INTEGRATED energy company Semirara Mining and Power Corporation (SMPC) has completed its backfilling operations in Panian, once the largest open-pit mine in the Philippines.
SMPC spent 11.5 million man-hours to fill the pit with over 452 million bank cubic meters (bcm) of earth material, which is enough to fill 217,000 Olympic-size swimming pools.
“We are mindful of our twin role as stewards and government contractor. What we accomplished in Panian is proof of that,” said SMPC president and COO Maria Cristina C. Gotianun.
Located in Semirara Island, Panian mine spans 400 hectares with topographic elevations that ranged from 300 meters below sea level (mbsl) to 30 meters above sea level (masl) during its mine life. The 300 meters is roughly the height of a 90-storey building.
SMPC fully covered the pit in six years, way ahead of the original 10-year mine rehabilitation plan. Mine rehabilitation refers to the repair of land that was disturbed by mining activities.
The company is now developing a science-based plan to reforest and restore the biodiversity in the area.
Panian had a mine life of 16 years and generated P12.7 billion in royalties for the government and SMPC host communities.
Of the total amount, P7.6 billion went to the national government while the Municipality of Caluya and Brgy. Semirara received P2.3 billion and P1.8 billion, respectively. P1 billion went to the Province of Antique.
In September 2021, SMPC won in the ASEAN Energy Awards (Special Submission category) for its accelerated rehabilitation of South Panian pit, which is considered as the fastest of its kind and scale in the Philippines.
SMPC completely filled North Panian with earth material last January, four months ahead of its committed date to the Department of Energy./PN
