Puhipuhi mercury mine investigation attracts taxpayer dollar

Te Raa Nehua, left, and Dale Van Engelen of the Whakapara Marae welcome funding for investigation work into mercury contamination. Photo / Michael Cunningham

A multi-agency collaboration aided by taxpayer dollars has spurred a long-awaited investigation into possible contamination of an old mercury mine in Northland.

The Department of Conservation and Northland Regional Council will receive $150,950 from the Government's Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund to investigate contamination of the Puhipuhi Mercury Mine, north of Whangārei.

Conservation Minister Kiri Allan said the failed attempt to profitably mine mercury between 1910 and 1945 has left the site with contaminated soil and waterways.

"This investigation will take us one step closer to cleaning up the site and returning it to a safe space that everyone can enjoy," she said.

The latest move has delighted the Puhipuhi Mining Action Group and local hapu Ngāti Hau, which have been lobbying since 2015 for the toxic mine opening and surrounds to be fixed and sealed.

In early 2019, group members headed to Waitangi to ask the Conservation Minister and the Associate Environment Minister for support to remedy the old mercury mine.

Scientific analysis of samples showed mercury was still being released from the site, and an NRC report stated all the sites showed test results above the trigger limits for mercury in sediments.

Group member Dale van Engelen said the investigation was a first step towards getting the site cleaned up and restored in a manner that was safe for people and the environment.

This photo of the old mercury mine at Puhipuhi show it in a dangerous condition. Photo / Supplied

She said the local hapu and representatives of the Whakapara Marae have already had two meetings with DoC and NRC.

"This is where we've lived for centuries, so for us it's very important from a cultural perspective that the site is restored for future generations. We've been lobbying for a number of years to have a site assessment and clean up done."

Van Engelen said long term, mercury-free waterways and aquifers was important for the local hapu and others.

The Government said funding the investigation affirms New Zealand's commitment to working towards ratification of the Minamata Convention on Mercury which protected people and the environment from harmful exposure to mercury.