The Aquino administration has said it will not let the $5.9 billion potential investment of Swiss mining firm Xstrata go down the drain after the provincial government of South Cotabato, which hosts the mineral-rich Tampakan mine, issued a ban on open mining.

In an interview with Business Nightly on March 29, South Cotabato governor Arthur Pingoy acknowledged that Xstrata's investments in the mine may become the single biggest investment in the country.

However, Pingoy said the issue at hand is not mere economics: "What will happen to us after 25 years? That is the question being asked and it should be answered... especially with the history of mining in the country... The issue is not only economics but also the environment."

Business Nightly airs on ANC at 9 p.m. weeknights.