Global mining exec urges faster processing of exploration permits

Metals Exploration CEO Darren Bowden has urged the Philippine government to address the sluggish exploration permit process which, he said, is stalling growth and pushing investors elsewhere.

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At a recent Philippine Mining Club luncheon, Bowden, whose company operates the Runruno gold mine in Nueva Vizcaya, said delays in securing exploration permits are undermining the country's mining potential. He compared the Philippine process with that of Australia, where approvals are issued in a matter of weeks.

"In Australia, to get issued an exploration permit actually takes 24 to 48 hours... within 30 to 60 days, it's issued, and you'll be on the ground," Bowden said. "In the Philippines, you are at least a year in, and then three to six years before you can start work. That is why we don't have a developed mining sector."

He emphasized that exploration is the foundation of a healthy mining industry. The lengthy timelines, he argued, are incompatible with the financial realities faced by companies, which rely on early-stage results to raise capital and advance projects.