Mining And Production Of Metallic Ores, South Palawan, Philippines
11 April 2007

Note: The area of coverage in this IKONOS image is approximately 5 km x 5 km.
The reduced resolution image on display has undergone compression and so does not represent the true resolution of the original satellite image.

The long and thin island of Palawan between the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea is known for mineralization including copper and nickel along the faulted contact between rocks of an old micro-continent and deep water ophiolites. The image shows the extraction and production of metallic ore in South Palawan in the Rio Tuba area. The IKONOS image contrasts the reddish brown colour of bare soil, the red colour of the mining waste, and the usual green vegetation of this area. The area is crisscrossed by a number of roads, bare ground dominates towards the north, an enclosed space for mining debris is in the centre of the image, and a production plant can be seen towards the south. An airstrip cuts through the vegetation towards the southeast. Towards the west, land has been divided into blocks before use.