Photo credit: 

The chair of the House Ways and Means Committee on Saturday stressed the need for the country to move towards nuclear energy generation amid "thinning power reserves" as baseload coal power plants continue to experience shutdowns.

Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said there is no fuel cleaner than nuclear, which is also a more stable energy source run by a predictable fuel supply.

Salceda said President Rodrigo Duterte is on the right path with the issuance of Executive Order 164, which aims to introduce nuclear energy into the country's energy mix, as this will address the high electricity rate and secure energy for the future.

"And I can think of the ways we can complement that with good policy,” Salceda told reporters in a Viber message, as he proposed the franchise approach to nuclear energy.

"I don’t want government spending money on it, given our fiscal issues. But we can collate a fiscal incentive package under the CREATE (Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises) Law for a nuclear power investor. That will probably exceed the USD 1 billion threshold under that law, anyway,” he added.

He described coal as the "dinosaur" of energy generation, given that it is cheap, simple, easy, but also outdated.

Salceda added that coal power plants are "not exactly in top shape", adding that they are not following the Grid Operating and Maintenance Program (GOMP) procedures of the Department of Energy.

"Over the past 30 days, half of our baseload plants have experienced shutdowns. When demand peaks, you’re going to get more of that. So, I’m definitely seeing a real possibility of rotating brownouts by May or June,” Salceda said.

Salceda presented a “five-point plan” to combat an energy crisis, which included routine maintenance checks of the country’s power plants.

He warned that “maintenance issues” could be a way for some generation firms to jack up prices.

“Honestly, it’s getting frustrating. Like speaking to a wall. We already anticipated that these things will happen. And now, I’m making a prediction again that will probably take place if we don’t take action. If DOE (Department of Energy) doesn’t take action. Rotating brownouts by summer if we neglect maintenance issues among our baseload plants,” Salceda said.

Through EO 164, the Chief Executive has recognized that nuclear power can be a reliable, cost-competitive, and environment-friendly source of energy based on the experience of highly developed countries.

“For the country to achieve its sustained growth targets, it must ensure that it has a reliable, secure, sustainable, quality and affordable electricity supply, including sufficient reserve to guarantee that there will be no disruptions in the power supply,” the policy read.

It added the use of nuclear energy will address the increasing demand for clean energy, rising by 4.4 percent annually, or an additional capacity of 68 gigawatts by 2040.

The EO still included the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) in the national nuclear program, but other nuclear power installations will be pursued.

House Committee on Energy chair Juan Miguel Arroyo, for his part, said the panel has identified eight priority legislative measures and nine laws to be subject to the legislative oversight function of the committee to ensure adequate and affordable power and fuel in the country while continuing to find ways to further improve the local industry and economy.

The priority legislative measures include the creation of the Philippine Energy Research and Policy Institute; establishing the Regulatory Framework for the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Industry; Electric Vehicle Industry Development; Energy Advocacy Council Office; Use of Microgrid Systems; Waste-to-Energy Technology; Downstream Natural Gas Industry Development; and Strengthening the Energy Regulatory Commission.

Article courtesy of the Philippine News Agency

Photo credit: Laag Ta Bai Facebook Page

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte led Wednesday, April 27, 2022, the inauguration of the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) project, an iconic bridge that links mainland Cebu in Cebu City to Mactan Island through Cordova.

The 8.9 kilometer CCLEX is highlighted by its iconic crosses on top of the twin pylons of the cable-stayed main bridge over the Mactan Channel befitting Cebu’s titles as “Queen City of the South”, the Philippines oldest city, and considered to be “Asia's Cradle of Christianity”.

Joining the President in the inauguration are Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Public Works and Highways Secretary Roger G., Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, and various officials from the different government agencies, local government units, and foreign dignitaries.

Also witnessing the event from DPWH are Senior Undersecretary Rafael C. Yabut; Undersecretary Maria Catalina E. Cabral; Assistant Secretaries Wilfredo S. Mallari, Eric A. Ayapana and Rolito D. Manalo; Region 7 Director Edgar B. Tabacon; and Public Private Partnership Service the taken by project developer Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corporation (CCLEC), a subsidiary company of MPTC, through a joint venture agreement with Cebu City and the municipality of Cordova.

The cable-stayed twin single pylon main bridge has a span length of 390 meters.

Its pylon height of 145 meters and navigational vertical clearance of 52.5 meters and 260 meters horizontal clearance are sufficient for the passage of large vessels.

With a carrying capacity of two (2) lanes per direction, the expressway project also involves the construction of 1,350 meters of viaduct and 5,219 meters causeway and 603 meters low-level bridges.

The now-landmark of Cebu skyline is expected to serve around 50,000 vehicles daily. 

Article courtesy of the Department of Public Works and Highways 

The Department of Energy (DOE) has urged Singaporean businesses, as well as other foreign investors, to look into the country’s investment prospects in the energy sector, which amounts to USD153 billion.

During the 3rd Philippine-Singapore Business and Investment Summit Wednesday, DOE Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella said these required energy investments would help the country achieve the clean energy scenario under the Philippine Energy Plan.

About 80 percent of the total investment requirements are for power, which include USD115.3 billion for new power plants and USD6.97 billion for transmission projects.

“The required investments for RE (renewable energy) alone amounts to USD94.3 billion,” Fuentebella said.

He added that about 15 percent of the needed investments are in the upstream sector composed of oil and gas exploration and development at USD10.05 billion, coal exploration and production at USD13.12 billion, and pre-development activities for renewable energy at USD510 million.

