vi. mining and minerals sector

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Department of Science and Technology

Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD)

VI. MINING AND MINERALS SECTOR

Call Overview

The Philippines is one of the world’s most well-endowed country in terms of mineral resources – with rich and vast amounts of metallic and non-metallic mineral deposits including gold, copper, nickel, iron, chromite, coal, cobalt, gypsum, silver, and sulfur. This immense untapped potential makes the mining and mineral industry an important contributing factor in the catalyzation of the country’s economic recovery and development.

Mining provides the essential components for virtually everything we use on the daily – from building roads and infrastructures to generating electricity and producing goods that improve the consumers’ standard of living. As well as supplying the world with the mineral commodities it needs, the mining industry also provides employment opportunities and livelihood programs, and is a direct contributor to the country’s economic success. Even so, concerns have been raised about the mining industry’s long-term viability and sustainability as the minerals are extracted from nonrenewable resources and the industry generates complex environmental and socio-economic issues.

To address these challenges, ongoing research and innovative solutions are being developed in the mining and minerals sector to help the country in its pursuit towards a more economically, environmentally, and socially responsible and sustainable way of providing for the modern society’s growing need for minerals and metals.

Call Objectives

The call aims to further revitalize the country’s mining industry and accelerate its economic development without compromising the environment and the health of the people. Specifically, it aims to provide support on the country’s scientific research on metallic and non-metallic minerals and technologies that engage in the treatment and utilization of mine tailings. This will capacitate researchers in mining-related studies and enhance the competitiveness of SUCs and RDIs laboratories and facilities that conduct the researches.

A. IRON AND IRON-RICH MINERALS FOR IRONMAKING

Call Rationale

The Philippines is richly-endowed with iron and iron-rich minerals, with an estimated reserve of lump magnetite of almost 56 million MT, magnetite sand of less than 2 billion MT, and laterite ores of less than 2 billion MT. Iron is an important component in the production of steel and other metallurgical products which are then used in a wide range of industries including energy infrastructure, civil construction, and transportation.

To support EO 79, Institutionalizing and Implementing Reforms in the Philippine Mining Sector, Providing Policies and Guidelines to Ensure Environmental Protection and Responsible Mining in the Utilization of Mineral Resources, particularly Section 8 Value- Adding Activities and the Development of Downstream Industries for the Mineral Sector, the PCIEERD will be calling for proposals that will focus on researches on iron and iron-rich minerals for iron and steelmaking.

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Call Scope

Establishment of a ferrous metallurgical R&D facility for iron and iron-rich minerals ores for iron and steelmaking.

• Total Budget: Php 80,000,000.00

• Duration: 2024-2026

Call Objective

The call aims to develop innovative technologies on producing pellets for iron and steelmaking using different iron and iron-rich mineral ores.

B. COPPER AS INTERMEDIATE PRODUCTS

Copper is one of the metallic minerals available in the country with an estimated reserves of 4 Billion MT making Philippines the 4^th largest country in the world in terms of copper reserves.

Copper products are used in transportation vehicles, power generation, construction of building, industrial machinery, electronic products, coinage, etc.

In support to the strategic vision for the industry such as “Full integration of copper industry in the Philippines from mining to manufacturing by 2030”(BOI: Copper Industry Roadmap), the PCIEERD will be calling for R&D program proposal on the refining and casting of copper and transformation to intermediate products for industrial application.

Call scope

R&D on the refining, casting and transformation of copper to intermediate products that will link with the wire harness industry.

• Duration: 2024-2026 Call Objective

The call aims to develop a technology for the refining and casting of local copper and develop products that will link with the wire harness industry. The R&D should also include the technical and economic feasibility for the establishment of a copper rod casting facility.

C. VALUE-ADDING IN BAUXITE

Call Rationale

Bauxite, a sedimentary rock commonly found in tropical regions such as the Philippines, contains relatively high amounts of aluminum oxide compounds (alumina), silica, iron oxides, and titanium dioxide. Bauxite is a highly valued commodity as it is the primary source used for aluminum production. Aluminum is a lightweight metal that is vital to several industries including aerospace and aviation, construction, and consumer electronics.

