Philippines: gold mining and human rights violations

HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
26th session
May 2014

[Excerpt of the declaration]

The Tampakan Copper-Gold Project is reportedly the 7th largest undeveloped copper mine in the world,2 and when operational, it will be one of the largest copper-gold mines in Souteast Asia. Owned by Glencore-Xstrata, with the Australian company Indophil holding a minority stake, the mine is operated by a local subsidiary, Sagittarius Mines, Inc. (SMI). The final oeverall mine area is estimated at around 10,000 hectares (has.) falling within the boundaries of four provinces (South Cotabato, Sarangani, Davao del Sur and Sultan Kudarat), mostly forested and including a substantial portion in the ancestral domains of an indigenous people – the Bla’ans. The open pit of 500 has. would be dug to a depth of 785 meters while the topsoil stockpile would cover an area of 5 has. and the pit ore stockpile 49 has. The company’s Environmental Impact Assessment3 estimated that 5,000 people will be directly affected, most of these indigenous people, and will require re-settlement. The mining project will directly impact five watersheds, around 4,000 hectares of old-growth forest and five ancestral domains of an indigenous people.

Read the CETIM’ written statement in English