The downstream energy sector, on the other hand, will be needing USD2.94 billion investments in oil distribution depots and import terminals; USD1.78 billion for liquefied natural gas terminals; and USD2.38 billion for biofuels production.

“Given the capital-extensive nature of the energy sector, we anticipate the active participation of the private sector as well as the public-private partnerships to help us finance in bringing these critical energy infrastructure projects into fruition,” Fuentebella said.

He said the Duterte administration has spent more than five years setting up a sound and long-term plan to help in building a sustainable energy future for the Philippines.

“Whatever we invest today would have far reaching returns and benefits for the Filipino nation in the years ahead,” he added. By Kris Crismundo

Article courtesy of the Philippine News Agency

Photo credit: Department of Transport Philippines

A party-list lawmaker on Tuesday said the passage of the new Public Service Act has paved the way for the eventual revival and operation of the Panay line under the Panay Railways Inc. (PRI).

In a statement, AAMBIS-Owa Party-list Representative Sharon Garin said many railway construction projects are currently underway that will benefit from new investments, such as the Panay Railways which has had no running rail since 1985, through the new law.

Garin said Republic Act 11659, or the New Public Service Act, will definitely improve the country's public services by allowing more investors to participate in previously "closed" industries.

"I am excited to see how the railway industry will be positively affected by Foreign Direct Investments (FDI)’” Garin said. "I am sure that very soon, we will have a modernized rail system running in our home province."

Garin said the revival of this mode of transport will surely create jobs and more opportunities in the area.

She also noted that underspending and lack of capital for maintenance and expansion have always been a problem with the country’s railway system.

She said the initial PHP299 billion estimated worth of new FDIs is sure to include funds for the modernization and expansion of the country’s railway system.

“I am excited that the rehabilitation of railways will extend to my home province. There have been many interested foreign investors in the rehabilitation and construction of better railways in Panay since a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between interested foreign companies and the PRI since 2018. This includes a two-phase project that would connect Iloilo City to Barangay Caticlan in Malay, Aklan," she said.

Garin said a good transport system can bring about better movement of goods and people.

"Rapid transit is not only a dream but is soon to be a reality. From subways to commuter rails up to provincial stations, I am confident that this chain of improvement will ultimately lead to better services for our people,” Garin said. By Filane Mikee Cervantes

Article courtesy of the Philippine News Agency

Photo credit: DOE - DOE Secretary Alfonso Cusi

Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso Cusi is urging Filipinos to continue observing energy efficiency and conservation as petroleum prices in the global market remain high.

According to its Oil Industry Management Bureau (OIMB), the risk of increasing oil prices remains as peace talks between Russia and Ukraine are on a standstill, which weakened hope for resolution to the conflict.

It also exacerbates concerns of a possible European Union (EU) embargo on Russian oil.

“Ongoing discussions on a potential Russian oil ban. While the EU has not imposed a ban on Russian oil imports, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire had recently mentioned that an EU-level embargo on Russian oil was possible,” it added.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+) also expressed that it is impossible to replace the 7 million barrels per day of Russian oil and other liquid exports that would be lost should sanctions or voluntary actions be pursued.

OIMB added that OPEC has low spare capacity of fuels as few countries could maintain capacity in reserve while increasing their production.

Iran could also infuse over 1 million barrels per day in the world market. However, this would only be possible with successful nuclear talks.

"The DOE is closely monitoring global oil supply and price movements, in coordination with our downstream oil industry players. We are working to exhaust all measures that would help uphold consumer welfare during this challenging period," Cusi said.

He added the Philippines is not spared from the impacts of the ongoing Russia and Ukraine war.

“This is why we would like to earnestly appeal to everyone to integrate energy efficiency and conservation into our daily lives to help manage costs," he added. By Kris Crismundo

Article courtesy of the Philippine Stock Exchange

Photo credit: Bilyonaryo

Megawide Construction Corporation reported consolidated revenues of P15.4 billion in 2021, 21% higher year-on-year, amid a persistent COVID-19 pandemic. The construction segment rallied the group and recorded revenues of P14.3 billion, 32% more than the previous year.

The airport and landport businesses, on the other hand, continued to be affected by restricted travel and transport as well as limited economic activities, resulting in weaker financial performances. Consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization or EBITDA amounted to P2.84 billion as airport operations generated losses.

With a more stable operating environment, the construction segment recorded a net income of P401 million and more than four times the P93 million income posted in the previous year. However, weak results from the other business segments resulted in a consolidated net loss of P893 million, with net loss attributable to equity holders of the Parent tapering to P343 million.

Driving Resiliency and Cycle-Resistance

“The past two years under the pandemic were very difficult, as our financial performance was severely affected by restricted travel and transport. In addition, the virus’ evolving variants ushered in a fresh set of lockdowns and discouraged a return to normalcy. Amid all these, we relentlessly pursued programs that will strengthen our core businesses and make them more cycle-resistant to deliver for us stable earnings year in and year out,” Edgar Saavedra, Chairman and CEO of Megawide, said.

The construction segment remained resilient but Megawide sees better days ahead as the winning bids for the big-ticket infrastructure projects, such as the Metro Manila Subway and North South Commuter Line, have yet to be officially announced.

“We are also looking forward to a better performance for our airport operations, with the national elections, the campaign period associated with it, and summer season driving domestic traffic. Hopefully, with a higher vaccination rate nationwide and managed infections this year, travel will be restored and return to pre-pandemic activities will be accelerated,” Saavedra added.

Recovery in travel and transport

The Company is already seeing initial signs of recovery in its airport asset the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA), where January-February traffic showed a 170% improvement from the same period in 2021, data from the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) show.

