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ABOUT 200,000 metric tons of nickel ore worth about $4 million was
confiscated by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
for not having the proper documents for shipment.
Environment Secretary Lito Atienza ordered the
confiscation in favor of the government after mining firm A3
UNA Corp. failed to produce appropriate documents covering
the nickel ore awaiting shipment at the company’s private pier
in Barangay Bolitoc, Sta. Cruz in Zambales.
A3 UNA is a holder of a small-scale mining
permit and is only allowed to extract not more than 50,000 metric
tons of nickel ore annually. But considering its stockpile of
200,000 metric tons and another 45,000 metric tons shipped out last
month, the firm is highly believed to have engaged in
over-extraction and violated the law.
Atienza added that A3 UNA violated the
conditions of its mining permit.
He said the kind of mining operations that A3
UNA had engaged in is an example of abuse committed by a small-scale
mining permit holder.
“Compliance with the law ensures beneficial
effects of mining to many while abuse of the law is detrimental to
the many and benefits only the few,” Atienza said.
Zambales congressman Tony Diaz, who joined
Atienza in the inspection visit in Zambales, charged that the trucks
hauling the nickel ore from the mine site to the shipment point are
overloaded and destroy the roads in the area.
Sta. Cruz mayor Luisito Marty also complained of
not having received a single centavo of the town’s share from the
profits of A3 UNA.
The nickel ore at A3 UNA’S private pier was
earlier placed under seizure on February 8 by the department pending
submission by the company of documents such as ore transport
permits, mining permits, operating agreements or any document that
would prove that the nickel ore were legally sourced.
The seizure order stemmed from the complaints of
four mining companies which alleged that A3 UNA had been mining in
their permit areas without their consent, using small-scale mining
permits issued by the local government.
-- Ira Karen Apanay
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