Permits and Licenses · MGB permits
Mining and Quarry Permits from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau
Mining and quarrying in the Philippines require permits from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), alongside environmental approvals. We map the full set and coordinate each application.
Overview
How mining and quarry permits work
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) is the agency under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources responsible for mineral resources. Exploring, developing, processing and transporting minerals require government authority under the Philippine Mining Act, and the form of authority depends on the activity. Exploration has its own permit, development can proceed through mineral agreements or, for large-scale projects, financial or technical assistance agreements, and quarrying of materials such as sand and gravel follows a separate track.
Mining permits rarely stand alone. They run alongside an environmental compliance certificate, local government endorsements and, where ancestral domains are affected, the consent process for indigenous communities. Ownership rules also limit foreign participation in some types of agreement. A gap in one approval can hold up all the others. We map the sequence, prepare the technical and corporate documents, and coordinate with MGB regional offices and the environmental offices involved.
What we handle
Mining and quarry permit support
We handle the MGB side and keep the related approvals moving in step.
Permit type selection
We match your resource, scale and ownership structure to the right permit or agreement before any application is drafted.
Application documents
Work programs, maps, technical data and company records are assembled and checked against what the Bureau asks for.
Quarry and aggregate permits
Support with quarry and sand and gravel permits, where local government is often involved as well as the Bureau.
Parallel approvals
We line up environmental certificates, local endorsements and community consent steps that run alongside the mining permit.
How it works
How a mining permit application is handled
Because several approvals interlock, we plan the order of filings first.
Scoping and sequencing
We confirm resource, location, scale and ownership, then lay out which approvals come first and which run in parallel.
Technical and corporate documents
Maps, work programs, company papers and supporting records are prepared and cross-checked.
Filing and coordination
Applications are filed with the right regional or central office and we respond to evaluation comments across agencies.
Conditions and renewals
We track permit conditions, reports and renewal dates after issuance so the operation stays in good standing.
Why handle MGB permits with ILA
Sequencing that saves time
We order filings so one approval does not stall the next.
Works with environmental offices
Mining and environmental requirements are prepared together and kept consistent with each other.
Clear ownership advice
We tell you early how foreign ownership limits affect the agreements open to you.
Frequently asked questions
Mining and quarry permit questions
Is quarrying treated the same as mining?
Not exactly. Quarrying of materials such as sand, gravel and common stone follows its own permit track, and local government is often involved alongside the Bureau. Requirements vary by province and city, so we confirm the local process for your site.
Can a foreign company hold a mining permit?
It depends on the type of agreement. Some permits and agreements are limited to Filipino-owned entities, while certain large-scale projects can be structured with foreign participation. We review the structure you have in mind and explain which options are realistic for you.
Do mining projects also need an environmental certificate?
Mining projects normally fall under the environmental impact system, so an Environmental Compliance Certificate is usually part of the process. Where ancestral domains are affected, a separate consent process with indigenous communities also applies. We map every approval before the first filing.
Planning a mining or quarry operation?
Book a free consultation and we will map out the permits and approvals your project needs.
