I.

Introduction
A. MISSION

The MGB, as steward of the country's mineral resources, is committed to the

promotion of sustainable mineral resources development, aware of its contribution to national
economic growth and countryside community development. It fully recognizes that the
development of a responsive policy framework in partnership with stakeholders to govern
mineral exploration, mining and investment decisions and an effective institutional structure,
are fundamental requisites for the sustainable utilization of the country's mineral resources. It
is adherent to the promotion of geological studies as an integral element of socio-economic
development, environmental protection and human safety. Yet, it is sensitive to the known
environmental impacts of mining and the need for restoration and rehabilitation of mining
affected areas and the development and adoption of environmental and geo scientific
technologies.

B. VISION

MGB envisions a minerals industry that is not only prosperous but also socially,
economically and environmentally sustainable, with broad community and political support
while positively and progressively assist in governments program on poverty alleviation and
contributing to the general economic well-being of the nation.

MGB also aims to be the leading geoscience and geo resources Bureau serving the public
and nation with scientific reliability.

C. COMPANY PROFILE

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) is the primary government agency under the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), responsible for the conservation,
management, development and proper use of the country's mineral resources including those
in reservations, and lands of the public domain.

Under the Mining Act of 1995, the Bureau is responsible for the administration and
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disposition of mineral lands and mineral resources, and to undertake geological, mining,
metallurgical, chemical and other related researches as well as geological and mineral
exploration surveys and other related studies such as geo environmental, hydrogeological,
geochemical and geophysical surveys.

D. SERVICES AND FACILITIES

Mine Management Division
Undertakes processing/initial evaluation of mining rights applications and
manages the issuance of mining rights operations in mining tenements; takes
charge of the operationalization of the mineral rights management system and
provide technical services to other government agencies, mining contractors/permit
holders and general public. This division is composed of the Mining Rights
Licensing, Monitoring and Technical Services and Mineral Lands Topographical
Survey Sections.

Mining Environment and Safety Division

Responsible for the enforcement and monitoring of compliance with the
environmental and safety provisions of Republic Act 7942 and its implementing
rules and regulations pertaining but not limited to the

Environmental Work Program, Annual Environmental Protection

Enhancement Program, Mine Decommissioning Plan, Mine Waste and Safety and
Decommissioning Plan.

Mine Waste and Safety Health Program

This division is composed of the Mining Rights Licensing, Monitoring and
Technical Services and Mineral Lands Topographical Survey Sections.

Geosciences Division
Conducts geological, geo environmental and mineral exploration surveys;
complements the Mine Management Division in the evaluation of mining rights
applications; and provides geological and geo scientific information and
geotechnical services to other Government agencies, mining contractors/permitees
and general public. This division is composed of the following: Geological Survey,
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 Mineral Exploration and Laboratory Services Sections.

E. FUNCTIONS
Geosciences Division (GD)

Undertakes land and marine geo scientific surveys (including mineral exploration,
geological mapping, geo hazard assessment, groundwater resource exploration and
vulnerability assessment, and engineering geological and geo-environmental
studies)
Provides geological laboratory and information services.

General and Economic Geology Section

Conducts geological mapping, and other specialized studies involving stratigraphy,

structural geology and tectonics, and geomorphology, among others;
Conducts mineral exploration (including characterization and modeling of mineral
deposits);
Undertakes the evaluation of proposed mineral
reservation;
Conducts validation and inventory of mineral resource;
Assists in the evaluation of mining tenements in relation to mineral exploration;
Conducts Information, Education and Communication campaigns on geosciences
(including geology, geo hazard, rocks and mineral deposits, hydrogeology).

Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology Section

Conducts hydrogeological exploration and vulnerability assessment; and

Conducts geo-environmental studies (including assessment of possible solid waste
disposal sites and studies on climate change and other environmental impacts).

Geo hazard and Engineering Geology Section

Conducts geo hazard and risk assessment (including hazard modeling, and
engineering geological studies);
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 Conducts relocation/resettlement and evacuation site assessment in support to
disaster risk reduction and management programs; and
Undertakes geological and review of engineering geological and geo hazard
assessment reports.

