The Mines and Geosciences Bureau issued a circular removing the need for cement manufacturers and holders of quarry and industrial sand and gravel permits to secure a mineral processing permit.
MGB said the move was in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s earlier pronouncement to lessen red tape and redundant requirements.
MPP is a permit granted to a qualified person for mineral processing. Mineral processing means the milling, beneficiation, leaching, smelting, cyanidation, calcination or upgrading of ores, minerals, rocks, mill tailings, mine waste and/or other metallurgical by-products or by similar means to convert the same into marketable products.
MGB Memorandum Circular No. 2017-02 issued on Feb. 6, 2017 by Environment Undersecretary and concurrent MGB director Mario Luis Jacinto states that “contractors who are engaged in cement manufacturing and holders of quarry and industrial sand and gravel [ISG] permits are not required to secure MPP.”