DMCI Mining Corp. subsidiary Berong Nickel Corp. (BNC) has signed a mineral production sharing agreement (MPSA) with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for its Long Point property in Aborlan, Palawan.
The sharing agreement covers about 2,177.34 hectares of area for nickel mining, DMCI said in a statement on Tuesday.
The MPSA was signed with the DENR’s Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) on Aug. 8, 2025.
The agreement grants BNC the exclusive right to explore, develop and utilize mineral resources within the contract area for an initial term of 25 years that will take effect upon registration with the MGB, and will be renewable for another 25 years
“The MPSA is not just about resource development. It’s about creating shared value with the people of Palawan through responsible mining,” Tulsi Das Reyes, DMCI Mining president, said.
“We will work closely with our host communities to ensure development goes hand in hand with environmental stewardship and inclusive growth, guided by the same standards that shaped our operations and ongoing rehabilitation of the Berong mine in Quezon (Palawan),” Reyes added.
DMCI Mining said that since 2024, BNC has invested about P1 billion in the Long Point project for fleet expansion, port infrastructure, exploration activities and pre-operating costs.
The company said “the necessary infrastructure and fleet are already in place to support production” in the Long Point mine, which have thus removed the need for significant additional investments before its actual start of operations.
The company added that the Long Point mine has already secured an environmental compliance certificate for 1 million wet metric tons (WMT) of annual production capacity, with operations targeted to start by the fourth quarter of 2025.
Priority will be placed on the hiring of people from local indigenous and nearby communities, as part of a project that will create more than 1,000 jobs, the company said.
Several candidates have started training for the jobs of machine operators and drivers, it said.
DMCI Mining expressed optimism that the Long Point mine operations will happen as scheduled. It said it will draw from the BNC’s successful track record of mine rehabilitation in Quezon, Palawan, which is already halfway through its six-year timeline.
The mine rehabilitation in Palawan has already restored more than 106 hectares of land, planted more than 522,600 native seedlings and more than 1 million mangroves, and rescued and released nearly 1,700 sea turtles, the company said.
BNC operated the Quezon mine from 2006 until its full depletion in December 2021, and continued post-mining activities through 2023.
Over its lifespan, the operation of the Quezon mine generated 1,634 direct and indirect jobs, produced 10.3 million WMT of nickel ore, and contributed P2.8 billion in mining duties, social development investments, royalties, and taxes.
DMCI Mining is a wholly owned subsidiary of DMCI Holdings Inc., with key assets in Zambales and Palawan. It primarily exports nickel ore to China and other international markets.
The company currently operates two mines in Santa Cruz, Zambales, and is actively developing new sites in Palawan, including the Long Point mine.
DMCI Mining holds a 74.80 percent effective stake in the BNC, with the balance owned by the Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corp.
