Vendetta from the Chamber of Mines

Intense photos tell the story of potentials for a mega-disaster in the Tampakan mining project of SMI-Xstrata

Marinduque Island in the Philippines. Photo credits: AllanLissner.net

(MANILLA, Philippines ) - A few weeks ago, the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines attacked in a full page ad in the Inquirer, the Ateneo de Davao mining conference for failing to invite them. But it seems now they did the same to the anti-mining advocates in their own recent affair at the Mariott, a case of ‘an eye for an eye’.

The Davao conference exposed the potentials for a mega-disaster in the Tampakan mining project of SMI-Xstrata. In reply, the Chamber conference invited four mayors from the project impact area, who had been awarded millions in ‘development funds’ by SMI, to root for the mining project.

An NGO spokesman said, “This war between a powerful multinational and Filipinos is a test if Noynoy is truly pro-Filipino, as he claimed, or pro-foreigner.” The President is set to issue a revised mining policy by the end of February.

The Chamber of Mines launched a conference for the embattled SMI-Xstrata (Sagittarius Mining Inc.), which is licking its wound from a DENR blow, the denial of the ECC for its Tampakan gold-copper open-pit mining project in South Cotabato. SMI admitted in their EIA that after 20 years of massive extraction, they will leave behind in perpetuity a mega-dam with a scary 1.35 billion-metric-ton of toxic mud atop a mountain below Central Mindanao’s bread basket.

At the Mariott, there were no anti-mining advocates around except the author, who came uninvited. They claimed they invited a few, but the governor who has the open-pit ban that triggered the ECC denial, and other SMI oppositors were nowhere to be found. The bishops and NGOs who are vocal against the Tampakan project were also nowhere to be found. It was purely a pro-mining affair more for the media than for the attendees.

In the mining area, anti-mining B’laans also reported that they were prevented from voting in the public consultations dominated by pro-mining advocates. This was long before the Chamber accused Ateneo of not inviting their side. The B’laans were made to sign a paper to be given lunch, and claimed this was used as evidence they agreed to the project.

The four mayors are from Malungon in Saranggani, Tampakan in South Cotabato, Kiblawan in Davao del Sur, and Columbio in Sultan Kudarat. They could see the funds for development projects, but could not see the risks which may negate those very developments, namely the possibility of inundating about half a million hectares of lush farmlands with toxic mud.

Three bishops have formed an alliance against the SMI project, the KIDMADI, short for the dioceses of Kidapawan, Marbel, and Digos. The bishops are asking for a five-year mining moratorium on top of the open-pit ban. Many feel the ban can easily be reverted by SMI ‘development funds’, which make local government officials blind to the dangers posed by the tailings dam to their people.

SMI admitted in their EIA that, after 20 years, they would leave behind a void of about 3.5 square kilometers 800 meters deep and a toxic rock pile of about 1.65 billion metric tons, which, when exposed to oxygen (air and rain water), would produce massive amounts of acid. This can easily leak into the aquifer (underground water system) if their containment and treatment facilities are too small to handle immense volumes of acid water during a Sendong-type typhoon. Poisoned aquifers, which are sources of vital drinking water and for agriculture, cannot be rehabilitated, says British environment expert Clive Wicks.

Article by Bernie Lopez with Eastwind Journals – Opinyon Magazine. You can write to Bernie at redgate77@gmail.com

Marinduque

Marinduque, circled in red, a small island in the Philippines.

In 1993, in Marinduque, one of the tailings dams of Placer Dome’s copper mine burst sending millions of tons of mine waste raging down the Mogpog river in a flash flood that swept away homes, people and livestock. The path of destruction can still be seen, fifteen years later, all along the Mogpog River, which remains biologically dead.

These used to be thriving rice fields which have been barren since the 1993 dam collapse. Nothing has been able to grow on this once fertile land. This farm has been abandoned.