“The International Air Transport Association (IATA) predicts that global air travel will be 80-90% of its pre-pandemic levels this year and next, with prospects of exceeding 2019 figures by 2024. That being said, this revenge travel should present a huge upside to MCIA, which currently operates at 20-30% of pre-COVID levels,” noted Louie Ferrer, Megawide’s Executive Director for Infrastructure Development and GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation’s (GMCAC’s) President.

In anticipation of the global tourism revival, MCIA has partnered with Emirates and Turkish Airlines to gain access to Europe and Middle East. Both airlines are expected to augment the predominantly Asian tourist market in Cebu as the former flies daily while the latter follows a thrice-a-week schedule.

Meanwhile, the Paranaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) is likewise optimistic for a rebound, as around 6,500 sqms of office space in Tower 2 has been signed and contracted out as of end-2021, bringing the lease rate up to 83%. This is expected to be complemented by 1,250 sqms of additional commercial space that will offer new and exciting products that will serve the growing number of passengers as well.

“We are also making a conscious effort to shift to more public and social infrastructure, which we believe will be critical in truly engineering a First-World Philippines. Outside PITX, we are exploring strategic locations where we can expand intra- and inter-island connectivity through a hub-and-spoke model, with PITX at the center,” Saavedra added.

Carbon in the works

Down south, the Carbon Market redevelopment is in full swing, with the interim market completed and now welcoming vendors. The Sto. Nino Chapel and Statue was likewise officially consecrated in a ceremony held during the celebration of Easter Sunday last April 17, 2022.

“Carbon Market will be a game-changer not only for Cebu but for public market districts around the country. Not only does this modernize and refurbish the age-old system and structure in the province, it will also refresh the neighborhood into a modern-day tourist attraction,” said Ferrer, who also serves as the President of Cebu2World Development, Inc. (C2W).

Phase 1 is scheduled to be completed by 2027, which will transform Carbon Market into a multistructure facility, having a fully-built up GLA of approximately 50,000 sqms, spread across the public market, commercial centers, and bayfront areas for vendors, business partners, trade participants, consumers, and tourists to enjoy.

Financial Management on Track

The Company likewise continued with its financial management initiatives, specifically aimed at balance sheet health and optimizing financing costs. As of end December 2021, the Parent Company improved its debt-to-equity ratio to 1.23x from 1.59x pre-pandemic in 2019 and remained well below the 2.33x covenant. The Company also completed the rebalancing of its P24.5 billion project financing at GMCAC in May 2021 and successfully issued P4.0 billion worth of Series 4 Preferred Shares to retire the original and more expensive Company Preferred Shares issued in 2014.

“We also turned inward to strengthen our financial position, tapping the capital markets to take advantage of favorable interest rates, as part of our long-term financial management roadmap,” Saavedra said.

Article courtesy of the Philippine Stock Exchange

Photo credit: Global Ferronickel Holdings, Inc.

Global Ferronickel Holdings, Inc. (FNI) is off to a strong start as Platinum Group Metals Corporation (PGMC) begins its shipment to customers in China with 53,700 WMT of low-grade nickel ore bound for Guangdong Century Tsingshan Nickel Industry Co., Ltd. (GCTNICL). PGMC is the second-largest value exporter of nickel ore in the country. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of FNI.

“We are upbeat that our mining operations at PGMC have been running seamlessly from the get-go. Weather permitting, we might be able to exceed this year’s target of 5.5 WMT consisting of 60% low-grade ore and 40% medium-grade ore,” said FNI President Dante R. Bravo.

Around half of PGMC’s shipment target for 2022 has been slated for, and the rest will be open to other customers. PGMC has a general nickel ore supply contract with GCTNICL and Baosteel Resources International Co. Ltd. for 20 and 30 shipments, respectively. Prevailing market prices for all customers will be determined at the time of their individual order confirmation.

“We remain bullish as demand from China continues to be strong, and nickel prices have been rising in recent years. And with current global events adversely affecting oil prices, there is a greater appreciation for electric vehicles, which use nickel for their rechargeable batteries,” said Mr. Bravo.

Article courtesy of the Philippine Stock Exchange

Photo: The Caraga Mineral Testing and Research Laboratory, the only mineral testing lab in the region, is expected to be fully operational by 2024. The facility is envisioned to provide highly equipped, accessible, and affordable analytical testing for mining companies in the region. (Photo courtesy of DOST Caraga Director Noel Ajoc)

Despite being inaugurated last April 5, the Caraga Mineral Testing and Research Laboratory is not expected to be fully operational until 2024, an executive said Monday.

"We are still in the process of acquiring equipment for the facility. If we (could) get the funds for this in 2023, it will fully operate in 2024. Environment-related tests would at least start in January 2023," Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Caraga Director Noel Ajoc told the Philippine News Agency in an interview.

The equipment will be funded through the General Appropriations Act, and the requested budget for the equipment cost was PHP40 million. The PHP15-million facility was funded by the Department of Public Works and Highways-Caraga, according to Ajoc.

"Once completed, this is the only mineral testing lab in Caraga. Caraga is number one in the country's mining industry," he said, citing Philippines Statistics Authority data.

The facility, Ajoc said, will provide analytical services like metal content analysis in support of the mineral industry in Caraga. Mineral processing and metal extraction research will also be conducted in this facility.

"We will do analytical tests on nickel and cobalt content of ores, gold content processed by small miners, and environment-related tests like heavy metals content. Once the equipment are acquired, extraction of metals like nickel, cobalt, chromium, gold, and copper from ore can also be done at the lab," Ajoc said.

