Republic of the Philippines

Congress of the Philippines

Metro Manila

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7076

AN ACT CREATING A PEOPLES SMALL-SCALE MINING
PROGRAM AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Section 1. Title. This Act shall be known as the Peoples

Small-Scale Mining Act of 1991.
Section 2. Declaration of Policy. It is hereby declared the
policy of the State to promote, develop, protect and rationalize viable
small-scale mining activities in order to generate more employment
opportunities and provide an equitable sharing of the nations wealth
and natural resources, giving due regard to existing rights as herein
provided.
Section 3. Definitions. For purposes of this Act, the following
terms shall be defined as follows:
(a)

Mineralized areas refer to areas with naturally

occurring mineral deposits of gold, silver, chromite, kaolin,
silica, marble, gravel, clay and like mineral resources;

(b)

Small-scale mining refers to mining activities which

rely heavily on manual labor using simple implements and
methods and do not use explosives or heavy mining
equipment;

(c)

Small-scale miners refer to Filipino citizens who,

individually or in the company of other Filipino citizens,
voluntarily form a cooperative duly licensed by the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources to
engage, under the terms and conditions of a contract, in

the extraction or removal of minerals or ore-bearing

materials from the ground;
(d)

Small-scale mining contract" refers to co-production,

joint venture or mineral production sharing agreement
between the State and a small-scale mining contractor for
the small-scale utilization of a plot of mineral land;

(e)

Small-scale mining contractor refers to an individual

or a cooperative of small-scale miners, registered with the
Securities and Exchange Commission or other
appropriate government agency, which has entered into
an agreement with the State for the small-scale utilization
of a plot of mineral land within a peoples small-scale
mining area;

(f)

Active mining area refers to areas under actual

exploration, development, exploitation or commercial
production as determined by the Secretary after the
necessary field investigation or verification including
contiguous and geologically related areas belonging to
the same claimowner and/or under contract with an
operator, but in no case to exceed the maximum area
allowed by law;

(g)

Existing mining right refers to perfected and

subsisting claim, lease, license or permit covering a
mineralized area prior to its declaration as a peoples
small-scale mining area;

(h)

Claimowner refers to a holder of an existing mining

right;

(i)

Processor refers to a person issued a license to

engage in the treatment of minerals or ore-bearing
materials such as by gravity concentration, leaching
beneficiation, cyanidation, cutting, sizing, polishing and
other similar activities;

(j)

License refers to the privilege granted to a person to

legitimately pursue his occupation as a small-scale miner
or processor under this Act;

(k)

Mining Plan refers to a two-year program and activities

and methodologies employed in the extraction and
production of minerals or ore-bearing materials, including
the financial plan and other resources in support thereof;

(l)

Director refers to the regional executive director of the

Department of Environment and Natural Resources;

(m)

Secretary refers to the Secretary of the Department of

Environment and Natural Resources.

Section 4. Peoples Small-scale Mining Program. For the

purpose of carrying out the declared policy provided in Section 2
hereof, there is hereby established a Peoples Small-scale Mining
Program to be implemented by the Secretary of the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources, hereinafter called the
Department, in coordination with other concerned government
agencies, designed to achieve an orderly, systematic and rational
scheme for the small-scale development and utilization of mineral
resources in certain mineral areas in order to address the social,
economic, technical, and environmental problems connected with
small-scale mining activities.
The Peoples Small-scale Mining Program shall include the
following features:
(a)

The identification, segregation and reservation of certain

mineral lands as peoples small-scale mining areas;

(b)

The recognition of prior existing rights and productivity;

(c)

The encouragement of the formation of cooperatives;

(d)

The extension of technical and financial assistance, and

other social services;

(e)

The extension of assistance in processing and marketing;

(f)

The generation of ancillary livelihood activities;

(g)

The regulation of the small-scale mining industry with the

view to encourage growth and productivity; and

(h)

The efficient collection of government revenue.

