INTRODUCTION

Black sand is sand that is black in color. One type of black sand is a heavy, glossy, partly magnetic
mixture of usually fine sands, found as part of a placer deposit. Another type of black sand, found on
beaches near a volcano, consists of tiny fragments of lava.
Black sands are used by miners and prospectors to indicate the presence of a placer formation. Placer
mining activities produce a concentrate that is composed mostly of black sand. Black sand concentrates
often contain additional valuables, other than precious metals: rare earth elements, thorium, titanium,
tungsten, zirconium and others are often fractionated during igneous processes into a common mineral-
suite that becomes black sands after weathering and erosion.

Several gemstones, such as garnet, topaz, ruby, sapphire, and diamond are found in placers and in the
course of placer mining, and sands of these gems are found in black sands and concentrates. Purple or
ruby-colored garnet sand often forms a showy surface dressing on ocean beach placers.







HISTORY OF SAND MINING IN THE PHILIPPINES
BUGUEY, CagayanMagnetite mining operations in this town and in nearby coastal areas have
stopped after agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) raided a mining site in nearby Aparri
town and arrested 14 of its Chinese workers last week, an official of an environmental group said.
Art Alariao, president of the Federation of Environmental Advocates of Cagayan (Feac), said heavy
equipment belonging to two Chinese firms had stopped digging along beaches here while trucks had
suspended delivery of processed magnetite or black sand to Port Irene in Santa Ana town.
Feac is an alliance of peoples organizations opposing black sand extraction and mining activities in the
provinces northern coastal towns.
We have received information that the Chinese were alarmed by the NBI raid, so they are probably
playing it safe for now, Alariao said.
Before the raid was conducted on Oct. 22, he said, black sand extraction was continuing despite
stoppage orders issued by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau and the provincial government.
Two Chinese firms, San You Philippines Mining Trade Ltd. and Lutra Inc., operate in at least 10 coastal
villages here.
We were given assurance that the NBI will stay here for as long as it takes in order to stop these illegal
mining operations. We have been used to the strategy of these mining companies: they resume
operations the moment law enforcers leave, Alariao said.
Residents in Aparri and Gonzaga towns also noticed the absence of mining activities since the arrest of
the Chinese workers.
Trucks loaded with magnetite have not been seen plying the Dugo-San Vicente highway, the main road
to Port Irene which traverses the towns of Camalaniugan, Buguey, Santa Teresita, Gonzaga and Santa
Ana. Before, the residents said, as many as 40 trucks would pass the area daily.
The transport has stopped but the processing of black sand continued. From a distance, we can see
their machines workingseparating the magnetite from the sand and disposing of their wastes in
ponds, said Rochelle Garma, president of Gonzaga Alliance of Environmental Preservation and
Protection.
Hector Eduard Geologo, NBI regional director for Cagayan Valley, could not say if there are upcoming
operations against black sand mining operators in Aparri and nearby areas. *The NBI+ central office is
still evaluating the results of the previous operation, he said.
He was referring to the arrest of the 14 Chinese in Barangay Dodan in Aparri. The workers, who included
five engineers and a geologist, were found to have entered the country illegally and were said to be
lacking work permits.
They were charged before the Department of Justice in Tuguegarao City on Wednesday with violation of
the Philippine Mining Act of 1995. They were released on Thursday after posting bail of P2,500 each.
Gonzaga Mayor Carlito Pentecostes Jr. said he had asked the Chinese companies to check the presence
of illegal workers in their roster. They assured me that their workers have been issued all the necessary
papers, he said. Melvin Gascon, Inquirer Northern Luzon.
LAOAG CITY, PhilippinesThe official who led the provincial board of Ilocos Norte into banning black
sand mining six months ago has softened his position.
On Monday, Board Member Joel Garcia sponsored a new resolution rationalizing the position of the
Ilocos Norte government on black sand mining.
Garcias resolution also urged the Provincial Mining Regulatory Board (PMRB) and the Mines and
Geosciences Bureau (MGB) to rigorously enforce the provisions, policies and guidelines of Executive
Order No. 79 and Republic Act No. 7942 (Philippine Mining Act of 1995).
In October last year, the provincial board unanimously approved a resolution that banned black sand-
mining operations in 21 towns and two cities of Ilocos Norte. Garcia authored the resolution.
When asked about his sudden change of mind, Garcia said: Our laws, particularly RA 7942 and EO 79
(President Aquinos mining policy), provide clear-cut definitions of where not to mine, such as [areas]
that may affect our critical watersheds and several protected areas.
He also acknowledged that the ban may result in undue prejudice to investors who have acquired
valid mining permits, contracts or agreements with the government.
It is not the intention of the Ilocos Norte government to injure the rights of persons or entities who are
engaged in legitimate black sand-mining operations here, Garcia said.
It is possible that there are *businessmen+ who were granted contracts to engage in black sand mining
and it would be unfair to them if we impose a total ban, he said.
Garcias draft resolution was referred to the boards committee on environment.
The MGB website said two of the 104 approved mineral processing permits in the country are in Ilocos
Norte and these involve magnetite, or black sand.