DOST Caraga will do the analytical services. Research and development (R&D), on the other hand, will be conducted by the DOST, higher education institutions, and student researchers.

Meanwhile, in a taped report, DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña said the establishment of the Caraga Mineral Testing and Research Laboratory aims to provide highly equipped, accessible, and affordable analytical testing for mining companies in the region.

"It is also envisioned to serve as a facility for the conduct of R&D related to the mining industry, including mining wastes and wastewater management," De la Peña said.

The facility is located at the DOST regional office in Ampayon, Butuan City. By Ma. Cristina Arayata

Article courtesy of the Philippine News Agency 

Photo: Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson (2nd from right) and Mines and Geosciences Bureau-Western Regional Director Raul Laput (right) sign the memorandum of agreement for the transfer of functions on the processing and issuances of two mining documents to the provincial government. Witnessed by Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II (2nd from left) and Provincial Environment Management Office head Julie Ann Bedrio, the signing rites were held during the Governor’s Permit Holders Forum and Dialogue held at the Negros Residences in Bacolod City on Tuesday (April 12, 2022). (Photo courtesy of PIO Negros Occidental)

The province of Negros Occidental has entered into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Mines and Geosciences Bureau-Western Visayas (MGB-6) for the transfer of mining documents issuance functions to the provincial government.

The signing rites, led by Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and MGB-6 Regional Director Raul Laput, were held during the Governor’s Permit Holders Forum and Dialogue held at the Negros Residences here on Tuesday.

“To everyone present, including the national government agencies, may the good Lord give us the wisdom to find better ways on how we can work together for the furtherance of responsible mining practices,” Lacson said in his keynote message before some 170 permit holders.

The MOA provides for the transfer of functions on the processing and issuances of the certificate of environmental management and community relations record (CEMCRR) and social development and management program (SDMP), which are part of new policies affecting sand and gravel as well as quarry extraction in the province.

This is based on Executive Order 138 issued by President Rodrigo Duterte on June 21, 2021 or the “Full Devolution of Certain Functions of the Executive Branch to Local Government Units, Creation of Committee on Devolution, and for other Purposes”.

Laput said the mining industry is considered a major driving force in the country’s local and national economy.

“This is a very important meeting of our permit holders and our government agencies to share relevant information, give updates, share concerns and exchange ideas on how we can address issues affecting the industry,” he added.

The CEMCRR is issued as proof of a good record of accomplishment of a company or permit holder in terms of community relations while the SDMP is a community development tool required of permit holders to ensure that the host and neighboring communities benefit from the project in terms of livelihood, education, infrastructure, medical and other social development programs.

Both documents are part of the requirements for permit applications for quarry, small-scale mining and sand, and gravel for commercial and industrial use.

Local issuance of quarry, sand, and gravel for areas below five hectares and small-scale mining permits is a devolved function under the Local Government Code of 1991.

Lacson said he has been informed that some applicants and permittees are circumventing the law by applying multiple applications when the ordinance provides that a qualified person may only be granted one permit in any local government unit at any one time.

“I want to be forthright with you, always remember that the permit given to you is a privilege, a privilege to use our resources judiciously, not to exploit our limited natural reserves. We are not supposed to do indirectly what is prohibited directly,” he told the permit holders.

Article courtesy of the Philippine News Agency

Photo credit: Mining Journal - Gerard Bond

OceanaGold Corporation is pleased to announce that Gerard Bond has commenced his role as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Mr. Bond will initially be based in Melbourne, Australia and in the coming weeks will travel to visit all operations and meet with shareholders and other key stakeholders.

Mr. Paul Benson, Chairman of the Board, said “Gerard’s start with OceanaGold marks a new chapter for the Company. His wealth of commercial and industry experience and proven track record of driving performance and delivering on business potential will be instrumental in unlocking the Company’s full value, and the Board is looking forward to working with him. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Scott Sullivan for stepping in as Acting President and CEO. His leadership has been instrumental over the past few months, and he will continue to be a key member of OceanaGold’s executive team in his role as Chief Operating Officer.”

Mr. Bond added, “I am looking forward to leading OceanaGold through what I believe will be a transformational period for the business, our shareholders and stakeholders. I am inheriting a solid foundation with a highly talented workforce, a suite of high-quality assets, one of the most exciting growth pipelines in the industry, and a tremendous shareholder register of supportive long-term minded investors.”

“We will focus on delivering long-term value to shareholders by safely and responsibly optimising all of our operations and maximizing cash generation. This will allow us to reduce our debt, return to paying dividends to shareholders and invest in high-return projects such as the Wharekirauponga Mine in New Zealand and the Haile Underground Mine in the USA. We have a lot of opportunity ahead of us and are focused on safely delivering the full value potential of this business.”

Article courtesy of Oceanagold

Photo: Weir Minerals Engineer configuring the Synertrex® IntelliWear™ panel

Intelligent equipment monitoring provides pipeline operators with increased control over performance and maintenance schedules, reducing operating costs and unplanned downtime.

Weir Minerals, global market leader in premium technology and mining solutions, is launching Synertrex® IntelliWear™ - a new digital wear monitoring system for spools and hoses in slurry pipelines. Developed by the Weir Minerals digital specialists in Chile, the intelligent system addresses the increasing demand for optimisation and safety within the mining industry.

With the continual move towards digital solutions, Weir Minerals recognised the need to support customers with their ongoing maintenance. Renowned for their dedication to customer service, the company developed a solution that enables mine sites to monitor the condition and wear performance of their hoses and spools via a network of smart sensors connected to their DCS (Digital Control System).

