Reddish and Barren Tailings Landscape

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Transformed into a Green, Productive and Functional Ecosystem The Tailings Rehabilitation Experience of Coral Bay Nickel Corporation Presented by: Engineer Briccio T. Abela

Summary in pictures:

Aerial Photo Oct 2012

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Satellite Image April 2010

Satellite Image of CBNCs Tailings Storage Facility No.1 April 2010

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TSF-1 was decommissioned last June 30, 2010

Tailings Surface Cracks opened-up when the tailings dried after about 6 months of closure

Tailings Dam Outside Slope before rehabilitation

Western Dam Outside Slope

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Eastern Dam Outside Slope

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This image will certainly generate the following remarks:

The dam might break and tailings could spill The landscape is very ugly. The soil is barren, plants can not grow and this cant be productive anymore Surface erosion cant be controlled

CBNC Managements & MGBMGB-IVBs Answer: Rehabilitation of TSF-1 TSFObjectives: 1. Physical Stability make the dam stable; 2. Visual Acceptability make it green and do it fast; 3. Productivity the TSF-1 landscape should be productive and 4. Self-sustainability the rehabilitated area should be able to thrive by itself.

TSFTSF-1 Decant System Improvement for a Physically Stable Dam:

Horizontal CulvertEmergency Spillway

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Pond water will flow into an inclined gutter that serve as an underground channel that exits at the lowest outside toe of the embankment. embankment.

Gutter B-2nd Spillway

Gutter A-Main Spillway

Improved Decant System.

Controlled Decantation of pond water. (Improvement installed on July 2011)

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Provided settling sump and planks for decantation control. Spill level at 65.0masl with free board = 3.2m

- Decant system with

ditch network across the lowest portion of the pond and, - Plants for sump slope stabilization. (May 2012)

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Additional Spillway Improvement:

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Clear decant water flowing from TSF-1 TSFPond Area. January 2012

Planting Strategies for an Acceptable Aesthetics:

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Introduce organic matter that is mainly rice hull collected from nearby rice mills
1.

Use vermicompost as organic fertilizer

2.

Planting Strategies:
3. Use locally available herbs, grasses and vines

Brachiaria Humidicola Centrosema pubescens

Stylosanthes seabrana

Planting Strategies:
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3.

Use locally available Herbs, Grasses and Vines

Wild Sugar Cane, (saccharum spontaneum)

Banana
Musa acuminata)

Elephant Ear,
(Xanthosoma robustum)

Planting Strategies:
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4.

Use nutrient-rich planting media Vermi-Compost Bed Top soil collected (bought) from nearby farm lots, Carbonized rice hull, vermicompost

Coral Bay Nickel Corporation

Conversion of Rice Hull to Carbon:

Improved Carbonizer design capable of producing 40 sacks CRH in 12 hours

Vermicompost production:
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Composting Materials: Rice hay (~ 70 %v) Cow Manure (~30%v) Vermin African Night Crawlers (~5 kg) Concrete bed 3m long, 1.5m wide, 0.4m high

Trial Plots Conducted on Rocky Dam Slope:

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Observations: 3 Forage species namely; B. Humidicola, Stylosanthes Humidicola, & Centrosema can grow in the slope.

Use coco-coir net on slopes cocoCoral Bay Nickel Corporation

Trial Plots Conducted on Tailings Surface: Surface:

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South area

Plants at Trial Plots after 5 months of planting.

North-West area

North-East area

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Observations: Banana, Elephant Ear, Wild sugar cane planted directly all grew well.

Grasses; Humidicola, Stylosanthes & Centrosema that were reared in pots before planting grew well.

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Coral Bay Nickel Corporation

TSFTSF-1 Surface Planting Plot Design for every 10m x 10m Area:
2.5m 2.5m 2.5m 2.5m 1.25m

Planting distance:
- banana: 5m x 5m - elephant ear: 2.5m x 2.5m - wild sugar cane: 2.5m x 2.5m

2.5m

2.5m

2.5m

1.25m

TSFTSF-1 Surface Planting Plot Design for every 1m x 1m Area. The grasses are intersperse within the 10m x 10m plot of the banana, wild sugar cane and elephant ear plants:

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0.25

0.5

0.25

0.25

0.5

0.25

Planting distance: - humidicola: 0.5m x 0.5m distance - stylosanthes or centrosema: 0.5m x 0.5m distance

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This is the present condition of the plot shown in the previous slide, 16 months after planting.

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Looks Beautiful? Yes, of course!

Dam Slope Stabilization & Greening

Panoramic View of Western Dam Outside Slope Jan. 7, 2012

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About 40 days after planting Oct. 25, 2011

Bare dam slope

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Dam Slope Stabilization & Greening

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Panoramic View of Southern Dam Outside Slope

Closer Look of Southern Dam Outside Slope - Today

Planted: Aug.-Sep., 2011

Starting May 2011 to August 2012 planting, 14 ha. of the total 15 ha. area of dam slope and berm was already covered with vegetation

Dam Slope Stabilization & Greening

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Panoramic View of Eastern Dam Outside Slope

Closer Look of Eastern Dam Outside Slope Today Before

Planted 3rd week of May, 2011

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Potting/Planting Methodology:
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Planting media composition:

Soil mix for potting of grasses: 50%v Top soil: 40%v Carbonized rice hull : 10%v vermicompost

Plants are reared first at 6x8 plastic pots before transplanting.

Planting media composition:

Soil mix for pot holes of direct planting of banana, elephant ear and wild sugar cane: 60%v Top soil: 40%v Carbonized rice hull

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Coral Bay Nickel Corporation

Starting May 2011 to August 2012 planting, 55 hectares of the total 80 hectares of tailings soil is already covered with vegetation

Areas not planted remain bare but eventually the humidicola will creep into this area in due time

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Productivity achieved

This vibrant grassland that was once bare tailings soil is now host to forage species suitable as pasture for cattle, goat and other grazing animals.

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Coral Bay Nickel Corporation

Productivity achieved

The tailings soil can be converted into a productive agricultural land with the inputs of carbonized rice hull and vermicompost

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Experimental Rice Farm on Tailings Surface

Productivity achieved

Soil Mixture of about 15cm thick:

2 parts fertile soil : 1 part tailings soil.

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Harvest: 403.5kg/576m2 or equivalent to 7 tons/hectare

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Experimental Rice Farm on Tailings Surface

TSFTSF-1 Farm & Products:

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Coral Bay Nickel Corporation

Harvest: ~ 900 kg of different vegetables in 2 months on 1,000 m2 plantation

Are these farm products safe for human consumption? Yes, we are the first consumers. Laboratory test of extract do not show any toxicity characteristic.

SelfSelf-sustainability achieved.
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After transplanting and plant care for about 1-2 month, all plants are 1thriving and continue growth without intervention.
The presence of microorganisms, the diverse flora and fauna that already occupied the TSF-1 rehabilitated landscape will enhance the nutrient cycle and keep the grassland ecosystem functional and sustainable.

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Additional Impact of the Rehabilitation Project:

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Livelihood for more than 100 Indigenous People and Indigents from nearby communities

Overall Result:

Aerial Photo Feb 2012

Satellite Image April 2010

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Overall Result:
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Aerial Photo Oct 2012

Matamang Salamat Sa Indong Pagpamati

(Note: Thank you very much for listening in Cuyonin, a Palawan Dialect)

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