On August 3, 2026, Mr. Joey Nelson R. Ayson, PMEA President, presented the PMEA Matters and Industry Updates.
As of July 31, 2026, Philippine Mining and Exploration Association has 15 regular members, 61 associate, 23 individual, and 15 honorary.
▪ Cleansing of delinquent members completed
▪ Approved Membership of Sagittarius Mines Inc.
MGB and other updates
DENR / MGB Staff
▪ Marcial Mateo designated OIC RD MGB 8 (DENR SO 480)
▪ RD Glenn Noble reassigned to MGB 3 from MGB 8 (DENR SO 481)
▪ Teodorico Marquez designated as OIC MSESDD
▪ Anne Karla Navarro designated as OIC MEIPD
2026 PMIEA Winners (Jan-Dec 2025 Coverage Period)
▪ PMIEA –TVI Balabag (surface operations); RCBMI Mindanao (quarry) and Phil. Mining Service Bohol (processing)
▪ Gold – 5 surface operations; 4 quarry and 1 mineral processing
▪ Platinum - 5 surface operations; 2 quarry and 1 mineral processing
▪ Titanium – 1 exploration; 1 quarry and 1 mineral processing
DENR Mobile Permitting (MOSS) for SSM
▪ 4th MOSS –July 8 - 9 2026 at La Trinidad, Benguet
▪ Northern Sagada Barangay SSM Association sold 37.64 grams of gold with 78.39% purity
▪ 10 SSM contracts awarded
LAWS, GUIDELINES, REGULATIONS
▪ Executive Order on Critical Minerals - Now on the table of PBBM
▪ No Mine Expansion - PENRO Palawan - Referring to Ni mines that must rehabilitate mined out areas first before going to new areas
▪ 2026 FPIC Guidelines - Approved and ready for publication
MPSA Approved/Renewed
1. Republic Cement and Building Materials, Inc. - MPSA No. 159
2000-IV (Renewal) - July 13, 2026 | Location: Teresa, Rizal | Commodity: Limestone
2. TMC-Tribal Mining Corporation - MPSA No. 090-97
XI (Renewal) - July 13, 2026 | Location: T'boli, South Cotabato | Commodity: Au, Ag
COMPANY NEWS
Metals Exploration / FCF Minerals
▪ Q2 2026 production: 10,496 ozAu
▪ RSI final in rock spillway to be completed by Q3 2026
▪ No exploration undertaken in Abra project
▪ Drilling preparations at Batong Buhay project (H2 2026 commencement)
Atlas Consolidated / Carmen Copper
▪ H1 2026 net income of PhP 4.6B (vs net loss of PhP 653M in H1 2025)
▪ 31.87 Mlbs Cu and 7,792 oz Au produced in H1 2026
▪ 3-year mine redevelopment plan to be completed in 3Q 202
TVIRD Balabag
▪ July 2026 production: 1,331 oz Au and 20,300 oz Ag
▪ Drilling at Phase 14 A Lalab to be completed within the month
TVIRD Greenstone (Siana)
▪ Produced 3.900 oz Au and 1,100 oz Ag in July 2026
▪ Second crushing circuit line is 95% complete
▪ Upgrade in gravity circuit and oxygen generator to be completed in Q3 2026
▪ TSF-6 undergoing final raise; TSF-7 under construction
TVIRD Greenstone (Mapawa)
▪ Obtained Notice to Proceed to establish camp facilities
▪ Land acquisition requirements at 75%
▪ Two (2) drill rigs mobilized
TVIRD Kingking
▪ Resource confirmation and geotechnical drilling
▪ Ongoing BFS
Pan de Azucar
▪ MPSA renewal being progressed
X64 Limited / Philsaga Mining Corporation
▪ US$ 2.7M loan payment from PMC received (loan balance approx. US$ 120M)
▪ RTC Davao ruling affirms Atty. Villanueva as controlling shareholder & President of PMHI
Holcim
▪ Plans to sell its Philippines business to China's Huaxin Building Materials for US$ 807 million total
▪ Initial 68% will cost US$ 527M- Remainder to be sold in 3-5 years for minimum US$ 280M
Cordillera Exploration Company Inc. (CExCI)
▪ Drilling at Cordon Project ongoing to define resource of Cu-Au discovery
Eramen Minerals Inc.
▪ FS study funded by USTDA grant of US$ 1M ongoing (Granted in 2022)
▪ To assess viability of establishing a processing plant in Zambales
▪ Currently undergoing validation of ESG compliance
Philex Mining Corporation / Silangan Mindanao
▪ Q2 2026 net income of PhP 392M (vs net loss of PhP 592M in Q1 2026)
▪ Rehabilitation of secondary and tertiary crushing plant at Padcal completed + higher metal prices
▪ Q2 production of 4,011 oz Au and 3.388 Mlbs Cu
▪ Silangan process plant target completion - 4Q 2026 (EEI Corporation & Ausenco Pty.)
Filminera Resources Corporation / B2 Gold
▪ Provided PhP 3.9M assistance in relief and rebuilding assistance to earthquake and typhoon victims
Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company / Far Southeast Gold Resources Inc.
▪ Signed MOA with Mankayan ancestral domain for renewal of MPSA-001-90-CAR
▪ Includes 1-time payment of PhP 110M; IP building, monthly IP royalty payments
The First PMEA Best Undergraduate Thesis Award
During the PMEA Monthly Membership Meeting on July 6, 2026, the winner of the First PMEA Best Undergraduate Thesis Award was honored. The 2026 Best Undergraduate Thesis Award Winner is Moreen Ashlei Lacsamana for her thesis "Ore and Alteration Paragenesis of the Guinaoang Porphyry Copper-Gold Stockwork Mineralization” at Mankayan Mineral District, Benguet, Philippines. Her Thesis Adviser is Dr. Jill Gabo-Ratio.
Three theses were evaluated by NIGS lecturer and minerals industry expert Dr. Rene Juna Claveria following the criteria for best thesis: content and analysis - 70%, organization and structure - 15%, style and format - 15%.
The other winners are:
2nd - Jared Dolatre: “Mineralogical, Textural, and Geochemical Characteristics of the Tagburos Mercury Deposit in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan”; Adviser - Jill Gabo-Ratio
3rd - Clarence Aquino: “Integrated Geophysical, Remote Sensing, and Analytical Hierarchy Process Approaches for Geothermal Investigation in the Macolod Corridor”; Adviser - Leo Armada
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Photo credit: Marcelle P. Villegas