Equipment health is of the utmost importance, with many operators looking to streamline their operations for increased productivity and reduced downtime. The Synertrex® IntelliWear™ monitoring system allows pipeline operators to check their equipment in the critical wear areas and perform predictive maintenance prior to any unplanned disruptions and downtime. With planned repair and replacement of equipment, the benefits to customers are invaluable. Unscheduled stops are reduced -  leading to reduced costs of operation and maintenance. Most importantly, safety on site is increased, as spools and hoses are replaced prior to failure, thus removing the risk of slurry leakage which can cause injury to workers on site and the environment.

Eduardo Putz, Synertrex and Mechatronics Champion Latin America says:

Synertrex IntelliWear monitoring system enables our customer to have much more control over their equipment. With smart sensors they are able to analyse wear life, plan maintenance and control stock. The ability to prevent non-scheduled maintenance further supports our customers in their sustainability goals. The Synertrex IntelliWear system has been developed and rigorously tested in a range of slurry conditions and mill circuit arrangements. We are confident our platform will deliver a significant positive impact on our customers’ operations.

The system is comprised of an intelligent digital sensor integrated into Weir Minerals’ Linatex® and Vulco® hoses and spools. A central control panel captures information in a single location, and a dashboard allows for visualisation and analysis of the equipment data via the Synertrex® digital platform. Digitalisation enables our customers to continue their normal operational duties, while large amounts of data is automatically analysed and interpreted in the background via the Synertrex® platform.

A conductive wire is installed in the rubber lining at various levels of thickness. As the lining wears, it activates sensors to indicate the extent to which the rubber liner has been worn and in turn how much life is left. An easy-to-use digital traffic light system has been developed which enables quick visual identification of the condition of the hose or spool. Less than 50% wear is green, between 50% and 70% wear is yellow, greater than 75% wear is red – indicating it is time for preventative maintenance. The conductive wire is installed along the entire Linatex® or Vulco® spool or hose, throughout its diameter.

The central monitoring panel collects data from the sensors in the field and sends it to the Synertrex® platform which allows operators or maintenance personnel to view it. Information collected can also be uploaded to the cloud to be viewed on a live dashboard which is automatically updated every two minutes. The intelligent system enables operators to view real-time wear information from any device remotely – ensuring continual monitoring and better control over their equipment. This control allows for optimisation, improved performance and the elimination of unwanted operating conditions.

The Synertrex® IntelliWear™ wear monitoring platform is available across the Weir Minerals network initially in the Americas, Africa and Asia Pacific.

Photo: Weir Minerals Synertrex® Monitoring Centre in the UK

Weir Minerals has announced a new partnership with XMPro, a leading digital twin platform. The partnership will enable intelligent equipment and services and support miners to achieve higher performance while also reducing the environmental footprint of their operations. 

The XMPro platform – as a part of the Synertrex® digital ecosystem – will facilitate the delivery of event intelligence, predictive analytics, and real-time insights. It allows for data orchestration and value creation from multiple sources, including sensors, miners’ digital ecosystems, and data only available to Weir Minerals as an OEM, like maintenance data and 3D engineering models. 

The platform identifies critical events by applying AI and predictive analytics, which will provide Weir Minerals’ customers with the next generation of predictive services and recommended actions. XMPro facilitates easy collaboration between reliability engineering and operations by providing real-time information and equipment insights, viewed via mobile devices and the Synertrex® intelligence web portal. 

Weir Minerals also recently signed a digital partnership framework for strategic cooperation with AVEVA, an end-to-end pioneering industrial software provider. Weir Minerals will utilise the AVEVA PI System to collect and contextualise IIoT data streams, which will become the IIoT data foundation of its Synertrex® digital ecosystem.

Ole Knudsen, Weir Minerals, Director Digital, said:

“XMPro takes an actionable and collaborative approach to data that closely aligns with our Synertrex digital ecosystem. It is a platform ensuring maximum customer value from all the data we collect, ranging from equipment and process data to the in-house data we have access to as an OEM. We see the multiple data source approach as essential to build the holistic digital twins providing “intelligence” to our customers in terms of insights, predictiveness, and recommendations allowing for a proactive approach to maintenance planning and execution. 

Within the foreseeable future, we see these platforms and the building of the multiple data-source digital twins providing even more value for Weir Minerals and our customers, which is enabled by closing the loop between real-time operations, equipment design, and manufacturing.”   

Pieter van Schalkwyk, CEO XMPro, said:

“The partnership between Weir and XMPro creates a unique opportunity for mining companies to accelerate their digital transformation journey for complex assets. It combines Weir’s deep domain expertise and rich asset information models with XMPro’s class-leading real-time, operational digital twin platform. This combination provides unique insights, prescriptive maintenance and operations recommendations for users of Weir’s extensive range of mining equipment.

It has been a pleasure working with Weir’s engineering team, who are not only deep domain experts on mining processes but also have a clear vision of their roadmap for digital solutions that provide real-time operational intelligence for the overall mining value chain. We are excited that XMPro is the platform that Weir chose to deliver these capabilities to end-users.”

Photo credit: Global Ferronickel Holdings

Global Ferronickel Holdings, Inc. (FNI), the country’s second-largest nickel ore producer, recorded a 5.9% net income increase of ₱1.98 billion for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to ₱1.87 billion in the same period last year. Revenues are up by ₱445.5 million or 6.1% to ₱7.71 billion in 2021 against the ₱7.26 billion in 2020.

