P38-M gold processing plant won’t use mercury, cyanide to extract gold

DAVAO CITY , Philippines (April 3)– The gold-rich province of Compostela Valley will set up a P38-million Gold-Copper Mineral Processing Plant in 2018.

This time, the facility will be free from use of mercury and cyanide in extracting gold.

Comval Governor Jayvee Tyrone Uy revealed the construction of the modern plant is under the auspices of the Department of Science and Technology in Barangay Katipunan, Nabunturan, Compostela Valley.

“This will be an environment-friendly processing plant because it will not use Mercury and Cyanide to extract gold. The plant will use what is considered the most modern technology in the mining industry,” Uy emphasized “it will have high accuracy.”

“We look forward to implement the best mining policy as many of our people are earning from gold mines,” he added.

The Compostela valley is only one of the areas considered as pilot site of the mineral processing plant in the country.

Small scale miners in Diwalwal use to extract gold for decades using have long been using Mercury and Cyanide.

The realization of the plan is covered by a Memorandom of Understanding (MOU) between Comval Province, DOST, UP Diliman, Nabunturan Integrated Miners Development Cooperative and the Barangay through Barangay Captain Paz Maglangit.

ComVal Vice Governor Manuel Zamora, who also welcomed the realization of the project, said that compared to old processing plats, the new technology would increase gold recovery to 80 percent from only 50 percent, which is the highest recovery amid the danger of using chemicals.