The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) in southern Mindanao will oversee the pullout of all gold processing plants in Mt. Diwata in Monkayo, Compostela Valley, following the rise in levels of mercury and other toxic substances in Naboc River, a key source of water for farming in the province.
Edilberto Arreza, MGB director, said the ball mills and batch processing plants would be moved to the mineral processing zone in Barangay Mabatas, also in Monkayo.
The relocation to the Mabatas processing zone was necessary, said Arreza. The zone has tailings facilities that can put a stop to the direct discharge of toxic wastes from gold processing into waterways.
The transfer, said Arreza, is the only lasting and long-term solution to the problem of how to handle toxic wastes from gold processing by communities of small-scale miners.
No comments:
Post a Comment