Section 5. Declaration of Peoples Small-scale Mining

Areas. The Board is hereby authorized to declare and set aside
peoples small-scale mining areas in sites onshore suitable for smallscale mining, subject to review by the Secretary, immediately giving
priority to areas already occupied and actively mined by small-scale
miners before August 1, 1987: Provided, That such areas are not
considered as active mining areas: Provided, further, That the
minerals found therein are technically and commercially suitable for
small-scale mining activities: Provided, finally, That the areas are not
covered by existing forest rights or reservations and have not been
declared as tourist or marine reserves, parks and wildlife
reservations, unless their status as such is withdrawn by competent
authority.
Section 6. Future Peoples Small-scale Mining Areas. The
following lands, when suitable for small-scale mining, may be
declared by the Board as peoples small-scale mining areas:
(a)

Public lands not subject to any existing right;

(b)

Public lands covered by existing mining rights which are

not active mining areas; and

(c)

Private lands, subject to certain rights and conditions,

except those with substantial improvements or in bonafide
and regular use as a yard, stockyard, garden, plant
nursery, plantation, cemetery or burial site, or land
situated within one hundred meters (100 m.) from such
cemetery or burial site, water reservoir or a separate
parcel of land with an area of ten thousand square meters
(10,000 sq.m.) or less.

Section 7. Ancestral Lands. No ancestral land may be

declared as a peoples small-scale mining area without the prior
consent of the cultural communities concerned: Provided, That, if
ancestral lands are declared as peoples small-scale mining areas,
the members of the cultural communities therein shall be given
priority in the awarding of small-scale mining contracts.
Section 8. Registration of Small-scale Miners. All persons
undertaking small-scale mining activities shall register as miners with
the Board and may organize themselves into cooperatives in order to
qualify for the awarding of a peoples small-scale mining contract.
Section 9.
Award of Peoples Small-scale Mining
Contracts. A peoples small-scale mining contract may be awarded
by the Board to small-scale miners who have voluntarily organized
and have duly registered with the appropriate government agency as
an individual miner or cooperative: Provided, That only one (1)
peoples small-scale mining contract may be awarded at any one time
to a small-scale mining contractor who shall start mining operations
within one (1) year from the date of award: Provided, further, That
priority shall be given to small-scale miners residing in the province or
city where the small-scale mining area is located.
Applications for a contract shall be subject to a reasonable fee
to be paid to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
regional office having jurisdiction over the area.
Section 10. Extent of Contract Area. The Board shall
determine the reasonable size and shape of the contract area
following the meridional block system established under Presidential
Decree No. 463, as amended, otherwise known as the Mineral
Resources Development Decree of 1974, but in no case shall the
area exceed twenty hectares (20 has.) per contractor and the depth
or length of the tunnel or adit not exceeding that recommended by the
Director taking into account the following circumstances:
(a)

Size or membership and capitalization of the cooperative;

(b)

Size of mineralized area;

(c)

Quantity of mineral deposits;

(d)

Safety of miners;

(e)

Environmental impact and other considerations; and

(f)

Other related circumstances.

Section 11. Easement Rights. Upon the declaration of a

peoples small-scale mining area, the Director, in consultation with
the operator, claimowner, landowner or lessor of an affected area,
shall determine the right of the small-scale miners to existing facilities
such as mining and logging roads, private roads, port and
communication facilities, processing plants which are necessary for
the effective implementation of the Peoples Small-scale Mining
Program, subject to payment of reasonable fees to the operator,
claimowner, landowner or lessor.
Section 12. Rights Under a Peoples Small-scale Mining
Contract. A peoples small-scale mining contract entitles the smallscale mining contractor to the right to mine, extract and dispose of
mineral ores for commercial purposes. In no case shall a small-scale
mining contract be subcontracted, assigned or otherwise transferred.
Section 13. Terms and Conditions of the Contract. A
contract shall have a term of two (2) years, renewable subject to
verification by the Board for like periods as long as the contractor
complies the provisions set forth in this Act, and confers upon the
contractor the right to mine within the contract area: Provided, That
the holder of a small-scale mining contract shall have the following
duties and obligations:
(a)

Undertake mining activities only in accordance with a

mining plan duly approved by the Board;

(b)

Abide by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau and the

Small-scale Mining Safety Rules and regulations;

(c)

Comply with his obligations to the holder of an existing

mining right;

(d)

Pay all taxes, royalties or government production share

as are now or may hereafter be provided by law:

(e)

Comply with pertinent rules and regulations on

environmental protection and conservation, particularly
those on tree-cutting, mineral processing and pollution
control;
File under oath at the end of each month a detailed
production and financial report to the Board; and

(f)

(g)

Assume responsibility for the safety of persons working in

the mines.

