DMCI raises P50-M more for Berong rehab

Berong Nickel Corp. or BNC of the Consunji Family's DMCI Mining Corp. has raised another P50 million to ensure the timely rehabilitation of its nickel project in Quezon town, Palawan.

In an interview with reporters on Thursday, DMCI Mining president Tulsi Das Reyes said the additional fund will be particularly allocated for fuel expenses.

"Fuel is the number one, two and three. When we made that budget, fuel prices were not that high. What we are doing now is we are still planting and then we have to continue benching for the soil stabilization," Reyes said.

"I want to make sure that when they showcase [the final mine rehabilitation plan], it's as close to perfect as possible. There's no incentive for us to finish early so let's do it right," he added.

Reyes reiterated that the Berong project rehabilitation remains ahead of schedule amid an aggressive implementation of restoration activities.

The Berong final rehabilitation program covers 109 hectares of surface mine, 209 hectares of silt control structures, and 25 hectares of stockpile area. It will be conducted over six years starting in June.

After rehabilitation, the disturbed areas could be used for eco-tourism, agroforestry, and inland fish farming by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, local government units, and host communities.

The Berong mine opened in October 2006 and was fully depleted by December 2021.

Aside from generating 1,634 direct and indirect jobs, the mining operations yielded 10.3 million wet metric tons of nickel ore and P2.6 billion worth of mining duties, royalties, and taxes.

In a separate development, DMCI Mining unit Zambales Diversified Metals Corp. or ZDMC has been awarded the Presidential Mineral Industry Environmental Award (PMIEA), in recognition of its commitment to environmental protection, safety measures, community development, and social responsibility.

This award marks a first for ZDMC and represents a third win for the DMCI Mining group. Its subsidiary, Berong Nickel Corporation, was the recipient of the PMIEA in 2020 and 2021.

"This recognition carries a lot of meaning for ZDMC. We received it at a time when our production has been ramping up. Receiving this award demonstrates our ability to balance operational growth with environmental sustainability. It's a clear indication that progress and ecological care can go hand in hand, setting a benchmark for the Philippine nickel industry," Reyes said.

From January to September, ZDMC nickel ore production surged by 83 percent from 716,000 wet metric tons to an all-time high of 1,312,000 WMT on increased mining capacity.

This was after ZDMC received the necessary Environmental Compliance Certificate to boost its nickel ore production from 1 million metric tons to 2 million metric tons starting January 2023. For the third quarter alone, ZDMC production rose by 28 percent from 149,000 WMT to 190,000 WMT.