The Mines and Geosciences Bureau has issued a memorandum circular establishing the guidelines on offshore mining.
MGB issued Memorandum Circular No. 2016-05 covering mining operations, mine decommissioning and mine rehabilitation in offshore areas within the Philippine territory and its exclusive economic zone and extended continental shelf.
MGB said the provisions of the memorandum circular included the prohibition on the use of high-pressure water jets in the extraction of seabed minerals and prohibition on the use of chemicals and size reduction in onboard mineral processing and laboratory testing or analysis.
Other provisions include the return of non-valuable extracted minerals to mined-out areas through the use of submerged discharge pipes and use of sediment screens or curtains to minimize the dispersion of particulates and imposition of a contingency plan for emergency situations.
The circular also requires offshore mining to comply with other laws, rules and regulations that concern safety, health, social development and environmental protection and enhancement.
“The issuance of the guidelines is geared towards the attainment of responsible offshore minerals utilization,” MGB said.