Lepanto Consolidated Mining Co. said Monday the government has no reason to suspend the company’s mining operations.
“Since the publication of news items that Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company is under threat of suspension of its mining operations by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, we have been bedeviled by numerous inquiries and expressions of concern from nervous stakeholders on the status of our operations,” said Lepanto president and chief operating officer Bryan Yap.
“This situation constrains us to make this explanatory report to these stakeholders, namely our worried employees, our communities, our stockholders and investors, our retirees, our partners and partner banks, and our services and goods providers,” Yap added.
The DENR last week released the results of mining audit that showed only 11 out of the 41 metallic mines passed the review.
The DENR identified Lepanto as one of the companies recommended for suspension, saying that the company’s treatment, storage and disposal facility for detoxification process for the mill tailings was unregistered.
The government also cited alleged accidents in the mining operations and its low performance in tree planting.
Yap said Lepanto had not received any official communications for the suspension of its operations.
“There is no reason to suspend our operations. We passed the recent audit of all mines ordered by the DENR, which in our case was completed on August 14, 2016. The DENR audit report confirms that we have complied with all relevant laws and regulations,” Yap said.
He said the company planted 6.5 million over its area of operations in the last 50 years, and obtained an ISO 14001 certification for its environmental management system.
“For the last 80 years, Lepanto did much more than produce copper, gold and silver. We helped build Mankayan, Benguet into a first-class municipality. We have been dutifully paying our taxes,” Yap said.
“We assure our stakeholders that we will take all and every step necessary to ensure that we can and shall continue our mining operations and uphold Lepanto’s legacy of responsible mining,” Yap said.