Section 14. Rights of Claimowners. In case a site declared

and set as a Peoples Small-scale Mining Area is covered by an
existing mining right, the claimowner and the small-scale miners
therein are encouraged to enter into a voluntary and acceptable
contractual agreement with respect to the small-scale utilization of the
mineral values from the area under claim. In case of disagreement,
the claimowners shall be entitled to the following rights and privileges:
(a)

Exemption from the performance of annual work

obligations and payment of occupation fees, rental, and
real property taxes;

(b)

Subject to the approval of the Board, free access to the

contract area to conduct metallurgical with the operations
of the small-scale miners; and

(c)

Royalty equivalent to one and one half (1 1/2%) of the

gross value of the metallic mineral output or one percent
(1%) of the gross value of the nonmetallic mineral output
to be paid to the claimowner: Provided, That such rights
and privileges shall be available only if he is not
delinquent in the performance of his annual work
obligations and other requirements for the last two (2)
years prior to the effectivity of this Act.

Section 15. Rights of Private Landowners. The private

landowner or lawful possessor shall be notified of any plan or petition
to declare his land as a peoples small-scale mining area. Said
landowner may oppose such plan or petition in an appropriate
proceeding and hearing conducted before the Board.
If a private land is declared as a peoples small-scale mining
area, the owner and the small-scale mining contractors are
encouraged to enter into a voluntary and acceptable contractual
agreement for the small-scale utilization of the mineral values from
the private land: Provided, That the owner shall in all cases be
entitled to the payment of actual damages which he may suffer as a
result of such declaration: Provided, further, That royalties paid to the
owner shall in no case exceed one percent (1%) of the gross value of
the minerals recovered as royalty.
Section 16. Ownership of Mill Tailings. The Small-scale
mining contractor shall be the owner of all mill tailings produced from
the contract area. He may sell the tailings or have them processed in
any custom mill in the area: Provided, That, if the small-scale mining
contractor decides to sell its mill tailings, the claimowner shall have a
preemptive right to purchase said mill tailings at the prevailing market
price.
Section 17. Sale of Gold. All gold produced by small-scale
miners in any mineral area shall be sold to the Central Bank, or its
duly authorized representative, which shall buy it at prices
competitive with those prevailing in the world market regardless of
volume or weight.
The Central Bank shall establish as many buying stations in
gold-rush areas to fully service the requirements of the small-scale
miners thereat.
Section 18. Custom Mills. The establishment and operation
of safe and efficient custom mills to process minerals or ore-bearing
materials shall be limited to mineral processing zones duly
designated by the local government unit concerned upon
recommendation of the Board.

In mining areas where the private sector is unable to establish

custom mills, the Government shall construct such custom mills upon
the recommendation of the Board based on the viability of the project.
The Board shall issue licenses for the operation of custom mills
and other processing plants subject to pollution control and safety
standards.
The Department shall establish assay laboratories to crosscheck the integrity of custom mills and to render metallurgical and
laboratory services to miners.
Custom mills shall be constituted as withholding agents for the
royalties, production share or other taxes due the Government.
Section 19. Government Share and Allotment. The revenue
to be derived by the Government from the operation of the mining
program herein established shall be subject to the sharing provided in
the Local Government Code.
Section 20. Peoples Small-scale Mining Protection Fund.
There is hereby created a Peoples Small-scale Mining Protection
Fund which shall be fifteen percent (15%) of the national
governments share of the internal revenue tax or production share
due the Government which shall be used primarily for information
dissemination and training of small-scale miners on safety, health,
and environmental protection, and the establishment of mine rescue
and recovery teams including the procurement of rescue equipment
necessary in cases of emergencies such as landslides, tunnel
collapse, or the like.
The fund shall also be made available to address the needs of
the small-scale miners brought about by accidents and/or fortuitous
events.
Section 21. Rescission of Contracts and Administrative
Fines. The noncompliance with the terms and conditions of the
contract or violation of the rules and regulations issued by the
Secretary pursuant to this Act, as well as the abandonment of the