Skymark International Mining and Mineral Corp. was allowed to operate in Currimao town on July 21,
2010, and its permit will expire on July 7, 2015.
Fortune Allied Northern Philippines Inc. was granted a permit to mine magnetite sand in San Nicolas
town from
Oct. 25, 2012, to Oct. 24, 2017.
The MGB has granted a mineral production sharing agreement (MPSA) for the extraction of feldspar and
other associated deposits in Burgos town.
The project has been operated by Ferlind Dancel, a resident of Pasuquin town, since Dec. 14, 2005. The
permit will expire in December 2030.
The MGB website said Altamina Exploration and Resources Inc. has been granted a financial or technical
assistance agreement (FTAA) covering 9,588.24 hectares in the towns of Currimao, Pinili and Badoc in
Ilocos Norte; the towns of Magsingal, Sto. Domingo, San Vicente, Santa Catalina, Caoayan, Santa,
Narvacan, Santa Maria, Sinait, Esteban, Santiago, Candon, San Juan and Cabugao, and Vigan City in
Ilocos Sur province; and the towns of San Fabian, Mangaldan, Binmaley and Lingayen, and the cities of
Alaminos and Dagupan in Pangasinan province. The project started on June 29, 2010.
MGB records said industrial sand and gravel permits had been issued to global sand exporter, Omnico
Natural Resources Inc. (ONRI), from Oct. 5, 2011, to Oct. 4, 2016, which covered lands in the villages of
San Antonio, San Lorenzo, San Miguel, San Marcos, Santo Tomas, San Felipe and San Antonio in Sarrat
town near the Padsan River.
ONRI operates a sand-processing plant near the Padsan River in Sarrat, with a capacity of 3,500 metric
tons of magnetite sand per day and an international conveyor port in Barangay (village) Gabut Norte in
Badoc town. ONRI began exporting construction sand to Japan and Singapore in April 2009.
Colossal Mining Corp., represented by businessman Cedric Lee, was granted a permit on Aug. 7, 2007, to
extract magnetite sand from 3,089.698 ha of offshore properties in Laoag City, and the Ilocos Norte
towns of Bacarra and Paoay.
The MGB has approved Colossals second renewal application for the permit, which will expire on April
18, 2015.
The MGB website said 86 of 158 applications for onshore and offshore magnetite mining in Ilocos region
were in Ilocos Norte. Leilanie Adriano, Inquirer Northern Luzon
Once again there have been environmental problems at a mine site in the Philippines. In this case it is
Red 5's Siana mine in Surigao del Norte. This was another of those mining projects that was championed
in Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's revitalisation of the mining industry.
It now appears that milling operations have been suspended due to the instability of the tailings dam. In
response, the government has noted it is conducting inspections to check company compliance with
environmental law.
Elsewhere, as peace talks between the government & communist rebels collapse, there have been rebel
New Peoples Army (NPA) attacks on mine sites. These have been at Philex Mining's site in Negros
Occidental and at Lepanto's Mankayan area in the Cordlillera.
The latter is the site of recent indigenous blockades against mine expansion. In Zambales community
leaders have blocked ore trucks from LNL Archipelagic Mining Co. to hold them to account on promised
new roads.
Quezon City, Philippines - Alyansa Tigil Mina and its international partners question the Mines and
Geosciences Bureau decision to allow the Siana Mines operation to continue in Surigao del Norte
despite historical reports of mine flooding and underground fire.
The group is also wary of the silence of the government agency pertaining to recent reports of land
instability in mines since April. Meanwhile, a release by Siana Mines owner, Red 5 Limited, stated that
due to the instability of the tailings dam, the milling operations have been suspended.
"This is very terrible that the government has been very careless in its issuances to mining companies.
