Philex Mining Corporation (PMC), one of the oldest and largest copper and gold producers in Southeast Asia, has been granted an Exploration Permit (EP) by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) to conduct mineral exploration in Pangasinan. The approval reinforces the government’s commitment to responsible mining and the company’s efforts to sustain long-t...

Weir, a mining technology company, has redesigned its market-leading heavy-duty submersible slurry pump to deliver reliable performance in the harshest slurry environments. Weir has made several design improvements to address the operational challenges miners face in submersible pumping applications. The WARMAN® SHW-XTR heavy-duty submersible slurry...

PMEA President, Joey Nelson Ayson, provided mining industry updates during the Philippine Mining & Exploration Association (PMEA) Monthly Membership Meeting for August 2025. As of July 31, 2025, PMEA has 17 regular members, 57 associate, 29 Individual, and 17 honorary members. He announced that on Nov. 18, 2025, PMEA will host the 8th PMEA Forum...

OceanaGold (Philippines), Inc. has made substantial gains in its progressive rehabilitation by adopting an innovative and pioneering approach branded as the “Harmony in Diversity (HiD) Effect.” Progressive Rehabilitation, as defined by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, is a cost-effective engineering and biological approach to mine rehabilitation. It alig...

Celsius Resources Ltd. has reported further high-grade copper and gold intercepts from its Maalinao-Caigutan-Biyog (MCB) Project in the Cordillera Administrative Region, even as Philippine regulators granted conditional approval for the use of water resources in preparation for mine development. In its September 15 disclosure to the Australian Securiti...

Silangan Mindanao Mining Co., Inc. (SMMCI) has reaffirmed its commitment to responsible mining by conducting its latest interdisciplinary audit of underground operations earlier this month. Held on September 3, the monthly audit brought together technical experts, department heads, and managers from across the company to review every critical aspect of...

After a decade of regulatory restrictions, the Philippine mining industry is re-emerging as a key driver of economic growth. Following the suspension of new mining permits under Executive Order (EO) 79 in 2012, the sector experienced significant declines in revenues, exports, and foreign investment. In 2021, EO 130 lifted the moratorium, enabling renewed ...

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Central Office has successfully completed its 2nd Surveillance Audit for the ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management System (EMS), conducted by SGS Philippines Inc. on April 14–15, 2025. In addition, MGB-Central Office achieved recertification for ISO 9001:2015, awarded by ACS W3 Solutionz Management Consultancy on J...

A metallurgical engineer of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB)chaired the recently concluded 9th Philippine Women Engineers and Scientists Summit (PWESS 9) held in Davao City from August 7 to 9, 2025. Engr. Carina de Vera Pecson of the Metallurgical Technology Division (MetD) led this year’s summit with the theme:“Deep Dive: Women Engineers and Sci...

The Philippine Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (PH-EITI) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have formalized a Data Sharing Agreement (DSA) aimed at enhancing beneficial ownership transparency in the country’s extractive industries. The ceremonial signing, held at the Department of Finance (DOF), was witnessed by officials fr...

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), through its Mining Technology Division (MTD), conducted the first National Mining Enforcement Workshop: “Strengthening Enforcement Against Illegal Mining” on August 12 to 15, 2025, at the Privato Hotel in Quezon City. The workshop gathered MGB regional offices nationwide to boost the bureau’s enforcement capabili...

Digital Transformation at the Core of Philippine Industry  The Philippines is entering a new era of industrial growth. In construction, infrastructure and mining, the leaders will be those who can deploy specialized, ready-to-run technology that delivers results fast. As mega-projects—from mass transport systems and energy facilities to mineral extract...

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed into law on September 4 Republic Act (RA) 12253, or the Enhanced Fiscal Regime for Large-Scale Metallic Mining Act, a landmark measure designed to give the government and communities a bigger and fairer share of mining revenues. In a ceremony at Malacañan Palace, the President described the new fiscal framework ...

Epiroc Philippines has strengthened its partnership with Quest Exploration Drilling (Philippines) Inc. (QED) through a two-week technical and product training program on remote control systems (RCS) and Diamec rigs. The training was held at QED’s head office in San Pedro, Laguna, from April 21 to May 2, 2025. According to Michael Kevin Doctor, business...

The Philippine metallic mining industry posted double-digit growth in the first half of 2025, powered by record-breaking gold prices that more than offset weaker nickel markets. Data from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) showed that the sector’s total value rose 15.1 percent to ₱135.62 billion from ₱117.78 billion a year earlier. The increase of ...

Silangan Mindanao Mining Co., Inc. (SMMCI) recently welcomed the Barangay Local Government Unit of Macalaya, led by Barangay Captain Archelle Ongayo and his council, for a full-day site learning visit at the Silangan Project. The visit was designed to give the barangay officials a firsthand look at the mine’s ongoing development, safety protocols, and ...