LEGAZPI CITY, June 10 -- The Mines and Geosciences Bureau in Bicol (MGB-5) has issued Interim Small-Scale Mining Contracts (ISSMCs) to 21 small-scale mining operators in Camarines Norte as part of a government push to legalize illegal miners and capture revenues lost to the black market, an official reported Wednesday.

MGB-5 chief of Mine Safety, Environment and Social Development Division Jose Marcel Laud said the issuance follows Department Administrative Order No. 2026-08, which facilitates the formalization of small-scale mining and promotes equitable utilization of mineral resources.

"The MGB aims to legalize illegal small-scale miners. We have two mining areas in the Bicol Region - one in Masbate and one in Camarines Norte," Laud...