marinduque mining: elusive justice, elusive development

MARINDUQUE MINING: ELUSIVE JUSTICE, ELUSIVE DEVELOPMENT©

MYKE R. MAGALANG

Executive Secretary

Marinduque Council for Environmental Concerns LGU-

Bishops’ Conference on Mining April 29,

2009

Marinduque has a total land area of 95,925

has. of which 50,346 has. or 53% is

devoted to agriculture. It is one

of the smallest provinces in the

country with a population of only 229,636 as of 2007 distributed in 218

barangays of its six towns.

“Blue Stone Project”

started the exploration in

Marinduque in the early

1930‟s until Placer Dev‟t.

Ltd. optioned the

property in 1956.

Exploration continued in

1957-1960 which

overlapped in the

Torrijos Watershed Area.

Tapian Copper Mine

Project started its full-

blown operation after its

inauguration on October

6, 1969.

THE TAPIAN

COPPER MINE

PROJECT

(1965-1990)

November 15, 1969 --

3,170.5 wet metric

tons of copper

concentrates initially

shipped via Japanese

vessel Hooryu Maru.

For its operation it

constructed San

Antonio Tailings Pond

as depository of mine

wastes.

In 1974 a „mineable‟ ore

body was discovered

beneath the San Antonio

Tailings Pond. It

necessitated the

company to stop

discharging its tailings

into the pond while

continuously operating

the still huge deposits of

copper and gold in the

Tapian Mine Project.

The Tapian Copper

Project and the discovery

of the San Antonio ore

porphyry resulted in the

massive discharge of

mine tailings directly into

Calancan Bay which

caused massive

destruction of the once

rich fishing ground.

The fisher folks of

Calancan Bay were

displaced from their

source of livelihood,

their very source of life

and survival -- their

economic base was

significantly

threatened.

Aside from loss of

livelihood, the people are

suffering from and

continuously threatened

by heavy metal

contamination.

THE SAN

ANTONIO

COPPER

PROJECT

(1991- 1996)

On December 6, 1993,

Maguilaguila Dam collapsed

causing massive flooding in

the low-lying areas of

Mogpog. Two children

drowned during the flood.

Farm animals died and

agricultural areas as well as

the business district were

inundated with

contaminated mine wastes.

The river is biologically dead

until now.

Thirteen (13) years

after the Mogpog

River disaster,

various reports pose

alarm over the rise in

signs of heavy metal

contamination-related

diseases in the

communities along

Mogpog River.

In thousand, pesos except the figures per share

On March 23, 1996 there

was a massive seepage at

drainage tunnel 190 of the

Tapian Pit which resulted to

an “environmental disaster”

-- the biggest mining-related

disaster in the history of

mining in the country.

30 years after hosting large-scale

mining operations, development

remains elusive for Marinduqueños:

the province is one of the poorest

provinces in the country with more

than 70% poverty incidence!

“They have exploited our resources but left us poor

and desolate. Our plea from the company to

restore, restitute and rehabilitate the damage areas fell on deaf ears.”

(Letter of Gov. Carmencita O. Reyes to DENR Secretary

dated May 3, 2006.)

The areas and

communities

impacted by the

mining operations

were also the ones

vulnerable during

disasters.

“As long as

Marinduque’s mountains

remain rich in desirable

metals, Marinduqueños

will have to remain

eternally vigilant to

protect the island from

further mining”

(+Rafael M. Lim, D.D.,

First Bishop of Boac)

NEVER AGAIN!

We commit to continue our intensified struggle for economic freedom,

social development and environmental justice!

Mining is a

threat to the

very source of

our children’s

future!

We will tell you more

of our experiences

and victories when

we crossed the

bridge. . .

WE WELCOME YOUR SUPPORT:

Contact us at:

Marinduque Council for Environmental Concerns 2nd

Floor, Sacred Heart Pastoral Center,

Cathedral Compound, Boac, Marinduque.

Tel Nos: (042) 332-2713

Email: myke_sacmarinduque@yahoo.com

THANK

YOU!