Philippines lifts suspension on nickel-miner Zambales Diversified

* The Philippines' Department of Environment and Natural Resources has lifted the suspension of nickel-miner Zambales Diversified Metals Corp, DMCI Holdings Inc said in a regulatory filing on Thursday

* Zambales Diversified Metals is a subsidiary of DMCI Mining Corp, which is owned by DMCI Holdings * DMCI Mining's two nickel subsidiaries, Zambales Diversified and Berong Nickel Corp, were among several Philippine ore producers suspended or shut following a series of government-initiated audits on the industry's compliance with environmental regulations

* The DENR lifted the suspension of Berong in November last year * The Berong and Zambales mines, two of more than 30 nickel-ore producers in the Philippines, in recent years accounted for less than 5% of the nation's output of the material, which is used in stainless steel and electric vehicle batteries

* Top nickel ore buyer China is expected to rely on the Philippines, the world's second-largest ore producer in 2018, for a supply that will replace ore shipments from last year's top producer Indonesia, which is due to ban its ore exports in 2020