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ZAMBOANGA
CITY, Oct. 5 (PNA Features) -– While typhoons with its rains and winds
have ravaged mining sites nationwide, the same cannot be said of the
multi-million peso gold-silver, sulphide mining project in Canatuan,
Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte.
In
a consolidated report provided the PNA, Company public affairs officer
Rocky Dimaculangan said there has been no reports of any major incident
in its past operations of its gold-silver mine and the construction of
a sulphide mine complex expected to be completed before the end of this
year.
TVI
Resource Development Philippines, Inc. (TVIRD) has been operating a
gold and silver mine in the area for the last three years and will now
shift to sulphide production because of huge copper deposits in the
area.
The
company commissioned last September 1 vital components of its Sulphide
Project in Canatuan, Tabayo, Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte following the
completion of their construction.
TVIRD
began its Canatuan gold and silver operations in Canatuan in July 2004
under an (Mineral Production Sharing Agreement) MPSA with the
Philippine government, signed in 1996. The MPSA has a term of 25 years,
renewable for another period, and grants TVIRD the exclusive rights to
explore, develop, and utilize for commercial purposes gold, silver,
copper, zinc and other minerals existing within the contract area.
Dimaculangan said safety measures have always been a priority among management and the working force of the company.
The
members of TVI Resource Development Philippines, Inc.'s (TVIRD)
Sulphide Project construction team have two reasons to feel good about
these days, he said.
First,
despite extended periods of bad weather, construction activities for
the copper-zinc plant and tailings storage facilities remain on track
for the scheduled copper concentrate production within the last quarter
of the year.
Second,
while the construction team has been working 24 hours a day in a full
seven day week in shifts for over three months straight – equivalent to
over 500,000 man-hours – there has been no reported lost-time to
accidents. And the team is bent on keeping things that way.
Thus
reports Reynaldo Jimeno, officer-in-charge of TVIRD's Safety
Department: The company is busily putting up the production and support
facilities for the next phase of its operations at Canatuan – the
Sulphide phase – in the hinterlands of Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte.
"TVIRD's
equipment contractors, with their 125 heavy equipment operators, have
also maintained a zero lost-time accident record," Jimeno says. "We can
attribute our excellent safety record to the work safety consciousness
culture that we have managed to instill in the minds of our employees.
Our workforce observes and implements safety procedures at all times."
Ely
Valmores, TVIRD Canatuan Maintenance manager, says that the safety
meetings he and his supervisors are doing on a daily basis "always
ensure that safety procedures are followed and proper personal
protective equipment is used."
"My
supervisors see to it work hazards are identified during daily work
line-ups so that appropriate safe work procedures are observed; that
harnesses, gloves, eye goggles, safety boots and shoes, and hard hats
are always available to workers. No worker is asked to do something
without the necessary protective gear," he explains.
Jimeno
refers to these regular safety sessions, which are held every day
before the workers start their work, as "tool-box meetings."
"Safety
inspections and audits are done jointly by the Safety Department and by
the front line supervisors of the other departments. We also make sure
that safety procedures are cascaded to all workers in the field, and
that safety signs are placed in strategic locations of the mill and
mine facilities," he points out.
"The signs are constant reminders to people that there should be no letup in as far as safety is concerned."
Over
at the Sulphide Dam construction area, TVIRD Canatuan Civil Engineering
Services Manager Ed Nercuit says he has banned "texting" (short message
service text messaging) among his men as part of the safety procedures.
"Texting is a taboo and Ed would not hesitate reprimanding texters,"
Jimeno says.
"Ed's
team has a no lost-time accident record," avers TVIRD Vice President
for Environment and Civil Works Jay Nelson. "He has maintained that
record since the time he was in charge of the tailings storage
facilities for our Gossan (Gold-Silver) Project."
The
same is also happening at the Assay Laboratory, where its manager,
Jerry Gamelo, sees to it that personnel always wear their safety gear.
Other support groups are also active participants in the drive to keep Canatuan a safe place.
For
instance, the Community Relations and Development Office and Public
Affairs work with the Environment and Assay Lab in religiously
monitoring the systems that supply the water requirements of employees
and community residents to make sure that drinking water is always
safe.
The
safety culture, Jimeno says, is alive in the Human Resources and
Administration, Materials Management, and Finance departments as well.
"We
are proud of our safety record," says Yulo Perez, TVIRD Vice President
for Philippine Operations. "We will not stop with what we have
achieved. We intend to leave a strong safety culture in Canatuan
throughout and beyond the life of mine."
The company has compelling reasons to maintain safety culture in its mind.
The
Canatuan mine produced 19,535 ounces (oz) of gold (Au) and 445,859 oz
of silver (Ag) in 2005; 45,210 oz of Au and 608,507 oz of Ag in 2006;
and 33,078 oz of Au and 653,278 oz of Ag in 2007. On a gold equivalent
basis (AuEqOz), the Canatuan mine produced 26,830 AuEqOz in 2005;
56,880 AuEqOz in 2006; and 45,907 AuEqOz in 2007.
Through
its Gossan Project, TVIRD paid the government taxes amounting to P2.2
million in 2004; P13.2 million in 2005; P35.4 million in 2006; and
P27.2 million in 2007. TVIRD invested a total of over US$ 25 million
for its gold-silver venture, a company report said.
On
the other hand, once operational, TVIRD's Sulphide Project is projected
to yield over P173 million in taxes and some P160 million in IP
royalties over a seven-year period.
"Despite
the challenges in the region, the recent developments in Canatuan
underscore our resolve to forge ahead with the Sulphide Project,
motivated by the belief that the solutions to the region's ills lies
clearly in the economic development that derives from projects such as
those brought by TVIRD," Perez said.
The
company expects to start shipping out copper concentrates at the
beginning of 2009 and zinc concentrates around September next year."
(PNA Features) |