Eramen Minerals Inc. is an advocate for responsible mining, prioritizing environmental sustainability and corporate citizenship. They strategically conduct studies on how to sustain life in their mining site and take necessary steps to ensure the preservation of natural resources in the area. One of the initiatives they started was “Gulayan sa Minahan”, a continuous study being conducted to determine the kinds of vegetables and crops that could be grown on-site.

Three (3) envi-groups were tasked to spend three (3) months growing crops on six (6) hectares of open area as part of the Temporary Rehabilitation Plan (TRP) requirement. The initial six (6) hectares exist as a feasibility test area in order to gauge effectivity of the organic farming projects of Eramen Minerals Inc. to sustain and meet the requirements of the basecamp’s health program which includes an organic health meal plans for all employees.

Eramen Minerals Inc. successfully generated over 400 kilos during the first harvest of various vegetables in under 3 months. These include kalabasa, ampalaya, patola, upo, talong, okra, kamatis, sitaw, sili, bell peppers, cucumber, and banana. In the works are corn, watermelon, ginger, purple yam (gabi), onion and dragon fruit and a selection of other herbs and spices.

The success of the project hinges on the ability, not just to grow the crops, but to maintain a sustainable way to grow them, and the initial results are promising. The organic farming project is long-term project that will be on-going for the foreseeable future, and if the initial harvest is anything to go by, Eramen Minerals Inc. and its employees will be reaping the fruits of their labor for some time.

Check out Eramen Minerals Inc!