PHL mining group says mine closures, suspension to affect 1.2 million people

The planned closure of 23 Philippine mines, mostly nickel producers, and the suspension of five others will affect about 1.2 million people, the head of the country's mining group said on Friday.

"We are looking at 67,000 jobs. If you use a multiplier effect of at least four members in a family, we have a total of 1.2 million people affected," Artemio Disini, chairman of the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines, told reporters in a briefing in Makati City.

Based on 2015 figures, the mining group is projecting an annual production loss of P66.6 billion, Disini noted.

"Maybe we are going down more in 2016, and in 2017 will likewise be affected more drastically," he said.

"We paid a total of P16.7 billion annually in terms of tax payments," he added.

The first option for affected miners would be to appeal to President Rodrigo Duterte "before going to the courts."

Seven COMP members – Benguet Corp. Nickel, Eramen Minerals, LNL Archipelago, Platinum Group Metals, CTP Construction, Marcventures, and Hinatuan Mining – were ordered closed by the DENR. Two others, OceanaGold and Lepanto Consolidated Mining, are up for suspension.

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Regina Lopez revealed the closures and suspensions on Thursday, announcing the results of a months-long audit on 41 mines aimed at penalizing those that have harmed the environment. — With Reuters/VDS, GMA News