Geological Laboratory Services Section

Provides services on geological laboratory analysis of minerals/ores, rocks, soil,

sediments, fossils, water and other types of samples.

Mine Management Division (MMD)

Undertakes initial evaluation of mining and mining-related applications,

monitoring of the disposition and utilization of mineral lands and resources, and
survey of mineral lands.

Mining Tenement Evaluation Section

Undertakes initial evaluation of mining and mining-related applications;

Undertakes registration and maintains a registry of mining-related documents;
Investigates and assists in the resolution of conflicts/adverse.
claims/oppositions concerning mining tenements;
Evaluates the financial and economic components of proposed mining projects
Maintains the Regional MRMS.

Monitoring and Technical Services Section

Undertakes monitoring of the disposition and utilization of mineral lands and

resources;
Validates mineral reserves of mining
operations
Undertakes mineral statistical analysis
Provides technical assistance to stakeholders
Mineral Lands Survey Section

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 Undertakes evaluation of applications for survey order and survey returns, and
survey plans in areas outside mineral reservations;
Undertakes initial evaluation of applications for survey order and survey returns,
and survey plans in areas within mineral reservations;
Verifies mining tenement boundaries in connection with mining applications and
in cases of conflicts/adverse claims/oppositions in areas outside mineral
reservations;
Assists in the evaluation of mining applications in relation to mining tenement
boundaries;
Manages the regional mining tenement control map;
Evaluates the deputation of Geodetic Engineers;

Mine Safety, Environment and Social Development Division (MSESDD)

Conducts the evaluation and monitoring of implementation of programs and

investigate incidents/complaints on mine safety and health, environmental
management and social development.

Mine Environmental Management Section

Conducts initial evaluation/validation of environmental management programs;

Evaluates annual environmental management programs and small-scale mining
environmental management plan;
Conducts monitoring of implementation of environmental management programs
and compliance with other environmental requirements; and
Investigates incidents/complaints relating to environmental management and
abandoned mines.

Mine Safety and Health Section

Evaluates mine safety and health programs and related permit applications;
Conducts monitoring of implementation of mine safety and health programs
and compliance with other mine safety and health requirements; and
Investigates incidents/complaints relating to mine safety and health.

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 Social Development Section

Evaluates social development programs;

Conducts monitoring of implementation of social development programs and
compliance with other social development requirements; and
Investigates incidents/complaints relating to the implementation of social development
programs.

II. Laboratory Procedures and Analysis

Ore Sampling
A sample is a small amount of material that contains all the components in the
proportion in which they occur in the original lot. It is safe to say that it is the
representative portion of the laboratory size which when subjected to chemical and
mechanical assay will yield results nearest to the actual composition of metals or
elements in a bulk sample.
Sampling is done according to the following steps:
1. Recording- Every lot of ore coming into an assay office, laboratory, custom mill,
or smelter is given a lot number which should never be repeated. A record book,
kept for this purpose, should show the number of the sample; date of receipt;
name of mine; company or individual from whom received; the gross and net
weights; as well as notes on the general character of the mineral; etc.
2. Weighing- Large lots of ore are first weighed and then often sampled for moisture.
Small lots may be first dried and then weighed. Samples that are dry when
received are processed and noted as As received sample. Those that are first
dried in an oven are noted down as Oven dried. There are also samples that
cannot be oven dried due to the nature of the mineral present. These are dried in
the open air and are noted as Air dried sample.
3. Crushing- All the ore, unless already fine enough is broken or crushed to pass a
screen of some limiting size. The size depends upon the value and uniformity of
the ore and the precision desired. If the ore is to be smelted, most of it should be
left in the coarse state, as fine ore is undesirable. If it is to be roasted or leached,
fine ore is not objectionable, and the first crushing may be carried further. As a
rule, however, the aim is to minimize the crushing, thus saving on time and
keeping down the cost.
Machines for crushing should be rapid in action and easy to clean. Jaw
breakers and roll fulfill these requirements.
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 4. Mixing- It is done before quartering and channeling but it is usually omitted
before the other methods of cutting. In the handling of small lot of ore in the
laboratory, it is best to mix the sample as it adds but little labor.
5. Cutting- The final step in the sequence of sampling operations consists in taking
out a fraction of the whole, say a quarter or a half, in a systematic manner. The
part taken out is called the sample; the operation of taking it is cutting. Cutting is
generally done by hand cutting or machines.