Unfortunately, as in the earlier years of mines, the DENR and MGB seem to have forgotten their role to
ensure that the environment is secure in balancing this destructive and exploitative industry," said
Jaybee Garganera, national coordinator of Alyansa Tigil Mina.
Further research by members of ATM led to the knowledge that the Siana Mines of Red 5 Limited,
located in Surigao del Norte, was an abandoned mine previously operated by Surigao Consolidated
Mining Co., Inc. which was first opened in the 1940s. However, it closed down during World War II and
was reopened in 1946, producing 4,800kg of gold and 8,000kg of silver. It was closed down again due to
mine flooding and underground fire.
The abandoned mine site was not rehabilitated until Red 5 Limited secured a mining permit in 2002. It
was granted an Environmental Compliance Certificate in April 2009 despite a prior scheduled Final Mine
Rehabilitation and Decommissioning Plan expected late May of the same year.
Dr. Robert Goodland, a Social and Environmental Assessment Specialist and member of the London
Working Group on Mining in the Philippines stated, "Siana Mines owner Red 5 should certainly not have
been allowed to reopen and use the old tailings facility. MGB should know better than that before
permitting the reopening without rehabilitating the old facilities. Meanwhile, Red 5 Limited should have
also known this before it operated in the area-mining under the circumstances was reckless.
"Therefore, a transparent emergency action plan is essential: 1. Immediately halt all milling operations;
2. Immediately alert local authorities and downstream communities of the big risks and encourage them
to get out of the way of any breach that looks likely to happen at any time; and 3. Immediately get MGB
to conduct an onsite safety/risk assessment to prevent damage and reduce risks to some semblance of
acceptability.
"The major lesson to be learned from this risky episode is that old tailings facilities must have safety
assessments before new mining is permitted. Furthermore, to guarantee adequate mine closure and
restoration, escrow bonds must be created and updated annually before a mining corporation is
permitted to abandon a mine site," Dr. Goodland added
Reports earlier said that geotechnical experts representing different parties of Red5 have individually
concluded that there is an unquantifiable risk in returning the tailings dam to operating status.
Garganera concluded, "At this time when we're actually facing different threats (both natural and man-
made) and risks, this mine should be immediately closed down and rehabilitated. This situation seriously
merits a response from the MGB. Consequently, the review of all mining projects in the country should
start. Lastly, we urge the NDRMMC at the provincial and regional levels to immediately conduct parallel
investigations on this continuing event, so that we can safely determine if there are risks that face the
communities in the CARAGA."
The Siana Gold Project comprises of both an open pit and an underground mine. The project, as
originally designed, delivers a minimum 849,000 ounces of gold production at a cash cost of sub US$400
per ounce over a ten-year life.
Alyansa Tigil Mina is an alliance of mining-affected communities and their support groups of NGOs/POs
and other civil society organizations who oppose the aggressive promotion of large-scale mining in the
Philippines. The alliance is currently pushing for a moratorium on mining, revocation of EO 270-A, repeal
of the Mining Act of 1995, and passage of the AMMB.
BLACK MINING IN LINGAYEN
Is there really a mining going on in lingayen? Some people saying that there is, and somes not.
As we go to the said locations where the mining is said operating, we dont see a sign of said mining, it is
all flat sand, no dig holes or other.
What we see is like what they saw in the article that we read :

