The Gravitational-Flotation Technology plant project in Itogon, Benguet is on.
The construction of the gravitational-flotation technology pilot plant has officially begun with a ground-breaking ceremony today, February 27.
Department of Science and Technology-CAR regional director Julius Sicat told media the project which is the first of its kind ensures not only economic benefits in the mining industry but environmental safety as well.
The gravitational-flotation technology is a University of the Philippines-developed technology which is high yielding alternative processor that has the ability to process gold and copper without the use of cyanidation and amalgation making it environment friendly.
"This is a good signal na this environment friendly technology would eventually dry sa ating most problematic area when it comes to environmental degregation dito sa Benguet, and that is Itogon," said Sicat noting the existence of mine tailings and the use of mercury and cyanide of miners.
"Hindi nito kayang isolve yung problema ng buong Itogon, but what we want to show here is that this technology works and it would be able to save environment while give more income to investors," he added.
With this technology, the recovery of gold is expected to improve from the average 40 to 50 percent when using the ordinary practices that uses chemical hazards into 90 to 95 percent.
The plant which will be at 500 square kilometers has the capacity to process five tons of gold and/or copper a day.
It has three components: the technology whih separates and converts ore to gold; the analytical laboratory and quality control area; and an integrated tailings disposal system.
The project aims to identify the factors contributing to the effective recovery of gold through gravity concentration and flotation; to establish an optimum operating procedures using the technology; and to encourage small scale miners to switch from the traditional way of processig gold to this new kind of technology.
Once the plant is field tested and the objectives have been met, the supervision which is currently in the hands of the University of the Philippines will be turned over to the project beneficiaries, the municipality of Itogon and the Benguet Federation of Small Scale Miners, Inc.
Sicat said the total project cost is P26 million inclusive only of the facility and the laboratory.
An additional P10 million will be laid out for the laboratory and equipment to be used by UP for the testing and comparative analysis between the output from the traditional processing of gold and the output of the gravitational-flotation technology.
Project leader Engr. Herman Mendoza of the UP-Department of Mining, Metallurgical and Materias Engineering said in a press conference last year that the there will also be a funding for the educational training of small scale miners on how to operate the plant.
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