required by the conditions in the proposed mining area,” Sali said.

According to Sali, “a mining project is not just all about geologists looking for deposits but also involves adapting the project to the safety needs of people and environment.”

“There are impacts on geology and environment but with the right engineering and technology, these can be managed,” Sali said.

A mining geotechnical consultant for a number of mining companies, Sali cited the 1990 earthquake which left nearby cities of Baguio and Cabanatuan in Luzon but did not damage the mining facilities of nearby Philex mining because of proper engineering.

“Also the tailing storage facility of Philex is helping prevent siltation and erosion and contributes to the stability if the San Roque Dam in Pangasinan,” Sali said.

“This is also why an environmental impact assessment is very important,” Sali said.

Sali is a third-party expert assessing the proposed facilities for the Tampakan project in South Cotabato.

“For instance, for the Tampakan project, their choice for a mining method is based on current conditions in the area and they have to adapt to these conditions,” Sali said.

Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI), the government contractor for the Tampakan project, is proposing the open-pit mining method that is now facing a provincial ordinance banning the same mining method.

“When SMI submitted an environmental impact study for their Tampakan project, you will note that the study focused on safety and on how to adapt the proposed operations with conditions in the area,” Sali said.

“It is also critical that we follow the existing mining laws and for the mining company to self-regulate,” Sali said.

Sali also said the national government should ensure that those regulating mining activities have the proper “training, technology, and resources to strictly implement laws governing the mining industry.”