MindaNews » SMI relocation plan still in the works.
By Bong S. Sarmiento
March 20, 2012

KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews/19 March) – Foreign-backed Sagittarius Mines, Inc. has yet to firm up its relocation plan to those that will be dislodged by its Tampakan copper-gold project, a project partner admitted on Monday.

“The current work program at Tampakan continues to focus… on reaching agreement with the community and [national and local] governments on a range of social impacts, including the need to undertake a substantial resettlement program,” the 2011 annual directors’ report of Indophil Resources NL showed.

Indophil owns a 37.5% stake at Sagittarius Mines, which is controlled by Xstrata Copper, the world’s fourth largest copper producer.

The Tampakan project has suffered a setback after the Philippine government rejected last January Sagittarius Mines’ application for an environmental compliance certificate (ECC), without prejudice to reapplication.

It cited as reason the unresolved open-pit mining ban imposed by South Cotabato, where the Tampakan project is located.

Sagittarius Mines had filed a motion for reconsideration of the national government’s decision last January 27.

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