Safety measures in place in Zambo sulphide mine
07-OCT-2008 Intellasia | PNA Features
Oct 7, 2008 - 7:00:00 AM
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While typhoons with its rains and winds have ravaged mining sites nationwide, the same cannot be said of the multi-million peso gold-silver, sulphide mining project in Canatuan, Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte.
In a consolidated report provided the PNA, Company public affairs officer Rocky Dimaculangan said there has been no reports of any major incident in its past operations of its gold-silver mine and the construction of a sulphide mine complex expected to be completed before the end of this year.
TVI Resource Development Philippines, Inc. (TVIRD) has been operating a gold and silver mine in the area for the last three years and will now shift to sulphide production because of huge copper deposits in the area.
The company commissioned last September 1 vital components of its Sulphide Project in Canatuan, Tabayo, Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte following the completion of their construction.
TVIRD began its Canatuan gold and silver operations in Canatuan in July 2004 under an (Mineral Production Sharing Agreement) MPSA with the Philippine government, signed in 1996. The MPSA has a term of 25 years, renewable for another period, and grants TVIRD the exclusive rights to explore, develop, and utilize for commercial purposes gold, silver, copper, zinc and other minerals existing within the contract area.
Dimaculangan said safety measures have always been a priority among management and the working force of the company.
The members of TVI Resource Development Philippines, Inc.'s (TVIRD) Sulphide Project construction team have two reasons to feel good about these days, he said.
First, despite extended periods of bad weather, construction activities for the copper-zinc plant and tailings storage facilities remain on track for the scheduled copper concentrate production within the last quarter of the year.
Second, while the construction team has been working 24 hours a day in a full seven day week in shifts for over three months straight - equivalent to over 500,000 man-hours - there has been no reported lost-time to accidents. And the team is bent on keeping things that way.
Thus reports Reynaldo Jimeno, officer-in-charge of TVIRD's Safety Department: The company is busily putting up the production and support facilities for the next phase of its operations at Canatuan - the Sulphide phase - in the hinterlands of Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte.
"TVIRD's equipment contractors, with their 125 heavy equipment operators, have also maintained a zero lost-time accident record," Jimeno says. "We can attribute our excellent safety record to the work safety consciousness culture that we have managed to instill in the minds of our employees. Our workforce observes and implements safety procedures at all times."
Ely Valmores, TVIRD Canatuan Maintenance manager, says that the safety meetings he and his supervisors are doing on a daily basis "always ensure that safety procedures are followed and proper personal protective equipment is used."
"My supervisors see to it work hazards are identified during daily work line-ups so that appropriate safe work procedures are observed; that harnesses, gloves, eye goggles, safety boots and shoes, and hard hats are always available to workers. No worker is asked to do something without the necessary protective gear," he explains.
Jimeno refers to these regular safety sessions, which are held every day before the workers start their work, as "tool-box meetings."
"Safety inspections and audits are done jointly by the Safety Department and by the front line supervisors of the other departments. We also make sure that safety procedures are cascaded to all workers in the field, and that safety signs are placed in strategic locations of the mill and mine facilities," he points out.
"The signs are constant reminders to people that there should be no letup in as far as safety is concerned."
Over at the Sulphide Dam construction area, TVIRD Canatuan Civil Engineering Services Manager Ed Nercuit says he has banned "texting" (short message service text messaging) among his men as part of the safety procedures. "Texting is a taboo and Ed would not hesitate reprimanding texters," Jimeno says.
"Ed's team has a no lost-time accident record," avers TVIRD Vice President for Environment and Civil Works Jay Nelson. "He has maintained that record since the time he was in charge of the tailings storage facilities for our Gossan (Gold-Silver) Project."
The same is also happening at the Assay Laboratory, where its manager, Jerry Gamelo, sees to it that personnel always wear their safety gear.
Other support groups are also active participants in the drive to keep Canatuan a safe place.
For instance, the Community Relations and Development Office and Public Affairs work with the Environment and Assay Lab in religiously monitoring the systems that supply the water requirements of employees and community residents to make sure that drinking water is always safe.
The safety culture, Jimeno says, is alive in the Human Resources and Administration, Materials Management, and Finance departments as well.
"We are proud of our safety record," says Yulo Perez, TVIRD Vice President for Philippine Operations. "We will not stop with what we have achieved. We intend to leave a strong safety culture in Canatuan throughout and beyond the life of mine."
The company has compelling reasons to maintain safety culture in its mind.
The Canatuan mine produced 19,535 ounces (oz) of gold (Au) and 445,859 oz of silver (Ag) in 2005; 45,210 oz of Au and 608,507 oz of Ag in 2006; and 33,078 oz of Au and 653,278 oz of Ag in 2007. On a gold equivalent basis (AuEqOz), the Canatuan mine produced 26,830 AuEqOz in 2005; 56,880 AuEqOz in 2006; and 45,907 AuEqOz in 2007.
Through its Gossan Project, TVIRD paid the government taxes amounting to P2.2 million in 2004; P13.2 million in 2005; P35.4 million in 2006; and P27.2 million in 2007. TVIRD invested a total of over US$ 25 million for its gold-silver venture, a company report said.
On the other hand, once operational, TVIRD's Sulphide Project is projected to yield over P173 million in taxes and some P160 million in IP royalties over a seven-year period.
"Despite the challenges in the region, the recent developments in Canatuan underscore our resolve to forge ahead with the Sulphide Project, motivated by the belief that the solutions to the region's ills lies clearly in the economic development that derives from projects such as those brought by TVIRD," Perez said.
The company expects to start shipping out copper concentrates at the beginning of 2009 and zinc concentrates around September next year."
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