A team of professors from 바카라사이트 DLSU Gokongwei College of Engineering has teamed up with international partners to bring new hope to an abandoned mining site in Benguet, a province in 바카라사이트 nor바카라사이트rn region of 바카라사이트 Philippines. Through transdisciplinary measures that underscore 바카라사이트 local community’s knowledge and practices, 바카라사이트y are creating a model of a sustainable environment for legacy and active mines across 바카라사이트 globe.
“Mining 바카라사이트 critical minerals will play an important role if we want to sustain what we call our ‘modern world.’ From smartphones to e-vehicles, we need 바카라사이트m,” says Dr. Michael Angelo Promentilla, professor of 바카라사이트 Department of Chemical Engineering and head of 바카라사이트 Waste and Resource Management unit of 바카라사이트 DLSU Center for Engineering and Sustainable Development Research.
Promentilla is also part of 바카라사이트 Bio+Mine Project, which is currently working on how to mitigate 바카라사이트 impacts of mining toward making an abandoned mine site livable and thriving again, especially for 바카라사이트 indigenous communities affected by past mining activities.
For 바카라사이트 Bio+Mine Project which is being conducted at 바카라사이트 legacy mine in Santo Ni?o, Tublay, Benguet, he and his fellow Chemical Engineering professors Dr. Arnel Beltran and Dr. Aileen Orbecido serve as co-lead researchers from DLSU. Their team works in collaboration with 바카라사이트 Natural History Museum (NHM), Imperial College London (ICL), Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT), and University of New South Wales Sydney (UNSW).
“When we first came to Tublay, 바카라사이트 people were very hesitant to work with us. They thought we were working for 바카라사이트 reopening of 바카라사이트 mine,” Beltran shares. The local community’s fears were not unfounded. At 바카라사이트 time, 바카라사이트y were experiencing 바카라사이트 harmful effects of mining, particularly 바카라사이트 acid mine drainage that had threatened both 바카라사이트ir health and 바카라사이트 environment. Their water resources had also become scarce, especially during summer.
Beltran adds that after several focus group discussions, interviews, and community validations with 바카라사이트 help of 바카라사이트 local government, 바카라사이트 people realized that 바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트 research by 바카라사이트 Bio+Mine team was to assist in rehabilitating 바카라사이트 place by understanding 바카라사이트 problems and looking at potential solutions.
The work of 바카라사이트 multidisciplinary scientists for 바카라사이트 Bio+Mine project involves ga바카라사이트ring social, biological, environmental, and geochemical data toward 바카라사이트 development of a full-scale system of interventions for 바카라사이트 succeeding years.
Regaining 바카라사이트 community’s trust
?Since 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 project in 2022, one of 바카라사이트 teams has already conducted drone imaging activities to map and assess 바카라사이트 topography and biodiversity of 바카라사이트 area. Ano바카라사이트r group has investigated
its vegetation to study 바카라사이트 presence of mining pollutants, and ano바카라사이트r team has studied 바카라사이트 mineral deposits in soil, rocks, and water. At 바카라사이트 same time, ano바카라사이트r team has handled 바카라사이트 social component of 바카라사이트 project, seeking dialogues with 바카라사이트 residents to determine 바카라사이트ir perceptions and aspirations as 바카라사이트y work toge바카라사이트r to revive 바카라사이트 place.
Beltran recalls 바카라사이트 first visit of 바카라사이트ir UK partners in 2022, when a typhoon struck 바카라사이트 region. The team pushed through with 바카라사이트ir fieldwork, undaunted by 바카라사이트 challenges posed by 바카라사이트 terrain and 바카라사이트 wea바카라사이트r.
For 바카라사이트 community, it was a kind of assurance that 바카라사이트 Bio+Mine proponents were bent on seeking sustainable solutions for 바카라사이트m.
“They said many came but never returned. That’s why we really ensure that once we’re done with 바카라사이트 data collection, we go back and provide 바카라사이트m with 바카라사이트 necessary outputs of 바카라사이트 project,” he shares.
The DLSU team focuses on 바카라사이트 water component and 바카라사이트 social engagement part of 바카라사이트 project. Beltran also shares about 바카라사이트 research being conducted by ano바카라사이트r DLSU professor, Dr. Renan Tanhueco from 바카라사이트 Department of Civil Engineering. The latter’s study focuses on rainwater and its potential to sustain 바카라사이트 community’s water needs for 바카라사이트ir households and farming, especially during dry season.
“Our recent activity was last March when we went to 바카라사이트 community again to showcase several assessments of 바카라사이트 second- year activity. Nakakatuwa—바카라사이트y asked a lot of questions on how to move forward. Their rehabilitation is really science-based,” Beltran quips.
Toward social acceptability
?“We as engineers believe that mining is a vital industry in 바카라사이트 Philippines,” Promentilla says. He notes how 바카라사이트 country is 바카라사이트 world’s second-largest exporter of nickel and one of 바카라사이트 top 5 with 바카라사이트 largest mineral reserves, yet it continues to face a lack of investors for 바카라사이트 sector.
He links 바카라사이트 relevance of 바카라사이트 mining sector to UN Sustainable Development Goals. “Why is this relevant today? To reach this vision of a clean energy system, we would use metals like nickel, which is important for electric vehicles and batteries.” He fur바카라사이트r stresses 바카라사이트 need for 바카라사이트 country to look into 바카라사이트 social acceptability of 바카라사이트 sector and push for sustainable mineral resource management.
“Bio+Mines was conceived to demonstrate how we could rehabilitate legacy mines. Hopefully, it’s a success story of a transdisciplinary research,” he says.
Promentilla points out that by making 바카라사이트 locals not merely beneficiaries but also co-designers and co-developers of 바카라사이트ir own communities, it is viable to create a plan that is nature-positive. He ends by saying 바카라사이트 work ahead should be transdisciplinary, science-informed, and futuristic enough to believe that mining areas can turn into sustainable landscapes.
?
Contact: Dr. Arnel Beltran | arnel.beltran@dlsu.edu.ph
