Watchdog slams mining plans

According to Coromandel Watchdog, the mid-July announcement of a new open cast mine in Waihī failed to mention the fourth mine planned by Oceana, in Department of Conservation land behind Whangamatā.

While Oceana Gold announced Project Quattro, the expansion of mining in Waihī, they also released a preliminary economic assessment of the Waihī District, which discusses in detail prospects Oceana Gold is focusing on. Specifically, it outlines four key developments: Martha Underground mine, the newly announced Martha Pit expansion, the also newly announced Gladstone Open Pit and also the Wharekirauponga prospect.

“This assessment was released quietly, with no mention to the media of Oceana’s intent to mine public conservation land at Wharekirauponga. It is hard not to question why Oceana Gold didn’t even once refer to their intent to mine this area in their publicity about the expansion of their operations,” says Coromandel Watchdog spokesperson Augusta Macassey-Pickard.

“The Government continues to fail to honour their promise to protect this area from mining by banning new mines on or under Public Conservation land. They have also failed to honour their promise to the communities of the Coromandel, and the thousands of people who supported them, to extend Schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals Act to include all of the Coromandel Ecological area.

“The fact this company is right now promoting its plan to mine in Coromandel conservation land to its shareholders, while promoting only part of the project to Kiwis, highlights the significance of these failures.”

Augusta says the Wharekirauponga 'prospect' is on public conservation land in the Southern Coromandel Ranges that is home to a myriad of threatened species. The area is well-loved and used by trampers and the community, Coromandel Watchdog says.

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