MANILA (Reuters) – The Philippine government has suspended the operations of two more mines, one of them producing nickel, due to environmental violations, amid an ongoing audit of mining businesses across the Southeast Asian country, officials said on Thursday.
[restrict]
The latest action raises the number of suspended mines to 10, eight of them nickel ore producers, since the state launched a review of all mines on July 8.
The nickel miner, Emir Mineral Resources in the central Samar province, produced 150,000 tonnes of nickel ore last year and exported it to China, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Leo Jasareno told reporters. The other mine is a chromite producer.
The Philippines is the top nickel ore supplier to China. [/restrict]