Crew Minerals has refuted claims made by the Norwegian Broadcasting Company (NRK) about the company"s activities at the Mindoro Nickel Project in the Philippines.

Crew Minerals CEO Hans Christian Qvist says: "The Norwegian Broadcasting Company aired a number of incorrect allegations regarding activities at Mindoro. It appears that NRK has been misled by Philippine Anti-Mining advocates."

"I would like to stress that Crew Minerals complies 100% with the national laws and regulations of the Philippines.

"All of our activities at Mindoro are by law carefully monitored by the Philippine Government through the National Commission of Indigenous People, and the Ministry or Department of Environment and Natural Resources, who ensure that our activities comply with the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act and the Philippine Mining Act.

"It is absolutely correct, however, that the local community has mixed views, as in all democratic societies, on mining and the mining industry's contribution to the local economy," Hans Christian Qvist says.

"As part of the Mineral Production Sharing Agreement and the Memorandum of Agreement with the Indigenous People, Crew is obliged to channel a royalty back to the community and is currently providing educational services, health care services and building infrastructure for the local community as part of these agreements.

"It is both the intention and goal of the company to support and preserve the traditional lifestyle of the Indigenous People of Mindoro.

"Crew Minerals is dedicated to the responsible and sustainable development of the Mindoro project and is designing all potential mining activities to comply with the World Bank's Equator Principles."