LABORATORY ANALYSIS

A. Copper Determination
1. Weigh 0.5 gm sample.
2. Moisten it with water.
3. Add 20 mL Nitric acid and 15 mL Hydrochloric acid.
4. Digest until smaller volume.
5. Cool and add 100 mL water.
6. BOIL.
7. Cool and add enough Ammonium hydroxide to precipitate iron. Boil till slightly
ammoniacal.
8. Cool and add pinch of ammonium bifluoride.
9. Titrate copper using standard sodium thiosulphate

STANDARDIZATION OF SODIUM THIOSULFATE (Titrant for Copper Determination)

0.1 N: 1mL = 0.006354g Cu

Na2 S2 O3 5 H 2 O
a.) Dissolve 25 g in 200 mL recently boiled and cooled water.

Filter off any sulfur and dilute to 1 liter.

b.) Standardize against standard copper ore. Weigh 0.5 g of standard copper ore
(oven-dried at 105 C -110 C for 2 hrs.). Decompose and titrate as in copper
analysis.

B. Iron (Fe Total) Determination

1. Weigh 0.2 gm sample.
2. Moisten it with water.
3. Add 10 mL Nitric acid, evaporate to dryness.
4. Cool and add 10 mL HCl.
5. Digest to smaller volume.
6. Cool and add about 100 mL water.

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 SnCl 2
7. Boil and reduce with .
8. Cool
HgCl 2
9. Add 10 mL and 20 mL of Titrating solution and Diphenylamine

indicator.
K 2 Cr 2 O7
10. Titrate with standard until bluish black color.

C. Silica Determination
1. Weigh 0.5 gm of sample.
2. Moisten it with water.
3. Add 15 mL of concentrated Hydrochloric acid and few drops of
concentrated Nitric acid and digest.
4. Heat until decomposition is complete and adds 7 mL of Sulfuric acid and
let fume copiously.
5. Cool and add 25 mL of distilled water. Boil to dissolve the salts.
6. Filter through #40 Whatman filter paper. Use rubber policeman to transfer
all residue to the filter paper. Wash the residue well with hot water. The
residue is for silica determination. Filtrate is for other composition
required.

D. Total Sulfur Determination

1. Weigh 0.2 gm sample in a 250 mL beaker.
2. Moisten it with water.
KClO3
3. Add 10-15 mL Nitric acid and pinch of .
4. Digest and evaporate to dryness.
5. Cool and add 5 mL HCl and evaporate to dryness.
6. Cool and add 5 mL HCl and boil.
7. Add 100 mL of distilled water.
8. Add ammonium hydroxide to precipitate iron.
9. Boil and add 10 mL of Ammonium carbonate.
10. Boil and filter #40 Whatman filter paper and wash with hot water,
receiving filtrate in 600 mL beaker.
11. Add methyl orange indicator to the filtrate and neutralize solution with
HCl adding 1 mL in excess.
12. Boil and add 10-15 mL of 10% of Barium chloride to precipitate barium
sulfide.
13. Stand overnight.
14. Filter #42 Whatman filter paper and dry and place in previously weighed
crucible.
BaSO 4
15. Compute for S from .

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 E. Lime Determination

1. Weigh 0.5-g of lime sample.

2. Put the sample in 250 mL beaker with cover (watch glass)
3. Moisten the sample with distilled water.
4. Add 10 mL HCl. Then, heat until syrupy.
5. Dilute up to 100 mL using distilled water and boil.
6. Filter using Whatman#41 through 250 mL volumetric flask.
7. After, cover the volumetric flask with 250 mL beaker.

STANDARDIZATION OF EDTA (Titrant for Lime determination)

a.) Dissolve 18.61g disodium salt of EDTA and dilute to 1 liter with previously boiled,
cooled distilled water.
CaCO3
b.) Standardize against pure CaCO3. Weigh 1 g of pure (oven- dried for 1 hr. at

105C-110C). Dissolve with minimum amount of 6N HCl in a 500 mL volumetric flask.