“2021 has been a good year for FNI as we received the Presidential Mineral Industry Environmental Award. It is the highest honor bestowed upon responsible mining companies by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources,” said FNI President Dante R. Bravo. “We are also delighted with the continued surge in nickel prices, which has allowed us to grow our top and bottom line despite having experienced relatively bad weather conditions throughout last year’s mining season.”

The bad weather constituted a lower shipment volume of 13.1% as the Group only managed to ship 90 vessels of nickel ore for a total of 4.887 million WMT in 2021 against the 103 vessels totaling 5.625 million WMT in 2020. The resulting product mix was 77% (3.761 millionWMT) low-grade ore and 23% (1.126 million WMT) medium-grade ore in 2021 versus last year’s mix of 68% (3.831 million WMT) low-grade ore and 32% (1.794 million WMT) medium-grade ore.

The overall average realized nickel ore price for the year ended December 31, 2021 was higher by 21.5%, US$31.78/WMT compared to US$26.16/WMT for the year ended December 31, 2020. Low-grade ore was 22.2% higher, US$30.07/WMT in 2021 compared to US$24.61/WMT in 2020. Medium-grade ore was 27.2% higher, US$37.47/WMT in 2021 compared to US$29.47/WMT in 2020.

“We are hoping to have more favorable weather conditions in our Cagdianao site this year to boost production, said Mr. Bravo.

Article courtesy of Global Ferronickel Holdings

Photo: Vanta™ iX In-Line XRF Analyzer

Accurate chemical analysis can provide vital data to enhance mining operations, such as improved extraction at mine sites and the optimized blending of mined material. However, sending samples to remote laboratories can cause delays ranging from hours to days. In addition, manually collected samples may not be representative of the bulk material. Automating this process and bringing the laboratory to the samples increases productivity. This can be done by adopting an automatic on-belt sampling solution.

An Introduction to Automated On-Belt Sampling and Analysis

Automatic on-belt sampling solutions provide instant chemical analysis of bulk mined material, such as coal, aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), and copper (Cu) ores. For instance, our on-belt sampling solution integrates the powerful Vanta™ in-line XRF analyzer to provide a fast, automated, and accurate analysis:

• Real-time chemical analysis of mining feed material on belt
• Excellent sensitivity to trace elements
• Quantification of up to 30 elements in one measurement
• Detection down to 1 ppm for key elements
• Analysis of light elements, including magnesium (Mg), aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), and sulfur (S)

3-Step Process for Automated On Belt Analysis

To help you understand how automated on-belt analysis works, here is the process in three simple steps:

1. Collect - Samples are collected from the belt automatically using a cross-belt sampler, without the need to stop or slow the belt. The system can be designed to meet relevant sampling and preparation standards, including ISO 12743, ISO 13909, ASTM E877, and ASTM D7430.
2. Prepare - The collected samples are crushed to the required size. The moisture content is measured and recorded to remove measurement bias. The samples are pressed and ready for chemical  analysis using X-ray fluorescence (XRF). The entire preparation process is automatically controlled and monitor.
3. Analyze - The prepared samples are analyzed using the Vanta iX in-line XRF analyzer. The data collection and analysis are fully automated. After analysis, the results can be seamless integrated into a plant workflow and data management system. This enables the right person to have the right data at the right time.

Key Benefits of Automated On-Belt Analysis for Mining Operations

Automated on-belt analysis has many benefits for mining operations, including:

• Fully automated and continuous to maintain high productivity
• Can be seamlessly integrated into existing plants
• No radioactive material used unlike alternative methods
• High-quality results from direct sample analysis compared to methods that perform through belt measurements
• Real-time laboratory-quality measurements
• Modular design for ease of maintenance

Photo: Taganito Mining’s Labor Management Council composed of management and labor union officers, after the announcement of winners for the 2021 Search for Outstanding Labor Management Cooperation (LMC) Program for Industrial Peace

Taganito Mining Corporation (TMC), a subsidiary of Nickel Asia Corporation, has been declared the national winner of the 2021 Search for Outstanding Labor Management Cooperation (LMC) Program for Industrial Peace.

TMC received the award Wednesday, December 15, during the virtual Twin Search on Outstanding Labor Management Cooperation and Grievance Machinery for Industrial Peace, jointly organized by the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) and the Labor Management Cooperation Practitioners, Inc. (PHILAMCOP).

The biennial search aims to promote harmonious labor-management relations and acknowledge the role of labor management councils throughout the country in improving workers’ welfare and sustaining corporate viability amidst the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Accepting the award, TMC Resident Mine Manager Engr. Artemio E. Valeroso highlighted the history of sustained partnership between the company and its labor union, the Taganito Labor Union (TLU).

Valeroso said the labor-management cooperation over the years reflects TMC's ethos to focus on employee's welfare, as encapsulated in one of its corporate slogans: “Sa TMC-BIDA Kami.”

"It’s a great honor to accept this award on behalf of everyone at Taganito Mining Corporation—from the TLU officers, members here in the minesite, and to all our teams," he said.

Edgardo Z. Buligan, NAC-TMC senior human resources manager, said the award demonstrated TMC's leadership in industrial peace and labor-management cooperation.

"The award is a recognition of the effective LMC mechanism fostering not only in industrial peace but also for boosting productivity and promoting a safe and healthy workplace at TMC," Buligan said.

Buligan noted that since the start of its mining operation 30 years ago, NAC-TMC has not experienced any labor unrest.

NCMB described this year’s as a "special edition, in recognition of LMCs that have remained focused and true to the very essence of "cooperation and partnership– despite the COVID-19 pandemic that tested their significance and relevance amidst retrenchments and company closures."

