‘Much, much worse than we thought’ - Residents oppose bid to mine in Golden Bay

Samantha Gee/RNZ

An Australian mining company has sought formal permission to mine remote native bushland near Tākaka, despite growing opposition from Golden Bay residents.

Siren Gold embarked on its latest round of exploratory drilling at Sams Creek in February, with festival-goers in the Cobb Valley the first to learn of the development after equipment was spotted being  flown into the remote valley by helicopter.

In a recent statement to the ASX, Siren Gold, the parent company of Sams Creek Gold, said it lodged a mining permit with New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals on 21 March.

As part of the permit, a scoping study was undertaken which included open pit and underground mine designs, a waste rock stack, tailings storage facility, processing plant and other infrastructure requirements.

Siren Gold chief executive Victor Rajasooriar said the study gave “additional confidence” an open pit and an underground operation were potentially financially viable.

“The scoping study supports the Sams Creek mining permit application to NZPAM, and at the same time gives us the confidence to continue our exploration and infill drilling programs.

“In time, our aspiration is to have a sustainable long-term mining operation at Sams Creek which could provide some 350 jobs in the region.”

Siren Gold director Paul Angus previously told RNZ the company’s exploration permit expired at the end of March, and it planned to apply for a mining permit before then, which was just a step in the process to prevent the company losing tenure of the ground.

The exploration work was being done in order to determine if a gold mine was economically and environmentally viable, he said.

Sams Creek Collective was formed last year in response to the community’s concern about the proposed gold mine, and member Julie Downard said there was increasing opposition within the community, with many not keen to see a mine established.

The recent scoping study indicated the plan was to have an open pit mine, tunnel entrance and processing plant near the Tākaka River, she said.

“It’s much, much worse than we thought. They’ve been very vocal about how they’re going to look after the community, but actually I think they’ve possibly chosen the worst place they could possibly site their operations.”

The proposed site was at risk of being undermined in a flood and was in the deluge path of the Cobb Dam in the event of a major earthquake, Downard said.
The collective was really disappointed to learn the company had effectively extended its exploration permit by applying for a mining permit.

“We would like to know on what grounds they think they meet the threshold for gaining a mining permit under the Crown Minerals Act,” Downard said.

Residents were only learning of Siren Gold’s plans through its ASX statements, which indicated they were only interested in keeping investors informed, she said.
Requests to the company for more information had gone unanswered.

“We will continue to oppose a gold mining operation which would see toxic chemicals stored at the head of our waterways, which are the lifeblood of our beautiful region, community, and pristine Te Waikoropupū Springs.

“Golden Bay does not want to be known as ‘regionally significant’ in future decades for water and environmental pollution caused by the very real risk of mining waste accidents.”

Save Our Springs co-ordinator Kevin Moran said the group had growing concerns about Siren Gold’s mining plans for Sams Creek and had sent the company an open letter outlining its fears.

The letter asked Siren Gold to inform its shareholders, the ASX and potential investors of the inherent risks with the project.

“There are terrible flaws in your plans. Last week, in less than 24 hours, the general area where the proposed waste heap will be constructed experienced more than a metre of rain.

“The same area can experience over four metres during a wet year. Your proposed waste heap sits close to major earthquake fault lines, including the Murchison fault.”

The organisation remained concerned a waste pit, no matter how well constructed, could fail in a natural disaster with the toxic waste destroying the waters of Te Waikoropupū Springs.

Save Our Springs had engaged Sally Gepp KC as its lawyer and planned to vigourously defend New Zealand’s conservation land and Te Waikoropupū Springs through all available legal avenues, Moran said.

There was strong, growing opposition to a mine at Sams Creek and the company could expect legal challenges at every step of the way as they sought a mining permit, resource consents, access arrangement and concessions to mine on public conservation land, he said.

Read the full story at RNZ.co.nz/news/national