The 19-member Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (COMP) has adopted for domestic use the global goals set under the TSM program or the initiative Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) where its members agreed to submit themselves to annual self-assessment reports.
The TSM protocol requires self-rating internal audits with proof as to safety and health; community and indigenous peoples outreach and social development; crisis management and communications; tailings management; water management; biodiversity conservation management; and climate change.
Ten of their members have been subjected to independent external verification by highly qualified verification service providers (VSP) to validate the reports with the other nine for next year.
The results of all self-assessment and externally verified reports will then be made publicly available.
COMP member companies include the Rio Tuba Nickel; OceanaGold Didipio; Philex Padcal; Benguet Corp.; Cagdianao Mining Corp.; Carmen Copper Corp.; Carrascal Nickel Corp.; CTP Construction and Mining Corp.; Dinapigue Mining Corp.; Eramen Minerals Inc.; FCF Minerals Inc.; Filminera Resources Corp.; Hinatuan Mining Corp.; Lepanto Consolidated Mining Co.; LNL Archipelago Minerals Inc.; Platinum Group Metals Corp.; and Taganito Mining Corp.
“After we adopted TSM in December 2017, we embarked on a six-year preparation period that saw our members actively participate in the Filipinization of the TSM Protocols,” said Michael Toledo, COMP chairman, in a statement.
The TSM set of tools and indicators was established by the Mining Association of Canada in 2004 to drive performance and ensure mining risks are managed responsibly and best practices are used at members’ facilities.
The Philippines remains the only country in Asia to have adopted the TSM.
Other TSM-implementing jurisdictions include Argentina, Australia, Botswana, Brazil, Colombia, Finland, Guatemala, Mexico, Norway, Panama, Spain and Canada.
