NGOs have raised concerns about Intex Resources' Mindoro Nickel Project in the Philippines.  These concerns were reflected in a report on the project by the Norwegian National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines, and include insufficient consultation with indigenous communities and weaknesses in the environmental impact assessment.  When in January 2012 Intex signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Chinese company MCC8, the NGOs said that Intex should not be seeking to secure investment in the project until the issues raised by the Norwegian Contact Point are addressed.  

Below are items that we invited the companies to respond to, Intex Resources' response, and follow-up by the NGOs.

Concerns

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Intex Resources and MCC8 Group to respond to the following items:

Green groups hit Norwegian mining firm’s partnership with China corporation, Inquirer (Philippines), 26 Jan 2012

Final statement: Complaint From The Future In Our Hands (FIOH) Against Intex Resources ASA And The Mindoro Nickel Project, Norwegian National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines, Nov 2011

[slideshow]: Mindoro Campaign: Protecting Island Ecology – Defending People’s Rights, Alyansa Laban sa Mina, Alyansa Tigil Mina and National Secretariat for Social Action, Jan 2012

Prelates, eco groups launch book vs mining (Philippines), Philippine Daily Inquirer 24 Jan 2012

Company responses

Intex Resources response, 20 Feb 2012

MCC8 Group told the Resource Centre that since MCC8 has not yet signed a contract with Intex – only the MOU – it is not appropriate for MCC8 to respond to these concerns for the time being (Resource Centre translation of conversation in Chinese)

Follow-up

The NGOS then sent a follow-up: "Statement regarding Intex Resources’ Response to NCP findings of its breach of OECD Guidelines", 28 Feb 2012 [PDF] -  Future in Our Hands (FiOH); Indigenous Peoples Links (PIPLinks); Cathal Doyle (Middlesex University, Department of Law) and Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM)

As well as the following material about the project:

- Statement by the Provincial Government of Oriental Mindoro regarding the OECD NCP process

- “National Investigation Report on the Questionable  Issuance of Environmental Compliance Certificate to Intex Resources,” Mindoro Campaign

- Petition by Governors of Mindoro to the President, 7 Feb 2012

- Petition by Governors of Mindoro to the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources, 19 Jan 2011