I agree. I don't think the news reports were very accurate and suggested the entire consent was up for review. I think the review will only apply to whether it should have been publicly notified or not.
Printable View
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/te-man...lute-waterways
A Hauraki iwi, Ngāti Tamaterā, fears its tribal waterways could become polluted because of mining work by a company running tests at Karangahake, south of Paeroa.
Members of the iwi have rallied alongside a small group called Protect Karangahake, with both opposing New Talisman Gold Mines' operation.
They protested outside the Waikato Regional Council.
The group of about 15 people sang before its chair, Duncan Shearer, presented the council with water from the Waitawheta River, in what looked like a cup and corked jug made from clay.
He said they were there because of water.
He told members of council, including the chair, Paula Southgate, that the water he held was clean enough to drink, and is consumed by people of Paeroa.
"I want to make sure it stays like this for future generations."
They also showed off a petition with nearly 5,000 signatures, which will be delivered to the council in due course.
After the proceedings, 26-year old Rebecca Brownlee, who is a Ngāti Tamaterā descendant, had some strong words for the council.
"I just want to say, use your common sense. I mean, you've already raped this country enough.
"Why are you trying to do it to something so precious and beautiful like the Karangahake Gorge and our river?
"Think of all the other people, who want to experience it, like my kids, and my kids' kids....".
Protect Karangahake said the council had failed to consult the public properly, and it was worried New Talisman's work could result in acid ending up in the waterways.
But the chair at the Regional Council, Paula Southgate, made it clear that clean waterways are important.
"I recognise the passion, and I acknowledge that most people in the Waikato share the same passion about quality.
"The Waikato Regional Council is here to enhance and maintain water quality [and] not to see it degrade, and that's the ultimate goal for all people."
The resource consent issued to New Talisman in 2013 specifies that it should ensure contaminants don't end up in the water, and also says that there shall be no discharge of contaminants to any flowing water channel.
The company's chief executive, Matthew Hill, questioned why anyone would think the water would become contaminated:
"When you're not discharging any water, how could it possibly pollute any water?"
Meanwhile, a trustee with the Ngāti Tamaterā Treaty Settlement Trust, Liane Ngamane, who was not at the rally, said it was not opposed to mining, but wanted the environment protected.
This was why it is in treaty talks with the government about co-management rights, which include the area where the company is working, which she says aims to provide a long term solution.
She wants to make sure that previous mining problems, which she recalled a kaumatua told her about, do not happen again.
"One of our kaumatua, who... a number of times recounts swimming in the awa [river], [and that] they had to leave at a certain time when the old mine would release the contaminates... the cyanide etc.... into the awa. They knew to get out at a certain time."
"And they also witnessed things like our tuna [eels] kind of [swimming] with their heads above the water struggling to breath.
"That doesn't mean that Ngati Tamatera is opposed to mining, necessarily, today. [But] it's about the effects of any activity on that awa that count. Whether it's mining or whether it's agricultural use further down stream."
Protect Karangahake will legally challenge the consent, and said a judicial review was to be held later in the year.
This was why it is in treaty talks with the government about co-management rights, which include the area where the company is working, which she says aims to provide a long term solution.
i.e. someone wasn't paid before the consent was given and now said party has realised there will be a profit to make from this mining project. Said party wants 'co-management' rights...for a fee
same thing time and again, spout all this talk about the history of the land and culture when it all comes down to how much money they can get
......OMG you lot talk a load of bollocks. You really think these protesters are doing this for money do you? So who's going to pay them? What do you think the miners are in there decimating the land for?.....do you think they are doing it for love?.....ha! what an ironical thing to say. Most if not all of these protesters are working caring people who have taken time off from there day jobs to devote themselves and families (at considerable cost in both energy and financial terms) ......they are doing what all NZers should be doing ie standing up for their rights and those of their families to protect our precious environment from greed driven multi national mining companies (and the like) who have absolutely no interest in looking after Aotearoa for ourselves and future generations. There is a place for mining and Karangahake Gorge is DEFINITELY NOT the place.
Karangahake Gorge has already been mined, its a historical mine.
I have no doubt they could be nice people, I am confused as to why they would start protesting after mining consent has been given, to protest against water pollution when it has been shown no water pollution will take place.