TMC has received numerous labor-management recognitions over the years, the latest of which was in 2019 when it won the outstanding LMC for industrial peace award in the regional level.

Demonstrating its commitment to Responsible Mining, Nickel Asia Corporation (NAC) affiliate Taganito Mining Corporation (TMC) bagged the Presidential Mineral Industry Environmental Award (PMIEA) for Surface Mining Category during the 67th Annual National Mine, Safety and Environment Conference last November 24-26, 2021.

PMIEA is the highest citation given to a mining company for exemplary programs pertaining not only to the environment but also to the safety and social development performance of a company's mining operations.

"TMC is very proud of this recognition as we feel that this reflects our efforts in making our organization one of the best in the mining industry," said Engr. Artemio E. Valeroso in his speech during the awarding ceremony.

Valeroso said the award was made possible by TMC's "partnership with the communities. The support of the people who have been part of the TMC team from the very beginning in achieving the sustainable development of the municipality of Claver."

This year's award is the fourth for TMC since PMIEA was launched in 1997; the company previously won the award in 2003, 2004, and 2008.

Established through Executive Order No. 399, PMIEA is conferred annually by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) to deserving companies to promote environmental protection and raise awareness on the mining industry's best practices.

For the last two years, all shortlisted companies were also judged based on their initiatives and efforts in combating COVID-19 and providing assistance to their respective mining communities.

For TMC, social development funds have been particularly focused on easing the impacts of COVID-19 on its host and neighboring communities, while fulfilling its mandates under the annual Social Development and Management Program (SDMP).

For the current fiscal year,  TMC has spent PHP71.8 million for health, education, livelihood, public utilities and services, socio-cultural preservation, information campaign, and mining technology.

Meanwhile, TMC also spent PHP199 million for environmental programs, such as land, water, and air quality management, rehabilitation and reforestation, and various eco-tourism projects.

Over 115,000 seedlings were planted in 41.9 hectares of mining and non-mining areas.

1032 has since start of operations

A total of 439,619 seedlings were also produced by its nursery operations for the fiscal year, which supported the company’s greening activities, the establishment of buffer zones, and support to the government's National Greening Program.

Moreover, TMC also spent PHP35.2 million for safety programs, of which PHP15.7 million was allocated for COVID-19 intervention programs from July 2020 to June 2021--the period covering the award.

A total of 8.3 million safe man-hours without lost time accident was also achieved by TMC during the period.

Photo: Schaeffler

As one of the largest rolling bearing manufacturers worldwide, Schaeffler is a partner to all leading manufacturers and companies involved in the mining and processing industry. Our bearings and service solutions increase the functional reliability and performance of machines and processes. We support our customers in reducing maintenance efforts and protect their employees by providing a safe working environment. In this issue, we will share with you how Schaeffler has helped a mining corporation in Philippines optimize their maintenance efforts in their plant operations.

Slaked lime is produced at Visayas Slaked Lime Corporation’s (VSLC) plant in the Philippines. To ensure proper and reliable lubrication of the numerous fans and blowers in the dusty environment, VSLC switched from a manual to an automatic lubrication solution. With the CONCEPT1 gas-driven automatic lubricators, the company will reduce maintenance efforts in the future, protect its employees and therefore be more sustainable.  

Customer Benefits

• Integrity of grease is maintained with no penetration of impurities during relubrication
• Longer bearing life in fans and blowers with reliable preset time intervals
• Enhanced safety with less human deployment in hard-to-reach locations
• Increase in productivity of the Maintenance Team with elimination of manual lubrication
• Sustainable – lubrication cartridges can be refilled up to three times 

Challenge

VSLC operates in a very dusty environment resulting from the production of slaked lime and limestone. Therefore, impurities often occur in the lubricants. These impurities affect, among other things, the bearing life in the fans and blowers. The maintenance team has to keep an ongoing focus on lubrication. As the numerous lubrication points were checked and relubricated manually and due to the sometimes difficult to access lubrication points, the safety of the maintenance staff was at risk.

Schaeffler Solution

Schaeffler’s experts recommended the flexible and cost-effective lubrication solution with the automatic lubricator Concept1. The CONCEPT1 automatic lubrication solution has one outlet and consists of a 125 millilitre cartridge driven by a gas-producing dry cell. The flow rate can be preset differently depending on the amount of lubricant needed for the bearings. VSLC is very satisfied with the lubrication solution and has fitted a further 50 lubrication points with CONCEPT 1 as a first step. Another 50 lubrication points for motors will soon be installed with automatic lubricators.

What our customer says:

With the automatic lubricator, we were able in a short time to significantly reduce efforts compared to manual lubrication. We are impressed and absolutely satisfied.” Maintenance Section Manager, VSLC

By: Engr. Jeffrey Geronimo

Mining companies are always challenged by the tight deadlines and targets to timely satisfy the production requirements of the mine.  This has often translated to numerous changes in mining strategies and plans which necessitates adoption of concurrent engineering methods.  However, this also increases complexity due to the parallel activity of various functional teams.  This is not an easy task for project managers and only shows how critical coordination is to prevent overloaded tasks and bottlenecks that may lead to further delays.

The ENOVIA Project Manager role on the highly acclaimed 3DEXPERIENCE Mine platform uniquely gives the potential to accomplish zero delays by linking each team member’s mine data to project execution. In effect, mine project management becomes data-driven by being linked with the production targets. The implications of production targets can be quickly assessed against the project schedule. As a result, a project manager is taking action to resolve issues with a full understanding of the impact to the targets.

