Metal output value up 6.5% in 9 mos

The country’s metallic production for the first nine months of 2019 was valued at P99.58 billion, up 6.5 percent compared to the P93.48 billion recorded in the same period last year, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB) said.

In a statement, MGB said nickel direct shipping ore with the aid of its other products (mixed nickel-cobalt sulfide and scandium oxalate) topped the list of highest valued metallic production during the period, accounting for 48 percent or P47.36 billion of the total value. This, despite the 1.24 percent drop in the average nickel price.