‘Illegal black sand mining continues in Cagayan’

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya , Philippines   â€“ The illegal mining of black sand continues in Cagayan amid a government crackdown on such operations, a Catholic Church-based environment group said yesterday.

Ronald Guzman, convenor of the Federation of Environmental Advocates of Cagayan (FEAC), said illegal black sand mining remains unabated in the towns of Aparri, Gonzaga and Buguey.

Guzman accused the provincial government of “indiscriminately” issuing quarrying permits to contractors in the guise of dredging the Cagayan River.

The continued extraction of black sand causes floods and erosions and endangers fisherfolk and the marine ecosystem in the area, the group said.

“These contractors know no limits, they extract black sand even those near the public cemetery in Gonzaga, desecrating the burial plots there,” Guzman told The STAR.

 Black sand or magnetite, found along the Cagayan coastlines, is used in the manufacture of concrete and steel products, magnets, paint, ink, paper, jewelry and cosmetics. This makes magnetite a very lucrative commodity in foreign markets such as in China and Taiwan.

FEAC has an ongoing signature drive against black sand mining in Cagayan.

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), which is responsible for the issuance of mineral processing permits for large-scale mining projects, said it has issued permits to at least 10 foreign firms.

Mario Ancheta, MGB director for Cagayan Valley, said they are ready to suspend or revoke these permits if the holders are found violating the law.