Fill-up to the mark with previously boiled, cooled distilled water and mix well. Pipet
25mL into a 250 mL beaker and titrate as in CaO determination.

F. Preparation of Water sample for AAS

1. Measure 100 mL of sample in a 250 mL beaker, cover with watch glass.

2. Add 5 mL concentrated Nitric acid. Bring to slow boiling until the volume
is 10-20 mL.
3. Filter solution using #40 Whatman filter paper in 100 mL volumetric flask.
4. Wash beaker and watch glass thoroughly.
5. Cool and dilute to the mark.
6. Mix solution and take portion of this solution for required metal
determination.

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E. Fire Assaying

Assaying is the process of determining the proportion of metals in ores and

metallurgical products. There has been a tendency a restrict the term to fire
methods for the determination of metals so that wet chemical analytical procedures
and spectrographic methods of analysis are usually termed analysis instead of
assaying.
Fire Assaying is a branch of quantitative chemical analysis where metals are
determined in ores and metallurgical products with the aid of heat and dry
reagents.

Fire assaying is carried out today much as they were then. This ancient
method is still taught in university courses for metallurgist because it offers a
convenient way of studying the reaction of igneous chemistry. It is still used in the
industries, mining and refineries, because modern science has been unable to
develop better method of determining precious-metal content of ores. This is
because, large samples can be economically and accurately assayed by fire method
but spectrographic methods of analysis are not adapted to operating on large
sample portions, while wet chemical method, involving digestion of large samples
would be very expensive.

Objectives of Fire Assaying

1. Evaluation of mining property.
2. Basis for the selling and buying of ores and concentrates.
3. Guide to prospecting and development of ore bodies.
4. Control of average grade of ore mined and milled.
5. Investigation and control of metallurgical process.
6. Accounting for all metals in the process.
7. Check against waste dilution in mining operation.
8. Determination of boundaries of marginal ore.

APPARATUS
1. Muffle Furnace-oil fired or electric furnace
2. Balance and Weights- should be sensitive to 0.005 mg at least. It need not have a
capacity of more than 1,000 g but should be accurate with that load.
3. Cupels- a flat, shallow crucible of bone ash, used in cupellation.
4. Fusion Crucible-20 g capacity
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 5. Annealing Crucible- 10 g Coors porcelain crucible
6. Iron Mould
7. Hot plate

REAGENTS:
A flux is a substance which when heated in contact with some difficulty
fusible compounds either combines in it or takes it into solution, in each case
producing a compound or mixture which is easily fusible at ordinary furnace
temperatures. The principal fluxes and other reagents used in fire assaying are the
following:

1. Borax and Borax Glass - these are active and readily fusible acid fluxes. These lower
the temperatures of slag formation and are considered excellent solvent for metallic
oxides. These are used as cover to prevent loss of ore which results from the escape of
gas at a temperature below that of incipient fusion.
2. Silica acid reagent which combines with metal oxides to form the slag, protects
crucible from corrosion.
3. Litharge-basic reagent and aids in the fusion of acid substance. When reduced, it
supplies the lead for the button.
4. Soda Ash- basic flux and when molten is very fluid and holds in suspension finely
ground infusible materials. To some extent, it reacts with metallic sulfides to form
alkaline sulfide and sulfates.
5. Flour-powerful reducing agent and reduces litharge to lead for the collection of gold
and silver.
6. Niter-this is a powerful oxidizing agent. It oxidizes sulfides, arsenides, antimonides. It
is used to control size of the button when the reducing effect of the charge is high.

ASSAY PROCEDURE
1.) The assay portion is weighed out.
2.) Fluxes are added plus litharge for the lead button and oxidizing agents or reducing
agents are also added for the control of the size of lead button.
3.) Mix thoroughly the reagents and the ore in the crucible.
4.) Place the crucible with the litharge ore plus the reagents into the fire assaying furnace
which has been preheated to the temperature of about 1000 C. The purpose of this
step is to fuse the charge.
5.) Once the charge is melted it is poured into the iron mold which has been previously
warmed.

