Palawan State University (PalawanSU) recently inaugurated its Drilling Fluids Research Innovation Laboratory, designed to advance research infrastructure, enhance innovation capabilities in drilling fluids technology, and foster stronger collaboration between the academe and the mining industry.
The new laboratory, funded by the Department of Science and Technology, was conceptualized in 2024. It also aims to boost and support the development of cutting-edge solutions for the industry.
To further enhance its capabilities, PalawanSU invited Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation (RTNMC) as a collaborator for the project. The partnership dates back to April 2024, when a research team first visited sampling activities in Rio Tuba as part of initial studies for the laboratory.
In August of the same year, another team led by Vice President for Research, Development, and Extension Dr. Marjorie Española, together with Engr. Morlie Talimbay, met with RTNMC managers to discuss further collaboration and agreements for a project titled “Valorization of Nickel Mine Waste in Palawan as Sustainable Materials for the Production of Nano-modified Drilling Fluids.”
This was followed by another meeting in March 2025, with the construction of the laboratory already in sight as a key component of the project.
