Mine waste dam threatens Vizcaya folks’ health, living

By Aldwin Quitasol

KASIBU, Nueva Vizcaya – A mine waste dam is now a threat to health, livelihood and environment of people here. 

Fernando Mangili of the environmentalist umbrella organization Amianan Salakniban said that the tailings pond of the Oceana Gold Corporation operating at  Barangay Didipio, Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya poses a big threat to the surrounding communities because of its unstable structure.

Mangili described the mine waste dump facility of Oceana as wide as two tailings pond in the province of Benguet. “Tapos elevated pa yung tailings kesa mines site lalo yung mill area and sa mga kapaligid na communities,” (And then the tailings pond is higher than the mine site more over the mill area and the communities.

He said they saw this situation when they visited the area where Oceana Gold operates as part of an international solidarity investigative mission on the issues of environmental and human rights abuses affecting the community people of Didipio and nearby areas.

Mangili said he along with the members of the Australia based Action for peace and Development in the Philippines (APDP) and local environmental groups went to the area and conduct interviews and consultation with the people there. Oceana Gold is an Australian  transnational mining corporation extracting gold and copper in the said barangay.

Mangili who grew up in a mining community of Itogon in Benguet said he was exposed to other mining sites in his province that is why he is a little bit familiar with the mining structures and operations.

He said that the mining operations in Didipio is big and wide covering over 8,000 hectares. “Kung ikumpara mo ito sa minahan sa Antamok noon, parang  dalawang open pit mining  ang kalaki nito,” (If you compare it with the mining operations before in Antamok, Benguet, it is like two combined open pit mining operations big) he said.

He said the height of the mine pits are 300 meter deep when you are on the top. He said that one of the major concerns is the structure of its tailings pond. He said that unlike the mine sites in Benguet where their tailings pond have penstock, the one in Didipio has none.

Penstock he said is very much important  as it drains excess water from the tailings pond so that it will not immediately get full.

“Wala pang two years since nagamit yung tailings pond ay punona ,” (The tailings pond is already full barely two years since it was utilized) he said. Mangili added that the mine tailings are already reaching the levels of the surrounding mountains. He said the situation is already dangerous and scary.

He recalled the disaster on the environment and the people after the tailings pond 3 of Philex Mining Corporation operating at Padcal, Tuba, Benguet was breached. He said that the pond in fact has a penstock and still broke up. He said how much more if the same will happen to the tailings pond of Oceana Gold in Didipio.

Continuous monsoon rains on August 2012 dumped volumes of water in the tailings pond 3 of Philex mines making already its heavy mine wastes heavier causing a breach on its penstock.

Millions of tons of toxic mine waste flowed over the Balog Creek, going to the Agno River.

The incident caused damages to the environment and livelihood of the people in the communities of Tuba and Itogon, Benguet and even those in the neighboring province of Pangasinan.

He said that the dam crest or the top most of the dam is not thoroughly compacted. He said the mining company is just filling it up with loose soil. “Kaya kung titingnan natin, maraming seepage,”  (So if we are going to look at it, there are lots of seepage of mine waste liquids). He said the seepage go directly to the Didipio river below that causes water contamination. He said that the contamination already reached other Barangays and communities not only of Nueva Vizcaya but even in neighboring Quirino Province.

The Amianan Salakniban supports the people of Didipio and Kasibu in petitioning against the plan Oceana Gold to expand its operations. He said the mining company plans to widen its area of operation and even wishes to engage in underground mining. “Kasi kung sa underground mining din, hindi mo na makikita kung saan siya aabot,” (because in underground mining, you can not see anymore where the operation will reach), Mangili said. It is possible that the underground operations will reach Bayombong and even farther.

Mangili also said that the mining company should be held accountable for the environmental damages that affected the livelihood of the people in the area.