Philippines to suspend more mines as environmental review ends

[MANILA] The Philippines will announce more mines will be suspended this week for violating environmental regulations, the mining minister told Reuters, as the government wrapped up a seven-week review.

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Regina Lopez declined to say how many more will be suspended but said "there will absolutely be more suspensions".

"All the suspensions are absolutely due to environmental reasons, and my particular interest is the well being of the community, that's my benchmark," said Ms Lopez.

Ms Lopez launched a review of all mines on July 8 and has suspended 10 so far, eight of them nickel ore producers.

The move, and the risk of more being shuttered in the world's top nickel ore supplier, lifted nickel to a one-year high above US$11,000 a tonne on Aug 10.

REUTERS