Sceptics expose plan on mining

Prime Minister John Key says it is "very unlikely" opencast mining would be allowed on conservation land, but has stopped short of ruling it out altogether.

The Government's moves to open up more Conservation Department land for mining have come under further scrutiny with conservation group Forest and Bird claiming to have seen a government document which reveals plans to allow mining in 2500 hectares of conservation land on the Coromandel Peninsula, 7000 hectares in the West Coast's Paparoa National Park and on Great Barrier Island.

Forest and Bird advocacy manager Kevin Hacknell said that under the schedule 4 stocktake, nearly half a million hectares of other prime conservation areas would be surveyed for mining potential, including nearly all the conservation land in the Coromandel Peninsula.

Areas specified in the discussion document include Te Ahumata plateau on Great Barrier Island (about 700ha), Otahu Ecological Area (396ha), Parakawai Geological Reserve (70ha) near Whangamata and 2500ha near Thames township.

But speaking on TVNZ's Breakfast programme this morning, Mr Key accused Forest and Bird of "predictable scaremongering" and promised the need for economic growth from mining conservation land would be balanced with environmental concerns.

"Ultimately, before any (mining) concession would be granted, we have to be satisfied that it meets our environmental tests. I think we can marry the two together ... in an environmentally friendly way."

Pressed on whether opencast mining – such as that seen at Waihi – was a possibility, Mr Key said it was "very unlikely".

He said the discussion document would be "released reasonably soon", and he urged the public not jump to conclusions over what it would contain.

Mr Key said modern mining involved "surgical" techniques, "and I think that is going to give us options we haven't had".

Mr Hacknell was "very sceptical" about Mr Key's comments, and argued mining in Coromandel would need to be done via open-cast methods. "... you're talking about precious metals, like gold and silver, in low concentrations, (so) it's likely to be opencast. That is economic modern mining – you're talking about a few grams (of gold and silver) per tonne."

- with NZPA

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