Foreign ships go to Cagayan island to look for black sand

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya , Philippines  â€“ Fisherfolk in a small island village in Cagayan’s Calayan town have expressed alarm over the black sand exploration by foreign vessels in their marine-rich area.

Calayan Vice Mayor Florencio de Guzman said the municipal council has passed a resolution urging the provincial government to investigate the exploration activities by foreign ships along the shorelines of Barangay Camiguin.

De Guzman said they received information that foreign vessels were in Camiguin for three days recently to search for black sand.

Black sand or magnetite commands a high price in foreign markets, as it is used as additive in manufacturing concrete and steel products, magnets, paint, ink, paper, jewelry, and cosmetics. 

Camiguin, a four-hour boat ride from the main island town of Calayan, is part of the Babuyan group of islands in northernmost Luzon.

The Babuyan group also consists of three other major islands – Babuyan Claro and Dalupiri, also in Calayan town; and Fuga in Aparri town.

In earlier reports, the Philippine Coast Guard and Calayan police said a foreign vessel marked Monte Cristo II was spotted within the vicinity of Camiguin on June 26 and that it left on June 28. 

On June 29, another foreign vessel marked She Hai Yuh 122 with 12 Taiwanese crewmen on board arrived at the island and left three days later.

The foreign vessels reportedly gathered samples of black sand along the coastlines of Camiguin, known for its coral white sand beaches and Mt. Camiguin, the biggest among the volcanoes in Calayan, which reports said, explains the huge presence of magnetite in the area. 

De Guzman said municipal officials have never issued any permit or clearance to any group or individual to conduct exploration or extraction of minerals in their area.

“We want to know who ordered the vessels to come and take samples of our resources,” he said. 

Mario Ancheta, Mines and Geosciences Bureau director for Cagayan Valley, said they have also been receiving reports of foreign vessels going to Camiguin but could not confirm these.