I visited a nickel mining site for the first time, upon the invite of Berong Nickel Corp. (BNC), a subsidiary of DMCI Mining Corp.
The mining site in Quezon, Palawan, is about two hours from Puerto Princesa with winding roads and some unpaved sections.
I knew it was not going to be a walk in the park but I was curious to see an actual mining site that is undergoing rehabilitation.
Berong Mine, which covers a 288-hectare Mineral Production Sharing Agreement area, is one such mine already undergoing rehabilitation.
Of the 288 hectares, BNC reported that 137 hectares were previously utilized for mining operations. The remaining 151 hectares were left undisturbed.
To date, 100 hectares have already been rehabilitated, with restoration work continuing across the remaining disturbed areas.
I was not expecting to see a paradise of greenery. Not at all. In fact, I expected to see depleted, all-brown barren patches of earth amid lush green forests.
Upon reaching the site, I saw reddish-brown slopes dotted with rows of young trees and covered in sections with erosion-control mats.
There were rows and rows of seedlings of different tree varieties in different stages of growth, waiting to reach their full potential.
There was a portion with fully grown trees. One would definitely need patience to see the trees grow to their full height.
But mine rehabilitation, I learned as I chatted with DMCI Mining vice-president for operations Ramon Briones during the site visit, is more than planting trees.
He said it is a combination of topsoil replacement, slope stabilization, erosion control, among others; it’s all about engineering and ecological restoration.
The goal is to restore the land to a safe, stable and productive condition. All this alongside indigenous tree planting and biodiversity monitoring.
Since mining activities at the Berong Mine in Quezon, Palawan concluded in 2021, BNC has shifted its focus from mineral production to implementing a six-year Final Mine Rehabilitation and Decommissioning Plan – the first approved FMRDP for a nickel mine in the Philippines.
During a briefing for journalists at the BNC office, officials said BNC has invested approximately P160 million in rehabilitation activities, planted nearly 352,000 seedlings, with a 97 percent survival rate and produced more than 497,000 seedlings in its nurseries, exceeding its year four targets under the six-year rehabilitation program.
‘The program remains on track for completion in 2027, after which the rehabilitated area will be formally turned over to the government.
‘Beyond the mine site, BNC also implements mangrove reforestation, sea turtle conservation and coral gardening programs in close coordination with the DENR, regulators and host communities,’ BNC said in a separate statement.
Rehabilitation is required by Philippine law.
‘Mining companies are responsible for mine rehabilitation throughout the entire mining life cycle, be it improving soil quality, planting native species or maintaining the restored site,’ according to Eco-Business.com.