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6.) When the material is already cold, break the color of lead from the slag and hammer
the lead into a cub to remove the slag.
7.) Place it in quarts (2pcs) into the lead button. In quarts is an alloy of lead and silver
wherein the amount of silver is known.
8.) Place the lead button in the red cupel which is inside the muffle furnace. Cupellation
is the oxidizing fusion of the lead button.
9.) Remove the cupel and weigh the dore and record the weight.
10.) Flatten the dore. Introduce it into the nitric acid and heat. The silver dissolves in the
acid while gold is undissolved. Wash the gold with warm distilled water and dry.
11.) Anneal the gold over the blue flame of the Bunsen burner.
12.) Cool and weigh the gold.

The Assay of Gold and Silver Bullion-Definition of Terms

Bullion is an alloy of gold and silver with variable amounts of one or
more of the base metals, and is the semi -final products of most non-ferrous
metallurgical plants. The base metals assay include antimony, arsenic, bismuth,
cobalt, copper, lead, mercury, nickel and zinc. Small amount of selenium and
tellurium are usually present as well as traces of the platinum group of metals.

1. Gold Bullion - A bullion containing more than 50 present of precious metals of

which more than half is gold, and with less than 10 present of base metals other lead
and copper.
2. Fine gold bullion- bullion containing more than 99 percent of gold and
practically no silver.
3. Silver bullion - bullion containing more than 50 percent of precious metals which
more than half in silver, and with less than 10 percent of base metals other than
lead and copper.
4. Dore bullion - Literally means gold-bearing and generally used to refer to
bullion containing more than 90 percent of combined silver and gold, which
silver is dominant. Fine silver bullion refers to bullion containing more than 99
percent of silver and practically no gold.

F. Water Analysis
The chemical composition of water changes on standing. Loss of CO2 from
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 solution converts the bicarbonates to carbonates. Precipitation of CaCO3 affects the
validity of the pH, alkalinity, specific conductance, calcium, total hardness, and
dissolved solids. The shorter the time that elapses between the collection of the
sample and its analysis, the greater the validity of the analytical results.

1. pH
It is a term used universally to express the intensity of the acid or alkaline
condition of a solution. It is the condition in expressing hydrogen-ion
concentration or more precisely the hydrogen ion activity. Most natural waters
range between the pH 6-9. The pH measurement is an important consideration in
determining the corrosive action of water and assessing treatment practices for
industrial processes. Acidic waters can exert stress; acidic condition kills aquatic
life, while basic condition affects the reproduction of aquatic species. The
determination of pH is carried out on an unfiltered sample.

REAGENTS:
1. pH 4 buffer solution: Dissolve 10.2 g of anhydrous potassium biphthalate,

KHC 8 H 4 O4
, using recently boiled and cooled distilled water, and dilute to 1 liter.
2. pH 7 buffer solution: Dissolve 1.361 g of anhydrous potassium dihydrogen phosphate,

KH 2 PO 4 Na 2 H PO 4
, and 1.420 g of anhydrous disodium hydrogen phosphate, ,

both of which have been dried overnight between 100 C and 130 C, and dilute to 1 liter.
Use previously boiled and cooled distilled water.
3. pH 9 buffer solution: Dissolve 3.81 g of sodium tetraborate decahydrate,

Na 2 B4 O7 10 H 2 O
(borax), using previously boiled and cooled distilled water, and

dilute to 1 liter.
Prepared standard buffers are commercially available if desired.

PROCEDURE:
1. Allow the pH meter with an appropriate warm up period. (as per manufacturers
instruction)
2. Calibration of the instrument as per manufacturers instruction. Measure pH in
accordance with the manufacturers instructions and with minimum aeration.
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 2. TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS (TDS) Evaporation Method

Total dissolved solids just like suspended solids are both natural and man-
made, their origin extending from industrial pollution to mineral deposits. Total
dissolved solids are important since they can be present in concentrations which
are carcinogens, mutagenic, teratogenic to human beings or toxic to wildlife or
aquatic species.
The quality and quantity of dissolved solids are major factors in determining
the variety and abundance of plants and animal life in the aquatic system. TDS is
the portion of the residue that passes through 0.45 micron filter.