A closer look, through a hole in the wall, at this abandoned farm. No one knew for sure what has happened to the family that once lived there.

In 1996, three years after the destruction of the Mogpog River, Placer Dome's copper mine suffered another dam collapse sending millions of tons of mine waste in the opposite direction destroying the Boac river. Fifteen years on both rivers remain biologically dead and contain dangerous levels of toxic chemicals. Dead trees and other debris can still be seen all along the rivers.

Another look at the Boac River in Marinduque, which has been biologically dead since the dam collapse in 1996. The company continues to deny any responsibility for what was the worst industrial disaster in Philippine history. They blame the disaster on "an act of God." After being ordered by the government to clean up their mess, the company responded by packing their bags and sneaking out of the country.

Remy washes her laundry in the poisoned Mogpog River in Marinduque. With the two main rivers on the small island now biologically dead and containing dangerous levels of toxic chemicals, many of the residents of the island are left with no safe water supply to rely on.

An 80 year old farmer, Thomas has spent his life providing for his family by making coconut wine and raising livestock. When the first dam collapsed in 1993, the resulting flash flood of mine waste swept away Thomas' most treasured cow and he nearly drowned.

Thomas has baithed in the Mogpog River every day since he was a baby. His body is now covered with skin discolouration which he started developing about forty years ago when Placer Dome's mine was in full operation.

Wilson used to fish in the Calancan Bay in Marinduque. Wilson recalls that most of the 15,000 villagers in the area used to make a living from fishing in the bay for a few hours every other day. Now, he says, there are more fishermen than fish, and the men have to go far out to sea everyday. But the president of the company, John Dodge, continues to maintain that “the fishermen of Calancan Bay have not suffered in any way because of the tailings disposal.”

Over a period of sixteen years, Placer Dome dumped 200million tons of mine waste into the shallow coral-rich bay despite vocal opposition from the community.

One day, when he was out fishing years ago, Wilson went out into the water with a small cut in his leg. As a result, Wilson suffered from mercury poisoning rendering his legs useless. One leg has been amputated, the other one will have to come off as well.

Since Placer Dome left the Philippines the abandoned Sand Antonio Pit has gradually filled with rainwater. The San Antonio Pit now contains millions of tons of water, which has mixed with mine waste and other toxic chemicals, being held back by failing dams. According to a leaked document from Placer Dome's own environmental consultants, "failure of the dam is a virtual certainty in the near term".

The small island of Marinduque is located within a typhoon belt. Every time it rains, the pressure on the failing dam increases, making the collapse a question of when not if.

The mounting pressure being applied to the failing dam puts over 100,000 villagers below in grave danger, but there is nothing they can do.

When the dam does eventually collapse, much of the surrounding villages will be inundated by flash floods with the contents of the San Antonio Pit which contains dangerous toxic chemicals.

When asked about what can be done about the situation, one common response was "all we can do is sit and wait for the next disaster."

When the first dam collapsed in 1993, the flash flood of toxic waste swept away Thomas' treasured cow and he nearly drowned. With the San Antonio Pit now on the verge of collapse, Thomas knows that his home will be one of the first ones swept under by the coming flash floods, but he has nowhere else go. With his already deteriorating health, he stands little chance of surviving.

“Look, that dam could break at any time, maybe next week, maybe tomorrow, I don’t know. But I do know that when it does happen, my house and my family will probably be destroyed. And just like last time, the company will blame it on an ‘Act of God.’ I want that picture to exist, so that people can know what happened. For that, I would be willing to sacrifice myself.” With those words a brave Marinduqueño snuck a photographer in the back of a truck into Placer Dome’s old copper mine, successfully evading the armed guards still protecting the property. Here he stands in front of the San Antonio Pit, containing the millions of tons of mine waste which will eventually come crashing down on his home. His bravery and determination to put himself in harms way for the sake of this documentation is a stronger testament to the anxiety Marinduqueños have to live with than any picture can offer.