Police Boosts Security At Philippine Tampakan Mine

Philippine police and troops are to boost security at Swiss-based miner Xstrata's planned US$2bn copper and gold mine after a New Year's Day attack by rebels, writes Bloomberg.

50 members of the New People's Army communist rebel group attacked Xstrata's Tampakan project in the South Cotabato province as part of a continued war against the Philippine Government.

The planned mine, which has an estimated 2.2 billion metric tons of mineral resources containing 12.8 million tons of copper and 15.2 million ounces of gold, is the Xstrata's largest development project, the company announced last year.

The police are currently investigating the attacks.

By staff writer