10 firms granted black sand mining permits

By Raymund Catindig, Charlie Lagasca 

TUGUEGARAO CITY  – Ten companies, including Chinese-owned ones, were granted permits by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) to extract black sand until 2017 in Cagayan.

MGB regional director Mario Ancheta said they are ready to suspend or revoke the permits if the holders would be found violating the provisions of the 1995 Mining Act.

Ancheta said the MGB and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) have an ongoing crackdown not only against illegal mining or quarry operators, but also against those with permits but are operating within the no-mining zone.

He said those firms extracting black sand or magnetite along the province’s northern coast were legitimate.

Ancheta cited the case of the Chinese-owned Huaxia Mining and Trading Corp. based in Aparri town and another mining operator in Buguey, whose permits were suspended last month for extending their operations outside their concession areas.

Huaxia’s 18 Chinese workers, he said, are also facing illegal mining charges filed by the NBI before the Cagayan prosecutor’s office.

Based on MGB records, among those granted permits to extract gravel and sand until 2015 and black sand until 2017 are the Golden Sea Mineral and Management Corp. based in Gonzaga town; the Lian Xing Philippine Stone Carving Corp. and Nova International and Global Express Mining and Development Corp., both in Aparri; San You Philippines Mining, Luthra Mining Corp. and Ferion Steel Inc., all in Buguey, and the BBG Greenworld Resources in Abulug town.