MindaNews » SMI files appeal on rejected ECC.

By Bong S. Sarmiento

January 31, 2012

 KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews/30 January) – Foreign-backed Sagittarius Mines Inc. has formally filed a reconsideration for its rejected application for environmental compliance certificate (ECC) to bring the Tampakan copper-gold project into commercial phase, mining executives confirmed on Monday.

Richard Laufmann, chief executive officer of Indophil Resources NL, said that Sagittarius Mines lodged the motion for reconsideration with the Philippine government last Friday.

In its 2011 fourth quarter report released on Monday, Indophil noted that SMI, last January 13, stated its intention to file an appeal for reconsideration of the decision, as permitted under the ECC application process.

Indophil is the minority equity holder (37.5%) at Sagittarius Mines that is controlled by Xstrata Copper, the world’s fourth largest copper producer, through its 62.5% stake.

Indophil did not provide the details of the motion for reconsideration.

John Arnaldo, Sagittarius Mines corporate communications manager, separately confirmed that they have filed the appeal before the office of Environment Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje last Friday.

“The administrative process allows us that remedy,” he said on the phone.

But Arnaldo also declined to give the details of their appeal pending a consultation with the company’s legal department.

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