mines, balbalan, kalinga - Bali Fokus

The Banao Bodong Association• A tribal organization in Northern Luzon• It was organized in 1982 purposely to unify the BanaoTribe of Kalinga• Its main goal is to protect and wisely utilize all naturalresources within the territory of the ancestral domainof the Banao Tribe• The Association is headed by the Chairman/Presidentwith two (2) Vice Chairmen/Presidents and 3representatives from each barangay comprising theBorad of Trustees• BBA is currently composed of 5,000 members• In 1996, the BBA was recognized as one of the mostpeaceful tribes in the Philippines

Profile of the Gaang Mining Area• There are 150 tunnels, about 80 of whichare currently operational• There are 180 camps/groups within themining area; each camp is composed of 5 to10 miners• There are about 1,000 residents in Gaang;all are engaged in small-scale gold mining• There are about 100 ballmills, all of whichare naturally powered by water force andaligned into series so that the water usedfrom the first mill can be utilized by the othermills.• The area can accommodate a maximum of168 rod mills operating simultaneously.

Mining Practices in Gaang Mines• Ores extracted from the tunnels are usually brought tothe camp’s milling area for crushing and grinding.• If the gold ore sample has high gold content, directamalgamation is practiced where mercury is fed directlyinto the drum.• If the ore has low gold content, it is concentrated in asmall sluice covered with cloth.• Gold concentrates are recovered and mercuryamalgamation is subsequently practiced.• After about an hour of milling, the mercury-gold mix isremoved from the drum. The mercury-gold mix is pannedto recover the mercury laden with gold.• The mix is squeezed and the remaining amalgam isburned in an enclosed chimney to liberate the gold.

Mining Practices in Gaang Mines• One ballmill has the capacity to process two (2)sacks of ore. A ballmill with about ¼ inch diametercosts P10,000 and has an estimated useful life ofabout 3 months.• This is based on the assumption that the ballmilloperates continuously (24 hours a day; 7 days aweek). Within 24 hours, the ballmill operates in 6batches with each batch having duration of threehours.• About 500 grams of mercury are applied for everyton of recovered concentrates.• An average of 20 grams of gold is likewiserecovered for every ton of ore extracted.• For every unit of gold produced, two units ofmercury are consumed.

Gold and Mercury Trading• Miners in Gaang collectively produce an averageof 10 kilos of gold monthly.• Purity of gold produced ranges from 14 to 16karats.• They are sold at US$30 per gram to the localgold traders who also operate as mercurysuppliers.• There are at present 11 gold buying stations inthe mining site.• Gold sold to local dealers are further traded inBaguio City.• Mercury used in ASGM in Gaang is sourced outfrom the mercury traders in Baguio City atUS$128 per kilo.• It is sold locally at US$0.70/gram or US$700 perkilo.

Embracing Mercury-Free Techniques• Forging of MOU between andamong BBA, LGU Balbalanand BAN Toxics for improvedmining practices in Gaangfocusing on mercuryreduction/elimination.• Information disseminationcampaign by BAN Toxics onthe threats of mercury tohuman health and theenvironment.• Hands-on training on the useof improved sluice, panningand burning of concentratesusing borax.

1. Gaang Amalgamation vs. Philippine Hg-Free MethodAreas ofComparisonTime/duration(number of hoursused inprocessing 3loads of grindedore)Equipment andmaterials usedRecoveryefficiencyAmalgamation(current miningmethod practicedin Gaang)Small sluiceSmall launderMercuryBoraxCharcoalFurnaceSluicing and panning(mercury-free methodintroduced by BanToxics)Remarks7 hours 4 hours • The time spent foramalgamation was based onthe feedback given by theparticipants• The time spent for sluicingwas based on the result ofthe training documentationImproved sluice boxLaunderBoraxDetergent soapCharcoalFurnace• The difference in the processand materials used comesafter the grinding of the ore1.2 grams/load 3.2 grams/load • Based on the seven loads ofore from the same sourceGold quality/karat 14.3 15.9 • Based on feedback from theparticipants from the testsconducted in Baguio City

Cam Norte Amalgamation vs. Philippine Hg-Free MethodAreas ofComparisonTime/duration(number of hoursused inprocessing 1batch)Equipment andmaterials usedRecoveryefficiencyAdditional CostAmalgamation(current miningmethod practicedin Cam Norte)Sluicing and panning(mercury-free methodintroduced by BanToxics)Remarks3.35 hours 3 hours • The 3 hours for BT includedhands-on training with minersthe process could have beendone in 1 hour.• Additional 2 hour re-grindingfor amalgam methodSmall sluiceSmall launderMercuryBoraxCharcoalFurnaceImproved sluice boxLaunderBoraxDetergent soapCharcoalFurnace• The difference in the processand materials used comesafter the grinding of the ore25 mg / batch 550mg / batch • Based on the seven loads ofore from the same sourceMercuryCitrusCarbide• US$59 additional foramalgamation

Next Steps:• Train more miners onmercury-free goldproduction techniques• Promotion of Philippine Hg-F among the miners• Establishing mercury-freeschools program• Formulation of BBA Policyprohibiting the use ofmercury in small-scale goldmining in Gaang.

Thank you for listening!Terima kasih!www.bantoxics.orgTeleFax: +63 2 355 7640E-mail: info@bantoxics.org