Guest editorial: Mining, so what are the benefits?

As a concerned Northlander, I am confused as to the current status of mining, drilling and other forms of exploration/exploitation of minerals and oil or gas in our region.

Such issues rumble along with attendant press or media releases. However, there appears, at least to this correspondent, a singular lack of clarity in regard to (a) the current reality, and (b) how this reality would evolve.

What is the status of prospecting rights? Have licences been granted? In which areas? For what minerals? If minerals are indeed discovered what protocols for their extraction are there in place, if any? What substantial benefit would there be for Northland society, if any?

By asking these questions it is not necessarily because I am anti-mining per se, rather that I, and I feel many others, are genuinely intrigued by the possibilities that exploration for minerals could bring to our region.

If there could be quantifiable and auditable guarantees given governing effective pollution control, if there could be guarantees that there would be substantial regional employment opportunities, along with financial benefits for the local economy, and if the local government bodies concerned could ensure that their ratepayers would benefit, through reduced rates or better services, then I would suggest there would be much interest in mineral exploration progressing.

However, the actions of those who explore and extract minerals over the years have more than earned the distrust of a large proportion of global society. "Environmental disaster" is not simply a catch-cry, it is a current reality in many countries. As an example, if an oil exploration company repeated what happened recently in the Gulf of Mexico, but say off the Hokianga harbour, the resulting mess could effectively destroy our west coast. And try to envisage a drilling blow-out off Cape Brett. On land there are different challenges, with issues around aquifer pollution, and poisoning of waterways at the head of the list.

There may indeed be great benefits to be had, and opposition to exploration and mining on principle alone strikes me as being somewhat precipitate. Not everyone is a Luddite in our rohe. However, any benefits must be quantifiable, achievable and evaluated in a realistic fashion right across the spectrum of operation.