Zambales gov says permits granted to mining firm
Zambales Gov. Amor Deloso and the provincial mining regulatory board (PMRB) approved on Tuesday the three small-scale mining permits (SSMPs) of the subsidiaries of the NiHAO Mineral Resources International Inc.
“We reinstituted its permits because it did not commit any violations,” Deloso said in a telephone interview on Wednesday to confirm claims by NiHAO chair Michael Defensor in a letter to the Inquirer.
Defensor, former secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, earlier corrected reports that cited some facts drawn from the company’s disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange. The firm is publicly listed.
The report said the subsidiaries of NiHAO “lost their mining and quarrying permits after the provincial governor (Deloso) cancelled all regulatory approvals.”
The report also quoted a disclosure statement saying “all pending applications for mining and quarrying permits were also denied by the provincial government.”
According to Defensor, the information might be misleading at this point because NiHAO has recently been issued temporary mineral land occupation permits in place of the SSMPs.
Deloso said he ordered the cancellation of all SSMPs in Zambales in September last year to enable his administration to establish a “point of end for permits” and remove his accountability for permits issued by previous officials.
“I had to clean and put order in the system of approving permits because there were several overlapping issues in the small mining sites,” Deloso said.
“Tama si Mike [Defensor]. There is no prejudice against NiHAO now,” he added.
Provincial attorney Noel Ferrer, also vice chair of the PMRB, said the company’s subsidiaries were given 30-day temporary mineral land occupation permits as they awaited their SSMPs.
The three SSMPs cover a total of 15 hectares where 50,000 metric tons of nickel ore and stones can be mined from five hectares each every year. The SSMPs are good for two years.
According to Ferrer, NiHAO has two subsidiaries - the Saphrolite Mining Co. and GeoGrade. Under these are the Compania Nube, Compania Pierra and Main Domain.
Deloso said NiHAO obtained an exploratory permit from the national government for a 1,400-hectare area in Botolan town.
Since the issuance of the temporary permits, Defensor said “NiHAO and its subsidiaries have actively developed access roads, conducted environmental assessments, explored and performed other preparatory activities. By Tonette Orejas - Inquirer Central Luzon Desk
“We reinstituted its permits because it did not commit any violations,” Deloso said in a telephone interview on Wednesday to confirm claims by NiHAO chair Michael Defensor in a letter to the Inquirer.
Defensor, former secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, earlier corrected reports that cited some facts drawn from the company’s disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange. The firm is publicly listed.
The report said the subsidiaries of NiHAO “lost their mining and quarrying permits after the provincial governor (Deloso) cancelled all regulatory approvals.”
The report also quoted a disclosure statement saying “all pending applications for mining and quarrying permits were also denied by the provincial government.”
According to Defensor, the information might be misleading at this point because NiHAO has recently been issued temporary mineral land occupation permits in place of the SSMPs.
Deloso said he ordered the cancellation of all SSMPs in Zambales in September last year to enable his administration to establish a “point of end for permits” and remove his accountability for permits issued by previous officials.
“I had to clean and put order in the system of approving permits because there were several overlapping issues in the small mining sites,” Deloso said.
“Tama si Mike [Defensor]. There is no prejudice against NiHAO now,” he added.
Provincial attorney Noel Ferrer, also vice chair of the PMRB, said the company’s subsidiaries were given 30-day temporary mineral land occupation permits as they awaited their SSMPs.
The three SSMPs cover a total of 15 hectares where 50,000 metric tons of nickel ore and stones can be mined from five hectares each every year. The SSMPs are good for two years.
According to Ferrer, NiHAO has two subsidiaries - the Saphrolite Mining Co. and GeoGrade. Under these are the Compania Nube, Compania Pierra and Main Domain.
Deloso said NiHAO obtained an exploratory permit from the national government for a 1,400-hectare area in Botolan town.
Since the issuance of the temporary permits, Defensor said “NiHAO and its subsidiaries have actively developed access roads, conducted environmental assessments, explored and performed other preparatory activities. By Tonette Orejas - Inquirer Central Luzon Desk
Labels: Amor Deloso, mining, nihao, zambales
posted by OlongapoCity Zambales at
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