DENR bares huge clay deposits in Bulacan

What do you do with 60 million metric tons of clay?

A lot of streets, sidewalks and other infrastructure projects, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said.

It’s not child’s play: the DENR, which recently found 60 million metric tons of possible clay reserve in San Ildefonso, Angat and San Rafael-Bustos in Bulacan, revealed that such huge deposits can help the government in its infrastructure and beautification projects as well as provide jobs for thousands of Filipinos.

Clay, the DENR said, is one of the raw materials in producing bricks — particularly red bricks — that are commonly used in paving sidewalks.

The dough-like soil, it added, can be also used for interlocking bricks before they are cemented over.

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Elisea Gozun said the clay reserve in Bulacan consists of 0.90 million metric tons (MT) of feldspathic clay, 10 million MT of semi-plastic kaolinitic clay, and 50 million MT of plastic mottled and red clay.

Based on DENR studies, light-colored feldspathic clay is also used in making porcelain and sanitary wares.

The dark-colored kaolinitic clay, on the other hand, is utilized in stoneware, terra cotta and face bricks production.

Gozun said she has recommended the use of clay to the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) for its ongoing beautification projects.

Horacio Ramos, director of the DENR’s Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), for his part, said the clay mining in Bulacan could be included as one of the livelihood programs in Region 3 (Central Luzon).

The bureau, he said, is willing to extend its expertise in the evaluation of potential clay sources to prospective investors.

It conducts geological evaluation, sampling and laboratory analysis to determine the physical and chemical attributes of clay deposits.