DMCI remains bullish on ore business

TOKYO — DMCI Mining Corp., a unit of Consunji-led DMCI Holdings, remains bullish on its ore mining business amid the steep decline in nickel prices this year.

DMCI Mining vice president for business development Tulsi Das Consunji Reyes said the company expects to generate P800 million in income from its nickel mining operations in Palawan this year.

“We will probably ship 1.6 million tons for the nickel mine in Palawan. For Zambales, we are in mine preparation and we should have shipping by the end of the year,” Reyes said.

Reyes said DMCI Mining has allotted P300 million for capital expenditures this year used mostly to buy equipment for mining preparations.

“It was a transition year. Now, most of DMCI management has taken over. The market seems to have dropped since the start of the year to this point in time but we’re doing good so far,” he said.

DMCI Holdings secured last year full ownership of a British nickel miner with local rights in various mining projects in the Philippines, including the 3,765-hectare Acoje project in Zambales province

In 2012, DMCI Holdings also entered into a memorandum of understanding with Toledo Mining for the listed firm to buy into Nickeline Resources Holdings Inc., 60 percent owner of the Berong nickel project in Palawan.

Nickel prices surged last year on speculations of supply tightness as the Indonesian ore export ban took effect

DMCI Holdings is also into power generation and coal mining (Semirara Mining Corp.), water utilities (west zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc.), real estate (DMCI Project Developers Inc.) and general construction (D.M. Consunji Inc.).