INQUIRER Global Nation

BACOLOD CITY — The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of Region 7 has granted a permit to Epithermal Gold Corp. to conduct mining exploration on 1,994 hectares in central Negros Occidental.

Noel Ferrer, EGC manager for government and community affairs, said on Tuesday the activity would be purely research in nature and that there would be no mineral extraction or mining development, yet.

During a briefing before the Negros Occidental Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Council), Ferrer said the EGC would be looking for gold and copper in the areas of Binalbagan and Himamaylan City in Negros Occidental, as well as Jimalalud and Tayasan in Negros Oriental.

In his letter to the provincial council, EGC president Jose Ramon Taningco said that the MGB permit gave the company the right to search for mineral deposits, limited only to geological, geochemical, geophysical survey, as well as exploratory drilling, within a period of two years.

After the briefing, the EGC requested a certificate of appearance from the provincial council of Negros Occidental, in compliance with Section 17 of the terms and conditions of the permit granted to them by the MGB.

Ferrer said they would like to avoid cutting trees, as much as possible, during their exploration activities. INQUIRER