SAVE THE ABRA RIVER MOVEMENT (STARM)
Community-Based Water Monitoring Training Cervantes, Ilocos Sur 2-5 April 2004
Environmental Investigatory Mission 25-26 October 2004
1980s: Decline of mining industry
Financial and Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA)
E.O. 270 Towards Revitalizing the Mining Industry
Supposed Benefits from Revitalization of the Mining Industry
Mining Applications Received and Under Process (MGB, April 05)
TOTAL MINING APPLICATIONS UNDER PROCESS
PowerPoint Presentation
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LARGE-SCALE MOUNTAINTOP MINING
Northern Luzon
The Agno River Basin
Large mines that have been operated successfully in the area
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The Abra River Basin
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IMPACTS OF LARGE-SCALE MINING
GEOLOGICAL CHANGES
Impacts of Deep Mining
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Massive Ground Subsidence: Colalo, Mankayan (White structures at the bottom are remains of Colalo Elementary School,1999)
Impacts of Surface Excavations
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Philex Open Pit Mines
SILTATION
Downstream Impact
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EFFECTS ON WATER SUPPLY
Impact within the Mining Areas
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Corporate vs. Community Rights Over Water
POISONING of the ENVIRONMENT
Lepanto Mill Site (Yellow Cylinders Contain Cyanide and Other Chemicals Used in Gold Extraction)
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Lepanto River (from Tailings Dam) Compared to Apaoan River (from Mountain Province)
Acid Mine Drainage Tailings/ Chemical Disposal
Abra River System: Water Quality Monitoring Engineer Josephine Dulay, Saint Louis University
EFFECTS ON LIVELIHOOD: Agriculture
MACROSCOPIC OBSERVATION
CHROMOSOMAL ABERRATIONS Prof. Jocelyn Rafanan and Aldwin Almo, UP Baguio
SUMMARY OF RESULTS Prof. Jocelyn Rafanan and Aldwin Almo, UP Baguio
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Quantitative Analysis for Selected Heavy Metals, SOIL, September 2002
Effects on Livelihood: AGRICULTURE
Effects on Livelihood
Health Effects
Health Profile of Communities Living Near Corporate Gold Mining Operations in Mankayan, Benguet Province
Lepanto Mill Site (Upper Left Corner) Spilling Mine Tailings into River Note: houses on both sides of the tailings flow
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Skin lesions after immersion in mine drainage
PHASE 2: Blood Testing 15 Subjects vs. 15 Controls
SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES
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WHAT REHABILITATION ?
MARCOPPER, Marinduque
BENGUET CORP
Sacrifice for the National Interest?
Sources of Gold Bought by the Central Bank (%)
Costs of Mining vs. Taxes Paid (in Million Pesos)
Export Earnings: Agri/Fisheries = PhP 2.2 B Gold = PhP 49.6 M
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Lepanto Mine Workers
Company Mine Workers’ Health
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Where are the benefits?
Small-scale miners at Paalaban
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Author: STARM
E-mail: abrariver@4d.net
Homepage: http://www.abrenian.com/starm
Further information: Mountain Mining