（Wednesday, 10 Sep 2014）Reuters reported that a Philippine bill seeking a halt to exports of unprocessed mineral ores has been approved at the committee stage in the lower chamber of Congress, one of two bills aimed at extracting more value from the country's mineral resources.

Mr Ronald Madrigal, staff to Congressman Mr Erlpe John Amante who introduced the bill in July said that the measure will go next to a full session of the lower house of Congress for discussion and voting, but no schedule has yet been set.

A counterpart bill has also been introduced in the upper house Senate by Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino, a first cousin of President Benigno Aquino. The bills, which would require domestic processing of all minerals extracted in the country prior to export, have raised concern at the possibility of a halt to exports of nickel ore from the Philippines, in line with similar action by Indonesia.

London Metal Exchange nickel rose 1.7% in early European trade and have risen more than 7% since news of the potential Philippines ban was revealed last week.

The Philippines currently supplies China with virtually all of the nickel ore that it uses to make nickel pig iron, a raw material used by steelmakers, following the Indonesian ban that took effect in January.

The bills aim to generate more income from the Philippines from mining, which has vast but largely untapped mineral resources. If passed, nickel miners would be have to build more smelters to process ore before shipment.

• [Editor:Juan]