In the country, bauxite ore is being mined in Surigao del Norte and Samar, with the latter having estimated 73.2 million wet metric tons of measured and indicated resources of bauxite aluminum ore which could last for about 20 years of mine life.

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To add value to bauxite, the PCIEERD will call for proposals on the development of innovative technology to develop products from bauxite for industrial application.

Call Scope

Innovative technologies to develop products from bauxite for industrial application.

• Duration: 2024

Call Objective

The call aims to add value to bauxite by developing innovative products for industrial application.

D. EXTRACTION OF CRITICAL MINERALS FROM IRON, CHROMITE AND BAUXITE ORES AND COPPER MINE TAILINGS

Call Rationale

Critical Minerals are the building blocks of the green and digitized economy (nrcan.gc.ca/our- natural-resources/minerals-mining/critical-minerals). These minerals and elements are highly demanded globally due to its significant use for advance green and emerging technologies, yet the supplies are at risk because of their natural scarcity and because of geopolitical issues and trade policies that complicate their distribution, among other factors.

Critical minerals include Aluminum, Antimony, Bismuth, Cesium, Chromium, Cobalt, Copper, Fluorspar, Gallium, Germanium, Graphite, Helium, Indium, Lithium, Magnesium, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Niobium, Platinum group metals, Potash, Rare Earth Elements (REE), Scandium, Tantalum, Tellurium, Tin, Titanium, Tungsten, Uranium, Vanadium, and Zinc (source: Canada’s List of Critical Minerals).

These elements are mostly applied in the following industries: Electronics (e.g. television screens, computers, cell phones, etc.); Manufacturing (e.g. High strength magnets, metal alloys, stress gauges, automotive catalytic converters, etc.); Medical Science (e.g. Portable x- ray machines, x-ray tubes, magnetic resonance imagery (MRI) contrast agents, nuclear medicine imaging, cancer treatment applications, etc.); Technology, (e.g. Lasers, optical glass, radar detection devices, highly reflective glass, computer memory, nuclear batteries, high temperature superconductors, etc.) and Renewable Energy (e.g. Hybrid automobiles, wind turbines, next generation rechargeable batteries, biofuel catalysts).

Call Scope

With the increasing global demand for these elements, the PCIEERD will be calling for proposals on the geological determination and extraction of critical minerals from iron, chromite and bauxite ores and copper mine tailings for possible green and emerging technology application (e.g. solar cells, fuel cells, wind turbine components, light weight alloys for automotive industries)

• Duration: 2024-2025

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Call Objective

The call aims to determine the geological characterization and viable extraction of critical minerals from iron, chromite and bauxite ores and copper mine tailings for emerging technology application.

E. COPPER MINE TAILINGS TREATMENT AND UTILIZATION TO VALUABLE PRODUCTS

Call Rationale

Mine tailings are waste materials that are generated after a target mineral is extracted from an ore. Mine tailings are usually composed of crushed ores, silt, water, and traces of precious and heavy metals. The handling and utilization of mine tailings has become a major environmental and public health issue as most tailings may contain high concentrations of potentially toxic material and the immense waste production may also lead to storage dam collapse.

To utilize the tailings brought about by copper processing, the PCIEERD Mining and Minerals Sector will call research proposals on the treatment and utilization of copper tailings to valuable products.

Call Scope

The call will focus on the treatment and development of new products from copper tailings with industrial application.

• Total Budget: Php 5,000,000,00

• Duration: 2024-2025

Call Objective

The call aims to develop appropriate technologies to treat and utilize copper mine tailings to valuable products.

Specific Features Sought in this Call

▪ All proposals must submit at least one (1) Commitment Letter/Letter of Cooperation from an Industry Partner. Failure to submit this is a ground for disapproval or non-consideration.

▪ The research proposal should have a potential to be transferrable to the industry and locality.

▪ The proposal should exhibit clear Social and Economic Impact and should answer any of the seventeen (17) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

▪ The Line-item Budget (LIB) should include a 20% counterpart funding from the private industry or cooperator. Only eligible and allowable costs may be used for counterpart fund and/or in-kind contribution (ex. utility costs, office space rental, etc.), as determined by DOST-PCIEERD. The proposal must describe how the applicant will provide the counterpart fund/in-kind contribution.