In the first place, they are not mining. They are only building a golf course, so why are they
applying for a [permit for a] mineral-processing plant? he said.

Paje said the magnetite extracted from the construction was only incidental and not a result of
an approved mining operation, and thus the minerals should be turned over to the state.

He further noted that no mining would actually be allowed in the area as it was on the shoreline,
and therefore a no go zone.

That shipment to Sual was illegal. I want to know who gave the permit for the shipment to leave
the port, Paje said.

and about the shipment of black sand to sual port :
The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in northern Luzon discovered that Xypher
Builders, which was tapped to build a golf course in Lingayen as part of a provincial ecotourism
project, had shipped out magnetite from its stockpile to a private port in Sual.

Paje said the Anti-Illegal Mining Task Force of the National Bureau of Investigation would
spearhead the investigation.

That will form part of the NBI probe. Xypher does not have the environmental compliance
certificate to operate its mineral-processing plant as well as for its marine-loading facility, he
added.

The shipment to Sual was made despite an existing cease-and-desist order from the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on black sand mining within the
Lingayen golf course project.

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Philippines There is no black sand mining on the shores of this capital town.
Officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the provincial governments housing
and urban development coordinating office and four coastal barangays here insisted this as they belied
some reports.
Its a misnomer when you say black sand mining because they simply separated the black sand which
was incidental to segregate unwanted materials like turf grass, Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB)
regional director Carlos Tayag said in a press conference the other day.
Tayag said the extraction of magnetite or black sand was necessary because turf grass would not grow
with its presence in the golf course area, which is being planned as part of the eco-tourism project of
Gov. Amado Espino Jr.
Tayag also clarified reports about a seawall built supposedly to hide black sand mining in the area.
There is no seawall in that area, the news item saying there is, is only a hearsay, its not existing, he
said.
Ruben Soriano, a mining engineer at the MGB-Region 1 in La Union, revealed his teams findings as they
were sent to check the reports.
We started our inspection in Barangay Sabangan toward the north in Estanza then to Barangay
Malimpuec where the proposed eco-tourism (project) is located. Along the road we did not see any sign
of extraction, much less actual extraction of magnetite sand, Soriano told reporters.
Then, we walked toward the beach area southward and northward, its clean, we did not see any
excavation relative to any magnetite mining, he added.
Engineer Alvin Bigay, head of the provincial governments housing and urban development coordinating
office, also showed pictures taken on Tuesday showing no black sand extraction taking place in the area.
What black sand mining are they talking about? Black sand mining never happened in Lingayen, Bigay
said.
In preparation for the golf course development, he said unwanted materials such as magnetite sand
have to be extracted to allow grass and other golf course vegetation to grow, a necessity that the
Environmental Management Bureau recognized and allowed.
The shoreline is untouched; in fact wild grasses have grown there and a canvas was put on top of the
separated magnetite sand so it would not be blown by the wind. Not a single ounce was shipped out
from the stockpile. We were surprised when news reports came out saying there is continuous
extraction in the area, Bigay added.
No less than Sabangan councilman Vicente Oliquio who earlier had filed a case against Espino and
others over alleged black sand mining here, also told reporters in the forum that the issue on black
sand is over. We are now pushing for the eco-tourism project of the governor.
LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, March 12 A top official of Pangasinan denied a published report that there is
"continuous extraction of black sand along the Lingayen shore".
In denying the report that came out in some daily newspapers, Provincial Housing and Urban
Development Coordinating Office chief Alvin Bigay asked: "What black sand mining are they talking
about?". He stressed that black sand mining never happened in Lingayen.
Even Vicente Ulquinio, councilman of Barangay Sabangan, Lingayen who was quoted in the report as
having said that black sand mining is on again in the town, came forward to deny he was interviewed by
any reporter of Manila dailies who quoted him to have purportedly said that black sand mining is back in
Lingayen.
Ulquinio is one of the leading petitioners in a complaint filed against certain Pangasinan officials before
the Ombudsman because of the black sand mining issue. He joined a press conference called for by the
provincial government to deny that black sand mining is back in Lingayen town.
There is no such thing, Ulquinio said as he stressed that he is consulting his lawyer if there is a need to
file a criminal complaint against media persons who he said put words into his mouth although they
never had any chance to interview him.
He said black sand mining is no longer an issue in Lingayen and they are just awaiting the action of the
Ombudsman on their petition against certain provincial officials regarding the matter.
But he clarified that although they joined the press conference to explain that no more black sand
mining activity is going on in Lingayen, it does not mean they are backing out from their complaint they
filed against certain Pangasinan officials before the Ombudsman.
Mines and Geo-sciences Bureau (MGB) Regional Director Carlos Tayag said there was no black sand
mining whatsoever in Lingayen, pointing out that what was undertaken was the separation of pure sand
from the black sand when the provincial government was preparing to build an 18-hole golf course in
the proposed eco-tourism zone in Lingayen.
Bigay said that in the preparation for the golf course development, unwanted materials such as
magnetite sand had to be extracted to allow grass and other vegetation to grow.
He said such activity was recognized and allowed by EMB and as a result gave the permit to a private
company to extract sand in the area and separate the magnitite sand.
What that company did, Tayag said was just to separate the black sand which could not be construed as
a kind of mining operation which some people were led to believe.
MGB Director Tayag said the extraction of the magnetite or black sand was necessary because turf grass
would not grow with the presence of black sand in the proposed golf course area.
As to the report in a national paper that black sand mining is on again in Lingayen, another official of
MGB, Ruben Soriano, attested that no such activity exists in the proposed golf course which they
inspected Wednesday.
Orpheus Velasco, provincial information officer, recalled that the black sand mining issue was used by
the political detractors of Governor Amado Espino Jr. during the election campaign in a desperate bid to
damage his credibility.
Officials said it appears that there is renewed attempt to resurrect the issue for political reasons
although the next election is still far from now. Besides, the governor is no longer eligible to run for
reelection for the same position. (PNA)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=12295
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/298030/black-sand-mining-stops-in-cagayan
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/602028/ilocos-norte-gives-sand-mining-a-chance
http://bayanihan.org/2014/03/13/no-black-sand-mining-in-lingayen-says-official/