mining site by the contractor, shall constitute a ground for the

cancellation of the contracts and the ejectment from the peoples
small-scale mining area of the contractor. In addition, the Secretary
may impose fines against the violator in an amount of not less than
Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000.00) and not more than One
hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) . Nonpayment of the fine
imposed shall render the small-scale mining contractor ineligible for
other small-scale mining contracts.
Section 22. Reversion of Peoples Small-scale Mining
Areas. The Secretary, upon recommendation of the Director, shall
withdraw the status of the peoples small-scale mining area when it
can no longer be feasibly operated on a small-scale mining basis or
when the safety, health and environmental conditions warrant that the
same shall revert to the State for proper disposition.
Section 23. Actual Occupation by Small-scale Miners.
Small-scale miners who have been in actual operation of mineral
lands on or before August 1, 1987 as determined by the Board shall
not be dispossessed, ejected or removed from said areas: Provided,
That they comply with the provisions of this Act.
Section 24.
Provincial/City Mining Regulatory Board.
There is hereby created under the direct supervision and control of
the Secretary a provincial/city mining regulatory board, herein called
the Board, which shall be the implementing agency of the
Department, and shall exercise the following powers and functions,
subject to review by the Secretary:
(a)

Declare and segregate existing gold-rich areas for smallscale mining;

(b)

Reserve future gold and other mining areas for smallscale mining;

(c)

Award contracts to small-scale miners;

(d)

Formulate and implement rules and regulations related to

small-scale mining;

(e)

Settle disputes, conflicts or litigations over conflicting

claims within a peoples small-scale mining area, an area
that is declared a small mining area; and

(f)

Perform such other functions as may be necessary to

achieve the goals and objectives of this Act.

Section 25. Composition of the Provincial/City Mining

Regulatory Board. The Board shall be composed of the Department
of Environment and Natural Resources representative as Chairman;
and the representative of the governor or city mayor, as the case may
be, one (1) small-scale mining representative from a nongovernment
organization who shall come from an environmental group, as
members.
The representatives from the private sector shall be nominated
by their respective organizations and appointed by the Department
regional director. The Department shall provide the staff support to
the Board.
Section 26. Administrative Supervision over the Peoples
Small-scale Mining Program.
The Secretary through his
representative shall exercise direct supervision and control over the
program and activities of the small-scale miners within the peoples
small-scale mining area.
The Secretary shall within ninety (90) days from the effectivity
of this Act promulgate rules and regulations to effectively implement
the provisions of the same. Priority shall be given to such rules and
regulations that will ensure the least disruption in the operations of
the small-scale miners.
Section 27. Penal Sanctions. Violations of the provisions of
this Act or of the rules and regulations issued pursuant hereto shall
be penalized with imprisonment of not less than six (6) months nor
more than six (6) years and shall include the confiscation and seizure
of equipment, tools and instruments.
Section 28. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, letters of
instruction, executive orders, rules and regulations, and other

issuances, or parts thereof, in conflict or inconsistent with this Act are

hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
Section 29. Separability Clause. Any section or provision of
this Act which may be declared unconstitutional shall not affect the
other sections or provisions hereof.
Section 30. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15)
days after the publication in the Official Gazette or in a national
newspaper of general circulation.

Approved:

JOVITO R. SALONGA
President of the Senate

RAMON V. MITRA
Speaker of the

House
Representatives

This Act which is a consolidation of House Bill No. 10516

and Senate Bill No. 1333 was finally passed by the House of
Representatives and the Senate on May 30, 1991.

EDWIN P. ACOBA

CAMILO L.

SABIO
Secretary of the Senate

Secretary

General
House
Representatives

Approved: June 27, 1991

of

CORAZON C. AQUINO
President of the Philippines