Aussie mining co defends practices

"We can't get away with unsafe environmental [methods]" - Evolution Mining says in response to criticism from opponents of mining at Puhipuhi, above. Photo / FIle

The chief geologist for the Australian company, with its sights on Puhipuhi's gold, said protesters have based their arguments on outdated mining methods.

Roric Smith, from one of Australia's largest gold extraction companies Evolution Mining, said the only benchmarks regarding environmental vulnerability and other issues at Puhipuhi "are historic", from mid-last century, and not applicable to modern best practice and values.

"Mining has come a long way. We can't get away with unsafe environmental [methods]," Dr Smith said.

Vice president (Exploration) and chief geologist Roric Smith.

He said he understood all the concerns raised by the community, but said "toxic mining" was a historical term and acid treatments used in mining were subject to tight controls.

"We have made a commitment that we would not proceed with any activities unless we have identified an approach that does not cause harm to the environment," Dr Smith said.

Regarding longer term possible outcomes, it was too early to talk about how tailings and waste would be dealt with, Dr Smith said. He agreed that might be a topic the community would want addressed in the early, rather than later, stages of the planning.

"Any drilling would only follow a comprehensive environmental study, planning and appropriate controls. It's a very long process that sometimes doesn't lead to any win. Three out of 100 projects come to something."

But the company had it in mind there was high quality gold, but low tonnage - meaning a fairly short mining life, in a "deep, blind system" at Puhipuhi.

"We're at the very early stages ... but if it wasn't exciting we wouldn't be there."

Dr Smith said he disagreed with MineWatch Northland's advice to local people that engaging with the company would give it a foot in the door. A geological survey and low impact baseline studies of the surface are under way, after which a 3-D model will be built as part of the assessment and planning.

Engagement with the stakeholders would continue throughout the process, Dr Smith said, including locals, iwi, local and central Government, the anti-mining lobby: "Anyone who feels they have a right to know".

"We need meaningful, honest and open stakeholder engagement," he said.

Evolution Mining representatives will attend a meeting at Ngati Hau's Whakapara Marae later this month, held by the hapu's resource management unit.