Mineral Resources for Local Development

Romblon Local Mineral Resources 

It is a common knowledge  in Romblon about the existence of an on-going quarry operation of rubbles in the island, which had started few years back.  So far, I am not particular with the data of the  mining, and I am not in-depth on the  information needed to write this blog, and no resources  on my part to tackle the subject but only holds my personal opinion as a private citizen to comment on the matter.  

The material:

The stones extracted in the island are large quality mineral marble deposits reduced into rubble "head size" forms all accomplished through intensive manual labor employed by the residents in the area.  

Romblon marble is famous worldwide. It was first discovered by the Italians way back in the 1930's, had set up quarrying and machinery gang-saw cutting in the defunct Filipinas Marble Corporation, the very first in the Philippines.

Local marble tiles are still famously sought in quality and durability with the still small scale cutting operations by the local businessmen today.

The advent of the foreign buyers of rubbles in the island had deteriorated the dignity of the marble mineral as it reduced them into a cheap kind of raw materials hauled to Japan and China. This quarrying is massively destroying the landscape of the island as it disregards quality, color and shapes of the marble stones and are extracted without mercy. It pose rabid competition with the tile business of the locals as the quarry sites are operated in concession by these foreign buyers.

Value Added:

The marble stones dug and hauled out of the country is just very cheap in Romblon, it amounts only to about P300/cu.m. which is more or less  2,760 kilos. while the semi and processed dust in kilos are bought to a price of $10/kilo  abroad.  

Therefore the true value of the material is $27,600.00 (P1,186,000.00) in a cubic of marble, against P300.00 given to the peasants. (These are rough figures only and do not ascertain prevailing market values, but the intention of the computation is to assert the value added opportunities available.

The marble dust has wide varieties of uses from arts to industrial applications. It is most sought today as it has a very lucrative business abroad.

The Impact to  Progress:

I have not yet googled the entirety of the great prospects of marble worldwide, but with only a light scratch and simple common sense,  will introduce you to the broader horizon of benefiting on the very precious material we have in Romblon, the God given Marble.

Imagine  the impact on the economy of Romblon if only the municipal government will lead and invest to utilize the operation of Marble dust plant and export them world wide? The return is enormous.

Employment and revenue for the municipality awaits if we will calculate the value of our resources and not let foreigners reap of  our "gold".

If we will not opt to monetize our resources for the economy of the island, then it will be good for the nature and the habitat but considering the economic value of our deposits, we can operate with control, management and preservation of the island.

Some pictures of the Marble mountain:

The barge vessel hauling the materials out of the country

The mountainside eroded by the quarry

progress of quarrying