| Mining Industry 1 What is the nature and importance of the mining industry in your country? The Philippines is rich in mineral resources and the mining industry plays a significant role in the country’s economy. According to the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR):
• the large reserves of various kinds of minerals in the country puts the Philippines in the top five most mineral-rich countries in the world;
• around 9 million hectares, or 30 per cent of the country’s total land area of 30 million hectares, are believed to contain important metallic mineral deposits and around 5 million hectares are also known to be potential sites for non-metallic mineral reserves; and
• the country’s offshore areas, which cover around 2.2 million km2, also contain placer minerals, including gold, magnetite and chromite-bearing sands as well as aggregate resources like sand and gravel, decorative stones, and polymetallic sulphide deposits (see www.denr.gov.ph/index.php/component/content/article/16.html).
Based on preliminary figures released by the government, the gross production value in mining reached around 100.8 billion Philippine pesos in 2012. (see http://www.mgb.gov.ph/Files/ItemLinks/ThePhilippineMineralsIndustryAtAGlance.jpg)
2 What are the target minerals? The Philippines has significant gold, copper and nickel deposits. Other target minerals include chromite, silver, lead, zinc iron, cobalt and platinum. Non-metallic resources found in the Philippines include sand and gravel, limestone, marble, clay and other quarry materials.
3 Which regions are most active? Many areas in...
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