Hinatuan Mining Corporation (HMC) hauled major honors this year as it bagged the Presidential Mineral Industry Environmental Award (PMIEA), the country’s most prestigious award in the mining industry.
In the final deliberation of PMIEA Selection Committee (SC) last November 4, 2021, nine mining contractors and permit holders were recognized by the award giving body.
Among them was HMC, a subsidiary of Nickel Asia Corporation (NAC), based in Hinatuan Island, Tagana-an, Surigao del Norte.
HMC took home the Presidential Award for surface mining operations; Best Mining Forest in the Metallic category; and Safest Surface Mining Operations.
Moreover, individual awards of Best Surface Safety Inspector and Best Surface Miner accorded to HMC employees Aldrin Resullar and Jennifer Inting, respectively.
The PMIEA, the highest accolade awarded to a mining company, evaluates all facets of a mining company’s responsible and sustainable business practices, keenly focusing on environmental protection and management; and ensuring the health and safety of employees and the total wellbeing of the people in the communities that they serve.
Despite the pandemic, PMIEA selection was still observed to give recognition to the private sector’s achievements in terms of safety and health, environmental management, reforestation, and social development and management.
As well as initiatives and efforts in combating COVID-19 and providing aid/assistance to the mining communities in these trying times.
Similar to the selection procedure observed for the 2020 PMIEA, an offsite validation process was adopted as alternative mode for evaluation of the companies’ accomplishments to ensure the safety and well-being of all organizations/groups involved given the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the country.
Twenty-five (25) companies under the four (4) categories - underground mining operation; surface mining operation; quarry operation; and mineral processing, were subjected to the rigorous off site validation of the PMIEASC members and the Technical Working Group on October 4-27, 2021.
Companies who fell short of the required rating for the PMIEA but attained a high degree of performance in safety and health, environmental management, reforestation, and social development and management were declared as PMIEASC Platinum and Titanium Achievement Awardees.
This includes Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation – Nickel Platinum for Surface Mining Operation.
In conjunction with the PMIEA, the Mining Forest Program (MFP) – National Executive Committee (NEC) deliberated the results of the validation of the nominees for the 2021 Best Mining Forest Contest (BMFC) on November 03, 2021.