Rebels hit TVI’s Canatuan – again

Vancouver Less than a month after having been granted the final approvals to develop the Canatuan polymetallic property in the Philippines, TVI Pacific (TVI-T) has once again felt the impact of local rebels.

On Dec. 26, 30 members of the Canatuan indigenous Subanen community, including women, children and TVI employees, were ambushed while travelling on a provincial road linking the Canatuan minesite to the town of Siocon. Two male employees, 3 male contract guards and 8 women and children were killed and 12 other people were injured. No Canadians or foreigners were involved in the incident.

The TVI employees were part of a team contracted out to provide security to the project area and its inhabitants. Both police and military personnel are conducting an investigation into the shooting.

The incident is not expected to impact the start up of the operation, which was granted fianl approval in late November.

The latest ambush marks the second this year. In March, two security guards employed by TVI were killed during an ambush 8 km from the Canatuan property.

Members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, a group of rebel Muslims, are the main suspects in the attacks.

TVI’s wholly-owned project lies in the province of Zamboanga del Norte in the southwestern portion of the Philippines. The project hosts an open-pit reserve of 1.1 million tonnes grading 3.77 grams gold and 105.7 grams silver per tonne in the oxide zone and 1.51 million tonnes grading 1.31 grams gold and 62.14 grams silver, plus 2.79% copper and 2% zinc, in the sulphide portion.

Based on current metal prices, the junior decided to rehabilitate an existing plant on site as phase one of a staged development plan. In the first phase, TVI has set its sights on a 50 tonnes per day operation, gradually ramping up to a 500 tonne per day mine.

“The start of production at Canatuan is a very important milestone for TVI, ” said company president, Clifford James. “The success that we have achieved in reaching a production decision is the result of a long and intensive effort by our team in a difficult industry environment, and is significant in demonstrating the great support for the project on both a local and national level in the Philippines.”