APPARATUS:
1. Platinum evaporating dish, 100 mL capacity.
2. Steam Bath
3. Drying oven
4. Filter paper- 0.45 micron

PROCEDURE:
1. Filter about 1 L of water sample using a 0.45 micron filter paper. (Shake the
water sample before filtration)
2. Pipet into a tared platinum evaporating dish a volume of well-mixed, filtered
sample that will yield between 25 to 250 mg residues.
3. Evaporate the sample to dryness on a steam bath.
4. Dry in an oven to constant weight at 105 C -110 C. (about 2 hours)
5. Cool to room temperature in a desiccator and weigh the dish immediately.

3. TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS (TSS)

Total suspended solids include both inorganic (sand/clay) and organic such as
bacteria particulate and plankton. TSS determination is important since they inhibit
light penetration, and can restrict the zone of primary production of fishes aside
from influencing the temperature patterns. Suspended solids also serve as transport
mechanisms for pesticides and other toxic substances that are readily by clay. It is
the portion that is retained by the 0.45 micron filter.
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APPARATUS:
1. Drying oven
2. Magnetic funnel with suction
3. Filter paper- 0.45 micron

PROCEDURE:
1. Direct Method
a. Wash with distilled water the 0.45 micron filter paper. Do this twice.
b. Dry the washed filter paper at 105 C -110 C for 1 hour. Weigh. (A)
c. Shake the unfiltered water sample and take an aliquot of 25mL-100mL. The
volume to be taken depends on the amount of suspended materials in the water
sample.
d. Filter the aliquot portion using the weighed filter paper with the aid of the
magnetic funnel and suction.
e. Dry the filter paper together with the residue at 105 C -110 C for 1 hour. Weigh
(B).

Flowchart for Ore Analysis

Receiving of Sample Ore

Recording

Drying
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 Crushing

Mixing

Cutting

Screening

Weighing

Sample Ore Preparation

for the Analysis

Flowchart for Water Analysis

Receiving of Water Sample

Recording

Label the Sample and

Dilution
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 Water Sample
Preparation for the
Analysis

III. Ecology and Environment

As one of the Bureaus of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
(DENR), Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) was able to promote sustainable
conservation, management, development, and proper use of the countrys environment
and natural resources, specifically mineral resources, including those in reservation and
lands of the public domain, as well as the licensing and regulation of all natural
resources as may be provided for by law in order to ensure equitable sharing of the
benefits derived there from for the welfare of the present and future generations of
Filipinos.

In line with the above mentioned priority agenda, the Mines and Geosciences
Bureau together with other sectors of DENR, in the performance of its mandate under a
regime of good environmental governance, will continuously implement in FY 2015 the
following major programs that would ably create high impact and provide for longer-
term solutions to more pressing environmental issues and concerns:

DENR FY 2015 Priority Programs/Activities

1. National Greening
2. Cadastral Survey and Land Management and Disposition
3. Forest Protection and Anti-illegal Logging
4. Protected Areas and Biodiversity Conservation
5. Clean Air, Clean Water and Solid Waste Management
6. Geo-hazard Assessment and Mapping, and Ecosystems
7. Research and Development
8. Good Governance and Anti-corruption

III. Roles of Chemical Engineer

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 In the MGB, the head of the laboratory is a chemist; but the role of
chemical engineer is a mining analyst. If the chemist is not around, the responsibility on
the laboratory was assigned to the chemical engineer and in-charge with the supervision
to the different analysis. All of the laboratory work was done by the chemist along with
the chemical engineer. The results that were released were prepared by the chemical
engineer.

IV. Observation and Recommendations

The laboratory facility was always maintained to be clean and to be in order
especially with the chemical reagents and apparatus. The inventory of chemical
reagent was done once or twice a month and the storage area for the reagent satisfies
the required storage condition. The employees of MGB were approachable and easy
to communicate.
But the facility needs to be improved especially with the laboratory instrument
and apparatus. Most of the apparatus should be replaced like the volumetric flask,
watch glass, stirring rod, etc. The installment of new laboratory instrument should be
considered to have a more accurate result for the different analysis. And when
conducting experiment, it would be faster and efficient in order to maximize the time
and for the result to be released as fast as possible with accuracy.

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