Molave-Narra Coal Mine

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The Molave-Narra coal mines are a pair of surface mine pits in Semirara Island, Caluya, Antique, Philippines.

Location

The map below shows the exact location of the Molave pit on Semirara Island, Philippines. Semirara island is located 350km south of Manila.[1][2]

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The map below shows the exact location of the Narra pit on Semirara Island, Philippines.[1]

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Background

Molave and Narra are the only two remaining active mine pits operated by Semirara Mining and Power Corporation (SMPC).[1] Previously, SMPC's Semirara Island-based surface open cut mining operations included the Unong and Panian sites, however operations at Unong mine ceased in 2000, and Panian - formerly the Philippines' largest coal mine - was in rehabilitation as of 2021.[3][4] Molave and Narra were started in 2016 as replacements.[5]

Semirara Mining and Power Corporation is the largest coal producer in Philippines, accounting for 99% of the country’s coal production.[6]

In 2021, export sales accounted for approximately 60% of coal shipments, while about 40% was supplied to the domestic market, including sales to power plants and to industrial and cement plants.[2]

A media source from January 2020 referred to the company's expectation to commercially operate the Molave mine until the end of 2023, while Narra mine – depending on coal release – estimated to be completed by 2027.[7] However based on the company's 2022 annual report this could not be confirmed - the report stated that an annual production rate of 13 to 16 Mtpa, the company has enough coal reserves until the expiration of its coal operating contract (COC) in 2027.[6]

The company's 2022 annual report also stated that Narra resumed its operation in October 2022 after being non-operational since March 2019 due to implementation of geotechnical solutions on the continuous increase of water seepage in Narra pit.[6] As per investor presentation dated February 2023, the company planned that in 2023, 30% of coal production would come from the Molave mine and 70% from the Narra pit.[8]

Mine Expansion

In 2015, SMPC applied for an amendment of Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) to expand its operations by opening a new pit “Molave” with an estimated resource of 38 MMT. The annual coal production was proposed to be increased from 8 million tonnes to 12 million tonnes. The expansion project was named as Semirara Molave Coal Project, which includes the simultaneous operation of the Panian, Narra (East Panian) and the new Molave pit. The ECC for the Semirara Molave Coal Project (Ref. Code ECC-CO-1601-0005) was issued last February 12, 2016. An amended ECC was consequently issued which allows a larger total annual production rate of coal of 16 million metric tons; expands the area of the Molave Pit at West Panian from 300 hectares to 400 hectares; the number of housing units the company is permitted to build from 700 to 1,100; and increases reservoir capacity to 10 million cubic meters from 8.98 million cubic meters. An amendment to the Coal Operating Contract (COC) No. 5 of SMPC was also issued by the Department of Energy (DOE) last August 06, 2018.[9][2] The Panian mine site has been depleted and its operation was closed in September 2016.[2]

The exact status of the expansion could not be confirmed based on company's reporting, however it appeared that the expansion has been achieved based on production level reaching 16 Mtpa in 2022 and previously also in 2019 (15.2 Mtpa).[6]

Mine Details

  • Owner: Semirara Mining and Power Corp[2]
  • Parent Company: Semirara Mining and Power Corp
  • Location: Semirara Island, Caluya Municipality, Antique Province, Philippines
  • GPS Coordinates: 12.11583871, 121.36869212 (exact)
  • Mine Status: Operating[2]
  • Production: 15.2 (2019)[6], 13.2 Mt (2020)[6], 14.3 Mt (2021)[2], 16 Mt (2022)[6]
  • Mineable Reserves: 76.4 million tonnes (Molave, 2018)[1] and 59.4 million tonnes (Narra, 2018)[1]
  • Total Resource: 82.4 million tonnes (Molave, 2018)[1] and 62.6 million tonnes (Narra, 2018)[1]
  • Coal Type: Subbituminous[2]
  • Mine Type: Surface[2]
  • Number of Employees:
  • Start Year: 2016[5]
  • Source of Financing:

Articles and Resources

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Company profile, SMPC website, accessed February 2023.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Semirara Mining, SEC FORM 17-C, 2021, accessed July 2022.
  3. "Business Operations", SMPC website, accessed February 2023.
  4. 2021 Annual and Sustainability Report, accessed February 2023.
  5. 5.0 5.1 "Semirara Mining and Power Corporation". Wikipedia. Retrieved February 2024. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 "Semirara 2022 SEC filing" (PDF). www.semiraramining.com. 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. Danessa Rivera, "Semirara to expand coal mine area in Antique", The Philippine Star, 18 Jan. 2020.
  8. "Q4/FY 2022 Analysts' Briefing" (PDF). www.semiraramining.com. February 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. "PDS - Semirara Molave Coal Expansion Project" (PDF). eia.emb.gov.ph. January 2019. {{cite web}}: line feed character in |title= at position 37 (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)

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