The latest production data from the Philippine Bureau of Mines and Geological Sciences (MGB) shows that despite the decline in production of most mineral commodities in the first quarter of 2021, the total mineral output value of the Philippines increased by 14.11% year-on-year to 28.91 billion pesos in the first quarter of 2021, with the increase in metal value mainly attributed to the continued increase in metal prices in the first quarter.
According to official data, nickel and gold accounted for most of the Philippines' mineral growth in the first quarter, while silver, copper, chromite and iron ore output all fell.
Iron ore, in particular, will produce zero from January to March 2021.
In terms of their contribution to the total output value of metal minerals, the total production of nickel ore and other nickel by-products demonstrated their dominance over other metals, accounting for 47.12%, or 13.62 billion pesos.
In terms of volume, nickel mine production also jumped 48% from 2.41 million dry tons (DMT) to 3.57 million dry tons.
By variety, silver production fell 12 percent to 60,603 kg and its value rose 33 percent to 225 million pesos.
Among the total value of metals, gold was second only to nickel with a 40.49 percent share, or 11.71 billion pesos, while copper was second only to nickel with 11.53 percent, or 333 million pesos.
Gold production increased by 3% from 4,098 kg to 4,212 kg, while copper production fell from 65,538 dry tons to 44,050.
Meanwhile, the combined value of silver, chromite and iron ore is less than 1% of output, or 250m pesos.
PUDA copper concentrate packing machine:
