Sagittarius Mines Inc., (partnership of Australia Stock Exchange-listed Indophil Resources NL and Filipino investors Alsons) which is investing $ 1 billion in Tampakan, is needing more than just financiers for its mining project.

It will need more cooperators from a power generating firm so as to push through with its project.

"We will need 100 megawatt or more of power plant capacity. If we tap into the Mindanao grid, there will not be enough power here. We will be opening that opportunity for those open to these services," said William Domasig, Tampakan project chief geologist.

The power requirement has become more pertinent as the project is estimated to have a bigger reserve of 12 to 14 million metric tons (MT) of copper metal and 15 million ounces of gold that will produce at an annual rate of 200,000 MT of copper concentrate and 150,000 ounces of gold.

Mounted on an eroded volcano, the Tampakan project lies on a town nesting on rural farming that can profusely grow pineapple and cutflowers with its foggy, chilly climate.

Instead, the B’laan indigenous people (IP) in this mountain, once known to be nomads, lived on hunting for food and claimed to own anything they found.

That was until Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI), with permits formerly held by Western Mining Corp. (WMC), came into the land and sought cooperative partnership with the IP community who was then initially combative.

"They would hold roadblocks to stop the company’s work when they run out of cash. Western Mining would immediately give them what they wanted—if they ask for 10 cattle or cash, it would be given them just so that work can continue," said a Tampakan resident.

That has since been over since SMI decided the spoiling should be dealt with.

"The company entered into a memorandum of agreement with them. Then the people realized they had to work for what they wanted."

That cooperation now should bring the mine into production and perhaps make one dream come true.

"With mining, we can make improvements not only in infrastructure but on a per capita level. Wage can increase from P150 per day to P350. The local government will receive a higher income. Then we’ll be a first class municipality," said Tampakan Mayor Claudius Barroso.

The project is estimated to generate P160 million yearly to the community.

SMI’s entry into a site that has varied people needs is not without a cost.

First, as the company does not yet require a big labor force, it has employed 1,000 IPs (250 persons rotated weekly) as a proof of commitment to help the IPs. Uneducated as the IPs are, they are tasked to do menial jobs such as guarding drilling activities.

Education was placed on top of anything for which SMI is spending for the year P7.2 million, according to Landy Doria, SMI community relations manager. This includes P3.3 million for tuition fee scholarship for college students; P1.6 million for baranggay scholarship; P172,000, special education support; P492,000, expanded education support; and P1.6 million, barangay education support.

"The indigenous people become contented when they see their children become educated. Sometimes it’s all they hope for in life," said Ann Zee Luz Barroso, SMI officer.

Even before the mine starts producing the minerals since that will happen in 2010 yet, livelihood programs, basically farming or livestock raising, and micro-enterprises have been introduced to the IPs and town residents.

Men were taught skills on carpentry, masonry, and plumbing, through trainings by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and women were trained on housekeeping, cooking, and adult literacy.

Provision for seedlings (for forest trees endemic to the area like bamboo and coffee or pineapple, cassava, and fruit trees) for tree planting, butterfly culture, and environmental programs continue.

SMI is also spending for health care in the hinterland, P1 million for the year including for primary health care and medical outreaches.

Such cooperation brought SMI’s (with WMC’s completed work) achievement to this day to a total of 181 holes so far drilled that has been indicating profitable operations for the project’s mine life of 50 years.

The impact in economic benefit of the mine is hopefully more than that life span as IPs begin receiving royalty (P100 million yearly) as share for the use of their land when the mine operates in 2010.