DMCI Mining Corp., the nickel mining unit of Consunji-led DMCI Holdings Inc., expects this year to mark the start of a years-long growth trajectory after expanding its mining capacity through the commercial operations of its Long Point mine in Palawan.

Tulsi Das Reyes, president of DMCI Mining Corp., said the company is anticipating a “milestone year” on the back of its three active mines operating at a high level before the end of the year.

DMCI Mining’s nickel ore production rose to an all-time high of two million wet metric tons (WMT) last year, driven by the full-year operations of Zambales Chromite Mining Corp. (ZCMC) and the initial operations of its Long Point mine.

The Long Point mine, operated by DMCI Mining subsidiary Berong Nickel Corp. (BNC), commenced commercial operations in March, lifting the company’s total operating capacity from two million to three million WMT.

Reyes said the plan is to ramp up mining activities in the coming months to sustain strong production, especially since the mine would help the company move away from Zambales Diversified Metals Corp. (ZDMC), which is expected to reach depletion later in the year.

“We see this momentum carrying over the next few years as our Palawan operations continue to scale, more than meeting with regulatory and environmental standards,” he said during the annual stockholders’ meeting of its parent firm.

With the eventual depletion of the ZDMC mine, DMCI Mining is now working on advancing permitting activities for its other nickel assets to support future production continuity.

This includes the proposed Dangla mine, which would be its second mine in Palawan and has an estimated extraction rate of two million WMT.

While nickel prices continue to soar this year, Reyes said DMCI Mining would remain firm in its existing expansion plans, which have been in place since 2014 when the company acquired several mining assets.

“This does not influence our plans, but more importantly, we would like to have a capacity and volume to make sure that we participate in this market,” he said.

Last year, DMCI Mining increased its shipments to China and other markets to 1.9 million WMT, with average selling prices surging to US$36 per WMT from US$29 per WMT.

Prices during the first three months of the year declined slightly to US$35 per WMT due to a drop in the average nickel grade sold to 1.25 percent from 1.39 percent as the company increased its shipments of mid- to lower-grade ore.

In the first three months of the year, total nickel ore production increased by 24 percent to 787,000 WMT from 633,000 WMT in the same period last year.

DMCI Mining reported an 18-percent growth in net income to ₱463 million by the end of March, increasing its contribution to the parent company by eight percent to ₱440 million.