7 abandoned mine sites eyed as tourist spots

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is targeting the rehabilitation of seven abandoned mine sites in the country in five years to turn them into "safe havens for tourists" and become "economically beneficial" again.

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Angelo Reyes said the government is pursuing concrete efforts to rehabilitate these abandoned mining facilities.

He said the Mines and Geosciences Bureau is now assessing the abandoned mines to determine the kind of rehabilitation needed and the cost, among other things, he said.

Reyes said the rehabilitation of the Bagacay copper mines in Samar needs about P25 million.

The six other abandoned facilities are the Basay copper mines in Negros Oriental; the Black Mountain, Thanksgiving, and Western Minolco mines in Benguet; the Quick Silver mines in Palawan; and the Consolidated mines in Marinduque.