PMSEA to conduct independent study on Philex tailings leakage

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines—The Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association (PMSEA) is conducting its own investigation into the cause of the tailings spill in Philex Mining Corporation’s copper-gold mine in Padcal, Benguet as an aid in establishing new safety guidelines for the local mining industry.

Since the occurrence of the tailings spill accident in Philex Mining Corporation’s copper-gold mine in Padcal, Benguet, mining companies – especially large mining firms – have been reviewing the design of their mine infrastructure to prevent accidents that may be caused by natural disasters such as incessant rainfall that Philex claims caused the mine’s tailings pond no. 3 to leak.

In a press conference late Tuesday for the opening of the week-long 59th Annual National Mine Safety and Environment Conference, PMSEA president engineer Louie Sarmiento said the fact-finding team is composed of mining engineers engaged in tailings pond design and management from PMSEA member-companies as well as independent mining consultants engaged in mine rehabilitation.

The findings of the team, once concluded, would be made available to all mining companies interested in improving safety practices.

The results of the investigation, which is expected to be released this month, would be used by PMSEA for revising its safety guidelines for mining firms in the country.

“This is an independent investigation. This is an initiative on our part to help Philex and also to serve as a learning opportunity for our members,” said Sarmiento.

PMSEA investigators are looking at the possibility that there may have been a flaw in the design of the tailings pond 3.

Philex is citing force majeur as the cause of the leak in the tailings pond because of incessant rains before the rupture in the pond occurred on Aug. 1.

“If there was an unusual amount of rain, the design may not have been enough to contain the volume of water,” said Sarmiento. 

He said that based on reports of the fact-finding team, the leakage from the tailings pond have been fully contained.

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has imposed a fine of P1.03 billion on Philex for violation of the Mining Act.

The tailings spill resulted in the contamination of the Agno River and Balog Creek.

Philex also faces fines of P50,000 for violation of the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) as well as the P50,000 to P200,000 per day penalty imposed for violation of the Clean Water Act.

Philex officials have said that the company intends to settle its obligations with the government within the year.

Last week, the company announced that it has secured a P2.1-billion loan from an indirect subsidiary of First Pacific Company Limited for capital expenditures of its Padcal mine in Benguet and its Silangan Project.

Philex intends to resume the operations of its copper-gold mine in Padcal Benguet in the middle part of 2013 as it begins the construction of a spillway for its broken tailings pond no 3 to replace its broken penstock. This would cost the company around P400 million.