Teachers and community representatives from two schools in Zamboanga del Sur recently visited TVI Resource Development (Phils.), Inc.'s Balabag Gold-Silver Project, gaining firsthand exposure to mining operations, workplace safety standards and environmental management practices.
Teachers from Dimalinao Elementary School, accompanied by Parent-Teacher Association members and representatives from the Barangay Council, toured the TVIRD-Balabag Gold-Silver Project to learn about the company's operational processes, safety protocols and sustainability programs.
The visit provided participants with practical insights into how the mining company manages its operations while implementing environmental and workplace safety measures.
The group expressed appreciation for the opportunity to observe the project firsthand and learn about responsible mining practices. Participants said they were particularly impressed by the company's emphasis on sustainability, operational efficiency and occupational safety.
In a separate visit, teachers from Depore Elementary School also toured the Balabag operation, where they observed mining activities and learned about the company's environmental and safety initiatives.
The educators said the experience offered valuable lessons that could be shared with students and applied in educational activities.
According to TVIRD, the visits form part of ongoing efforts to engage with local communities and provide stakeholders with a better understanding of the company's operations and responsible mining practices.
Participants from both schools said the experience provided new perspectives on how environmental stewardship, workplace safety and efficient resource management are implemented in an operational setting.
The visitors noted that lessons from the tour could help strengthen community initiatives and educational programs, while highlighting the importance of collaboration among schools, families, local government units and industry in promoting sustainable development and safe practices.
Located in Zamboanga del Sur in Mindanao, the Balabag Gold-Silver Project has been in commercial operation since 2021. TVIRD owns and operates the mine, which produces gold and silver dore using a hybrid Merrill-Crowe and Carbon-in-Leach processing system with an average mill throughput of about 2,500 tons per day. The project currently mines an epithermal vein deposit through open-pit operations, with potential for future underground development.
TVIRD began exploring the Balabag area in 2005 following reports from former workers and the presence of small-scale mining activities. The company completed its first drill hole in November 2005 and subsequently expanded exploration efforts after receiving encouraging results.
The project's first Mineral Resource Estimate was released in 2007 under National Instrument 43-101 reporting standards. In 2014, TVIRD issued an updated Mineral Resource Estimate certified under the Philippine Mineral Reporting Code, reporting a measured and indicated mineral resource of 2.4 million tons grading 1.8 grams of gold per ton and 47.8 grams of silver per ton.
Part of the resource was converted into an initial open-pit reserve of 1.34 million tons under the approved Declaration of Mining Project Feasibility. The company continued exploration drilling to expand reserves, optimize mill capacity and extend the mine's operating life.
The Balabag Project has also received national recognition for its safety and environmental performance. During the 2022 Philippine Mine Safety and Environmental Conference, the operation received the Presidential Mineral Industry Environmental Award for surface mining operations, the Safest Surface Mining Operation Award, and was named second runner-up in the Best Mining Forest Contest for metallic mines.
