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Saturday, September 30, 2017

Mining 54, Ralph Abainza on water table and Gina Lopez

I am reposting a short discussion about water table by a friend, 4th year BS Geology student in UP Diliman, Ralph Abainza. He posted this in his fb wall and I shared it in my wall. The illustration I got from the water.usgs.gov that he cited among his sources below. Good paper, Ralph.
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AN OPEN LETTER OF APPEAL TO STOP FAKE NEWS ABOUT GEOLOGY
September 23, 2017

Dear Ms. Gina Lopez, can you please stop spreading FAKE NEWS, especially about my beloved field of study, Geology? Can you please use proper scientific references rather than emotions? It is very hard for me to accept how can someone twist scientific truths that we, long study and hold in our academic field.

“When you get these kinds of minerals, gold, copper, invariably, you hit a water table. You cannot not hit a water table because that is the geophysical makeup of the country. When you put [use] explosives, you hit a water table and that water table is needed by the communities,” - Gina Lopez [A]

First of all. The communities don’t need the water table, because it is just a boundary underneath; separating the water saturated layer from the non-saturated ones[1]. It is actually the groundwater that is needed.

YES. Mining such kinds of minerals will hit a water table because geologically speaking, the water table depth in the Philippines is shallow enough that even the foundations of the buildings here in Metro Manila hit it and even greatly surpass it down under [2]. In fact, if your family-managed ABS CBN building really followed the Building Code of the Philippines, its foundation already hit the water table in Quezon City! You seemingly affect the groundwater needed by the communities in Metro Manila, isn’t it?

“We are not Canada. In Canada you don’t hit a water table.” - Gina Lopez [A]

Where the hell did you get this idea that in Canada, you will not hit a water table? When you mine or construct any deep structure, you will hit a water table in Canada [3].

I would like to appeal to you to really stop spreading false scientific information for the sake of “environmentalism”. I am an environmentalist too and I really don’t consider misinforming the public just to save the environment, because it is highly irresponsible! Misinforming the public to save the environment is just as evil as neglecting it. Stop fake news now, especially concerning about my field, whom I am taking for several years now, just to understand and responsibly inform the people.


[2] Metro Manila and Metro Cebu Groundwater Assessment: https://serp-p.pids.gov.ph/serp-p/download.php?d=171&s=3


[A] Ex-DENR chief disputes COMP claim on open pits: https://businessmirror.com.ph/ex-denr-chief-disputes-comp-claim-on-open-pits/
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