It's my opinion, if these are informed protesters then there is some alterior motive in play
......and who's the ignorant one now Robbo? What gives you the right to be so condescending (and why would you anyway?) to those trying to protect a beautiful place for all of us to enjoy? If you can only focus on the money side of things then surely you understand? that the cycleway and all it's ancillary business' will create far more revenue than any tin pot goldmine like this one will ever do. And not only is the cycleway low impact environmentally, sustainable, positive physically and mentally, but also the profits will remain with KIWIS and their families.......NONE of this applies to NTL. (oh and by the way, as far as Im aware none of the protesters smoke or would bother with cheap bourbon...a bottle of quality Jamiesons maybe but definitely not cheap bourbon! )
Greenday. Its a NZ company always has been. Has been operating as Heritage Gold in this area for 20 years. Its the same out of towners protesting who protest against any development in this country. The recent article below shows clearly that the anti miners like yourself just make stuff up!!
23 March 2015
NTL welcomes independent review of Water Management Plan
of historic Gold Mine
New Talisman Gold Mines Limited (“NTL”) welcomes a review of its draft Water Management Plan by an independent expert in response to water contamination concerns raised.
The review, conducted by Dr James Pope, who has 20 years’ experience in the minerals sector and 12 years research experience into mine drainage chemistry, concluded that “any potential adverse effect on groundwater quality from [NTL’s] exploratory activities will be small scale and negligible in nature and overall likely immeasurable from existing background levels.”
NTL CEO Matthew Hill says that Dr Pope’s independent review and subsequent report for the Waikato Regional Council should help to allay concerns by local groups about the environmental impact of NTL’s bulk sampling operations at the historic Talisman Gold Mine, which are due to commence in June.
“We completely understand why the protection of the waterways in the Gorge is a real concern both to iwi and local groups. That’s why we’re not undertaking any treatment of the ore onsite; we’re simply extracting rock in low quantities and sending it offsite for processing,” says Mr Hill.
“Plus, there will be no direct discharge of impacted water into any waterways, instead it will be retained within a closed water system that merely recirculates water within the mine to holding tanks, where it is monitored, treated and reused.”
The Talisman Gold Mine has been mined on and off over the last 100 years. Kiwi company, NTL, previously Heritage Gold, has held a land use consent for mining activities from Hauraki District Council for 20 years (and undertook two similar activities on the same site, with no adverse consequences) and plans to undertake underground exploration and bulk sampling within the existing underground mine shafts. NTL’s current project plan for underground operations have been consented for one blast per day and plan to remove 600 tonnes a month for two years, which is the equivalent of just four 10 tonne trucks a day.
“We hope that Dr Pope’s report, which takes into account the existing environment and actual activities we propose to commence on the site, gives these groups peace of mind that the scale of our operation will make very little difference to the chemical conditions that currently occur in the mine,” says Mr Hill.
In his report, Dr Pope found that “[the] scale of tonnage removed by bulk sampling and scale of water use on a daily basis are the main factors that makes it unlikely that the operation will have impact on mine drainage chemistry or surrounding water chemistry.”
-ends-
I guess I'll chuck in some capital letters to get my point across then...
I am a KIWI and have a KIWI FAMILY. I am quite HAPPY for NTL money to come my way and to those employed by MY CAPITAL. As will be the OTHER NTL SHAREHOLDERS I am sure.
Seems to me to be another "unlikely union" akin to the Internet Mana party. Where the SCHEDULES of iwi and the lumpenproletariat overlap then they GET TOGETHER and have a good old fashioned shindig. Much like the CHRISTIANS who KNOCK ON MY DOOR ALL THE TIME.
Meanwhile, others just want to go about their BUSINESS.
It's a small underground mine that is not going to bother you or the environment. That is the best OBJECTIVE EVIDENCE that is AVAILABLE and all the rest of the INFORMATION OUT THERE is OPINION a lot like the nonsense SOUTED BY THE CHRISTIANS who KNOCK ON MY DOOR all the time.
Here's a good end use for all that gold that is going to come out of NTL. :)
http://www.futurity.org/acne-lasers-gold-879662/
It’s becoming an increasingly disgusting trend in NZ that a minority of individuals with too much time on their hands, who don’t represent the majority of reasonable and balanced people, think they have the god given right to interfere with the business of others when all they are doing is lawfully doing what they are permitted to do so on their own land or claim.
It is not a national park and the owner may do what they wish with their land, including mining it, within the bounds of the law and environmental responsibility.
Personally I think such behaviours are a product of poor parenting and local government pandering to minority groups for so long they have breed and reinforced such attitudes.
If folk really cared about a specific area outside of a national park they have every right to lobby government for that area to be scheduled, or, alternatively they have every right to buy the land outright and to put it into trust.
Otherwise any local and national government response should simply be, put up or shut up.
I believe in trying to obtain the best of both worlds...
I dont mind a cycle way through the gorge, that way I can keep an eye on how my mine is progressing :D