Pujada Nickel Project Gets Ready
The Pujada Nickel Project is one of the 23 priority mining projects that are part of the Philippine government's 2004 Minerals Action Plan intended to revitalize the Philippine mining industry and encourage foreign investment. It is located at the Northeastern section of the Pujada Peninsula and straddles the Barangays of Macambol and Cabuaya in the City of Mati, Davao Oriental.
Nickel is an important strategic metal, which is mainly used for stainless steel production. Currently Nickel demand is being driven by China and India, with Russia and Brazil beginning to bring demand growth due to increased industrialization; and the Pujada Nickel Project is poised to be a key player in meeting that global demand.
As the company prepares to resume nickel mining and mineral production, dedicated efforts are already underway to ensure Hallmark Mining maintains its commitment to being a responsible nickel mining company and nickel producer pursuant to the provisions of RA 7942 or the Mining Act of 1995.
Relative to the preparation and development activities at the mine site, meetings with various contractors were conducted with some already having had submitted their proposals, while the others having yet to submit. As part of its due diligence and commitment to excellence and the highest standards of mineral production, all contractors are ensured to be compliant with the supplier accreditation of the nickel mining company, including their procedures for purchasing, safety, and environmental standards.
Included in the survey, rehabilitation, and preparation of key facilities such as roadways, processing facilities, and the like, is the preparation of the causeway. A vital facility in nickel mining operations, the causeway enables the efficient loading of barges prior to loading the ore on to the foreign vessel. Since the causeway is in direct contact with the waters of Pujada Bay, damage and degradation from wind and waves is expected. Recent heavy storms that had affected the region also caused damage to the causeway. As part of the causeway rehabilitation efforts, the source of fill materials and rock armor was likewise inspected. Armor rocks are important as they protect the causeway dock from the ocean wave action. Fills and armor materials are aplenty along the Salinkomot riverbed inside the MPSA of the nickel mining company.
An extensive survey of the causeway was initially conducted, and repair works are estimated to commence soon with the scope as follows:
Replenishing of boulder/rock fill core according to the original as-built specifications. Rocks washed away on the side will be recovered and shaped-up for longevity. Rocks that are unrecoverable are set to be replaced by fresh rocks sourced from the local riverbed. After completion, the causeway dimension will be as follows:
An approach of 20m x 60m
A berthing and loading dock of 50m x 100m
Exterior armoring
Provision of peripheral drains (super-elevation)
Compaction
Survey (with before and after AUTOCAD plots)
Aside from repair and rehabilitation work done on the Pujada Nickel Mine causeway, electrical installations of the company were inspected and assessed by an Industrial Electrician. Electrical lines were also checked along with major component such as the Assay Laboratory, Sample Preparation, and the offices. This work was done in line to the decommissioning of the old electrical generation and distribution units and the eventual commissioning of newly acquired 125- and 250-kVA generator units seen to meet the power-generation needs of extraction, processing, personnel, and management operations at the Pujada Nickel Project.
Austral-Asia Link Mining and Hallmark Mining Corporation, both under the management of Asiaticus Management Corporation (AMCOR), have a combined MPSA of 9,999 hectares Mineral Production Sharing Agreements issued by the government of the Republic of the Philippines in June 2004 and 2005 respectively. These MPSAs were later consolidated into one on December 2015 and grants the nickel producer the right of ingress and egress over the area for twenty-five (25) years renewable for the same period. Asiaticus Management Corporation was organized in 1996 to provide management, investment and technical advice for mining entities and companies with mineral claims. It facilitates partnership or joint ventures between local and foreign mining entities and companies and markets mineral ore.
Over the years The Hallmark Mining’s Pujada Nickel mine has been recognized by The Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association as the 2nd Safest Exploration Company in 2010 and 2011, and the country's Safest Exploration Company three years running from 2012 to 2014. A testament to its dedication to being the best nickel mining company in the country. As a testament to the company’s unwavering effort towards quality and environmental stewardship, Certification International Philippines (CIP) granted the ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certification for the 2nd Stage Audit done last September 28 to 30, 2021.
For more information on the Pujada Nickel Project and Hallmark Mining Corporation’s mineral production activities, visit our website.
Sources: rsc.org, nickelinstitute.org, philippinenickel.org