Taiwanese conducting illegal black sand mining on islands

By Charlie Lagasca

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – Even the fragile islands in the Babuyan Channel along the country’s northernmost coast are not spared from black sand mining.

This, as an environmental group reported that clandestine black sand mining is also being conducted in the Babuyan group of islands, especially along the coastline of Camiguin island in Cagayan.

Citing reports from local communities, the Philippine Network of Environmental Journalists Inc. said two big Taiwanese vessels have been alternating in going to Camiguin to siphon off black sand along the coastline using huge and extended hoses.

The Babuyan group of islands in northernmost Luzon consists of four other major islands – Calayan, Dalupiri and Fuga, all in Cagayan, and Babuyan in Batanes Strait.   

Black sand or magnetite, also found on the coastlines of Ilocos and Zambales, commands a high price in foreign markets, as it is used as additive in manufacturing concrete and steel products, magnets, paint, ink, paper, jewelry, and cosmetics.

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) in the region said it has not issued any permits for black sand mining or quarrying especially on the islands. 

“Besides, mining is prohibited on islands as it poses danger to the islanders as well to the marine ecosystem,” said Mario Ancheta, MGB-Cagayan Valley director.

Ancheta though admitted that they had received reports of Chinese vessels frequenting the area before “but they were no longer seen along the coastline.”   

Earlier this month, the MGB-Cagayan Valley ordered two mining firms – Land Wealth Resources Inc. and Lian Xing Philippines Curving Corp. – to stop their black sand mining operations in Cagayan due to environmental violations.

The two firms, Ancheta said, were found operating beyond their respective areas or within the prohibited or protected zone to extract black sand. 

Land Wealth, a Filipino-owned firm, and Lian Xing, said to be Chinese-Taiwanese-owned, reportedly extended their operations along the coast of Barangay Caraoan in Gonzaga town, outside the MGB-authorized mining areas.