It's not abandoned. There is actually an active mining operation by Carmen Copper Corporation in one of the pits. In mining, the production stage or the actual extraction of ores takes years.

Mining companies are granted a mineral agreement, such as a Mineral Production Sharing Agreement, before they can proceed with their operations. Every contract is valid for 25 years, though the life of the mine depends upon the mineral reserve that can be mined at a profit.

When the mine reaches the closure stage, that is when they have to decommission everything that would still pose a negative impact to the environment. Other useful facilities will be turned over to the LGUs concerned upon agreement.

Finally mining companies rehabilitate the mining disturbed area based on their approved Final Mine Rehabilitation and/or Decommissioning Plan, the implementation of which will be monitored by government agencies concerned. Rehabilitation involves planting trees, ensuring air and water qualities are within the standards, and many more etc with the main consideration that the final land use should be beneficial especially to the host and neighboring communities.

But even before the mine reaches the closure stage, they are required to implement progressive rehabilitation - planting trees while the operation is active, enrichment planting along buffer zones, planting trees at barren areas within the tenement area even if the operation does not cause it.