MGB took charge of the administration and disposition of minerals and mineral lands during the Spanish Regime, but was abolished on July 1st, 1886. It was transfigured during Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo's ruling and created four divisions of Departamento de Fomento, under the Philippine Revolutionary Republic. The Mines and Mountains Sections were also formed; the former was under the director of Industry and Agriculture, and the later was under the director of Obras Publicas. The sections were re-organised after the Americans’ arrival, resulting in the emergence of the Mining Bureau. In 1905, the Mining Bureau and the Bureau of Government Laboratories were fused under the Bureau of Science, and the Mining Bureau became the Division of Geology and Mines. In 1933, the Mineral Lands Division of the Bureau of Lands was merged with the Division of Geology and Mines, under the Bureau of Science, to form a division known as the Division of Mineral Resources under the Department of Agriculture and Commerce. After one year, it was renamed Division of Mines. With the outbreak of the Second World War, the Bureau of Mines was reconstituted under the Department of Agriculture and Commerce under Executive Order No. 1 dated January 30, 1942. In 1944, during the PuppetPhilippine Republic, the Bureau of Mines shrunk again into a Division of the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The revision of Commonwealth Act No. 136 in 1978 boosted it again, it was renamed Bureau of Mines and Geo-sciences Bureau. This gave it an additional function, as well as the authority to make it more responsive to the objectives of the government's minerals sector. In June 1987, the MGB was formed under Executive Order No. 192. In 1997, under DAO 97-11, the MGB implemented a full re-organisation specifically involving the establishment of two new divisions—the Mining Environment and Safety Division, and the Mine Tenement Management Division. These divisions operationalised the sustainable development principles provision of the Mining Act of 1995.
Services
The Lands Geological Survey division does basic geological mapping, which serves as inputs for mineral exploration, energy exploration, water resources, geohazard assessment, engineering geology, environmental geology and urban planning. It conducts engineering geological and geohazard assessment for housing, subdivision, infrastructure and other lands development projects. It addresses water-related concerns and assesses possible waste disposal sites. It is in charge of creating, maintaining and enhancing geological database systems for the MGB. The Marine Geological Survey Division conducts coastal and marine geological and geophysical surveys for mineral resource assessment, coastal geohazard assessment, geo-environmental and geoengineering studies for coastal infrastructure projects and related geoscientific concerns. The Division also conducts research on marine geological technology and methodology, on marine geology and marine geophysics. It provides technical services concerning the conduct of marine geological and geophysical surveys. Mineral Lands Administration and Mine Management Services issue Sand and Gravel Industrial Permits and area clearances. They evaluate, monitor, and investigate the approved mining rights. They assist technically small scale miners and retrieve computer-based tenement information. Information, Education and Communication Services conducts seminars on mining-related subjects; publication and dissemination of mineral statistical data, mineral resources, mining, and environmental policies and other information relative to the mining industry. Mining Environment and Safety Services inspect and recommend measures for safe and environment-friendly operations, and also for the exploring and monitoring of environmental areas. The laboratory does chemical and physical analysis of rock, soil and water samples, macroscopic and microscopic analyses of rock soil and water samples, chemical and metallurgical tests.
