Even Lopez herself was impressed by the open pit mining operations of Nickel Asia’s Taganito mine in Palawan, raising the soundness of a wholesale ban. Also undeniable is the fact that the mining industry is the biggest contributor to the DENR’s reforestation program. Internationally, open-pit mining has long been an accepted method for mining. The lifting of the ban also represents a golden opportunity for large-scale miners to take the lead in cleansing its ranks and weeding out the non-compliant mining operations to finally set a high standard for responsible mining. While it may take a long journey, the lifting of the open pit mining ban is a significant step towards unleashing the country’s mineral potential.

Source: The Standard October 29, 2017 16:06 UTC