DELIVERABLES PLANNING

Project Manager enables users to organize and manage a mining company’s long and short-term targets and execute projects related to the planning and introduction of future targets. Users can associate the plans into projects and organize them into portfolios. A portfolio provides visibility into a project’s road map, individual tasks, and real-time status of milestones to share with other teams or departments.

PROJECT PLANNING

The Project Manager supports all phases of the project. Once each target is approved, it is updated to a formal project and can be distributed in detail into tasks. Users can then define a task’s hierarchy to help identify which plans to approve based on how they impact the mine strategy.

Users can decompose complex activities into smaller manageable sub-projects. They can define schedules to organize and assign project members’ roles, non-working days, and shift turnovers. Tasks can be copied from projects or from project templates, including copying partial task structures. Project Manager also provides bi-directional support and integration to Microsoft Project for project managers that prefer using a Microsoft Project user interface for editing schedule information

VISUAL OVERVIEWS

Users can also view and edit the project schedule graphically via a Gantt Chart. The phases and tasks are displayed as bar charts based on the timelines, and the milestones and gates are marked on it as well. It illustrates the start and end dates, and displays the dependencies between tasks. It provides for an easy way to study the whole project schedule.

FLEXIBLE WORK CALENDARS

Being the undisputed global leader in mining software solutions, Dassault Systèmes understands that the mining industry has diverse workforce – most especially when you have multiple mine sites, shift handovers or roster breaks. The work week, working hours and holidays vary across the globe. It also varies based on the type of task being executed and across departments or even the work hours per day in a week. As the 3DEXPERIENCE Mine platform enables “zero-distance”, the ENOVIA Project Manager provides the ability to create flexible work calendars based on organizational and regional factors.

Exceptions can be created on a calendar which be customized for holidays or for workdays and can recur on daily/weekly/ monthly/annual basis. There can be a start and end effectivity date for each exception. A practical use of exceptions is for handling mine production cutovers that require extra work longer than usual hours for a set period. The same use of exceptions may be required if a certain task is behind schedule.

The company may choose to implement mandatory overtime temporarily. Each task can be on a different calendar based on the location of the task assignee or the type of task. If the task does not have a calendar, then the calendar associated to the user’s location is used, and if the location does not have a calendar, the default project calendar is used. Tasks are scheduled based on the calendar to provide an accurate schedule that reflects the real-life view for work plans.

INVISIBLE GOVERNANCE

As for traceability, users can capture meeting details to maintain artifacts for historical references. Managers can define meetings, and track who was invited and who actually attended. Agenda topics can be added to meetings with time durations allocated for each topic and associated document attachments for discussion. Issues that need further follow up and recorded decisions are stored as an outcome of the meeting.

ZERO DISTANCE: COLLABORATION AND APPROVALS

Users can benefit from a wide range of capabilities for global enterprise collaboration to bring “zero distance” between the mine, main office, and other consultants. Those capabilities include the ability to manage and organize shared documents and structured product data; they also enable the creation of digital workspaces for virtual teams to work together. Users can easily raise issues, organize meetings and track decisions. Any modifications can be formally approved using routes defined by end-users or from standard route templates.

MICROSOFT INTEGRATION

The ENOVIA Project Manager role can create and access 3DEXPERIENCE data from the most popular Microsoft applications: Word®, Excel®, PowerPoint®, Outlook®, Windows Explorer, and Windows Desktop Search. This capability enables enterprise-level collaboration while not disrupting the established productivity of end-users. With product content being managed on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform rather than on users’ PCs, organizations are able to create, manage and review product content more securely.

With the ENOVIA™ Project Manager on the 3DEXPERIENCE® platform, all stakeholders in the mining blockchain are aligned with the project goals and status – and work well together in achieving and defining your mine’s success. Let Paramina Earth Technologies, Inc. be your driver in your mine’s digital path to sustainable growth. Contact us at paramina_solutions@paramina.com or reach us through our website www.paramina.com for more information.

REFERENCE: Dassault Systèmes. (2022). Project Manager.

Photo: Masbate Gold Project

Masbate Gold Project’s total workforce reached a significant 99.7% Covid-19 vaccination rate.

“This statistic is incredible and truly exceeds anything I could have hoped for. It is the highest rate that I know of for any company, anywhere,” President of Phil. Gold Processing & Refining Corp. (PGPRC) Dan Moore stated in the message sent to all employees recently.

Dan Moore related that planning for the vaccination of the workforce started in mid-2020 and plans were tweaked to address challenges until its realization. He commended the team who managed the companies’ Vaccination Program headed by the Medical Team, OHS, Human Resources and Administration Departments.

As of the middle of February, fully vaccinated employees of both companies and their contractors comprised 2,170 of the 2,177 workers. The vaccination program is now focused on administration of booster doses and 1,567 employees have received their booster shots.

Geronimo Badulis Jr., Filminera Resident Manager also acknowledged the assistance of the Provincial Health Office (PHO) of Masbate, as well as the Rural Health Unit (RHU) of Aroroy in conducting the vaccination program for the companies’ workforce. Doctors and nurses from both the PHO and RHU administered the vaccination of the employees. “This is another testament of our dynamic partnership with our local government unit and officials,” said Badulis.

Meanwhile, a total of 10,500 doses of Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines were donated to the Masbate Provincial Health Office as its contribution the host province’s vaccination program. In addition, about Php5 Million worth of cash assistance have been given by FRC and PGPRC to the Provincial LGU to amplify its COVID response efforts.

PGPRC and FRC commit to strive and contribute to the vaccination efforts to fight the spread of COVID-19 virus in the country.