By Phil Boeyen, ShareChat Business News Editor
|
Thursday 22nd November 2001 |
Text too small? |
The company has signed off on the controversial project with the Department of Conservation and says the area can now be commercially developed.
Throughput at the mine is estimated to be 1 million tonnes a year with production of 70,000 ounces of gold annually. Construction is due to begin in January.
More than 2 million ounces of gold were produced from the goldfield between 1870 and 1951.
"The project development team will now finalise the revised project optimisation, pre-access work plans and permits, in anticipation of the board decision to proceed, which is expected shortly," says GRD.
GRD previously sought permission to extend the scope of the mine but the application was turned down by Conservation Minister, Sandra Lee. That decision upset Reefton locals who had been looking to an expanded mine to boost local employment.
However conservationists remain unhappy that the company is allowed to go ahead with any mining at all in the Victoria Conservation Park.
Forest and Bird field officer, Eugenie Sage, admits the Conservation Department had its hands tied by a decision made under the previous National government but says the decision to permit GRD Macraes to increase the mine area from 107 hectares to 170 hectares is galling.
" It shows little consideration of the high wildlife values of the beech and beech/rimu forests of Victoria Conservation Park.
"The mine proposal that has been approved, while smaller than the company's 2000 proposal declined by Conservation Minister, Sandra Lee, is still a very sizeable mine," Ms Sage says.
Aside from mining GRD also owns businesses in the waste management, construction and engineering sectors.
No comments yet
