Copper from Padcal mine spill found in river - group

ITOGON, Benguet – Traces of heavy metal copper were found in the Balog river in Itogon, Benguet near Philex Mining Corp.'s Padcal mine, an independent and multi-sectoral fact-finding mission said on Friday.

“The breach of Tailings Pond 3 last August resulted in the deposition of the heavy metal copper in the Balog-Agno junction,” said Center for Environmental Concerns (CEC) Philippines Senior Researcher Rog Amon during Friday’s presentation of the study they conducted with the Scientist group Advocates of Science and Technology for the People (AGHAM) last October.

Laboratory analysis of sediments collected in the impact areas pegged the highest concentration of copper in the area at 450 ppm, the findings reportedly said.

“At that level, the amount of copper in the junction is four to five times greater than threshold limit for copper in sediments based on international standard,” added Amon. 

The maximum tolerable copper concentration in sediments in Australia, a mining country, is set at 86 ppm.

Philex earlier claimed the leaks last year was caused by the typhoons and was not of their own making, hence earlier contesting the Mines and Geosciences Bureau's P1-billion fine.

Philex is now asking the government to allow its reopening following its temporary halt after the mine disaster last August. Philex said the safety of the tailings dam even if mitigating measures have been put in place is still precarious.

But environmentalists insist reopening the mines will pose more danger to the communities and environment. 

“A company with a history of disastrous mining like Philex deserves to be punished for its negligence, not a second chance at operation and mindless exploitation,” said Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment National Coordinator Clemente Bautista, Jr.

The sediments which the fact-finding mission gathered reportedly underwent elemental heavy metal analysis performed by University of the Philippines Los Baños BIOTECH and the Philippine Institute for Pure and Applied Chemistry.

“Before the spill, Balog river was deemed a Class A water body where flora and fauna can thrive. But during our visit, the EIM team observed that the river was biologically dead as indicated by the absence of macroinvertebrates. This change can be attributed to the massive deposition of mine tailings and high concentration of copper in the soil,” explained Feny Cosico, AGHAM environmental expert.

The finding of the group contradicts the laboratory findings presented by  Philex and its commissioned scientists and corporations that heavy metals in their mine tailings and Balog River is below the standard limit of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

High level of copper is toxic to plants, insects and invertebrates, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. In human, on other hand, toxic copper levels can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps and nausea, and at worse, damage the lungs, liver, kidney and pancreas. 

“Ingestion of heavy metals by aquatic organisms may increase the toxicity of the metals due to biomagnification along the food chain. Complaints of digestive illnesses in downstream communities immediately after the mine spill could be a manifestation of the contamination,” added Amon.

Several environmental and church groups are now challenging the government to hold Philex accountable citing the effects of the mine spill instead of letting Philex resume operations.

Philex had earlier requested permit from the DENR to reopen the Padcal mines, in order to fill up the ‘void’ in TP3 with fresh mine tailings. It also claimed that letting the void fill up with pure water will further weaken the dam structure and risk a greater breach.

But Ibaloi engineer Vergel Aniceto from Itogon asked the DENR to reject the request from Philex, saying the plan of reusing a damaged dam to prevent another disaster is “devious and preposterous.” 

“Allowing Philex to use the TP3 for its operation is like courting disaster. The Philex Padcal mines has a history of dam collapse and mine spills. The DENR should continue the suspension of operation of Philex and force Philex to immediately pay its obligations and fines,” said Aniceto.