Gold mine on conservation land in Golden Bay denied permit

A planned gold mine on conservation land in Golden Bay will not go ahead after the government turned down its permit.

Australian mining company Siren Gold planned to extract billions of dollars of gold at Sams Creek in the Upper Tākaka Valley.

Exploration drilling began in 2022 and the company applied for a mining permit last March.

It faced opposition from the Golden Bay community and those concerned about the effect it could have on Te Waikoropupū Springs, with activists [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/590492/golden-bay-gold-mine-proposal-pushing-ahead-without-any-genuine-community-consent-say-locals locking themselves to the main drilling rig in a recent protest].

New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals (NZPAM) has declined the application, saying it did not meet the requirements of the Crown Minerals Act.

National manager of petroleum, minerals and offshore renewable energy John Buick-Constable said it would not comment further on why permit applications were declined, due to commercial sensitivities.

In a statement, Siren Gold said it was reviewing the decision and assessing its options, including any potential right of appeal.

It said Siren Gold's other projects were unaffected and were continuing to progress in line with previously announced plans and if the land at Sams Creek became available for permitting again, it was able to apply for a further permit.

A spokesperson for New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals said when land ceased to be covered by a permit, it could not be reallocated until a land status decision was made through one of two processes.

Those decisions were typically made within 60 working days.

The declined application did not preclude the company from making any further applications for the land when the acreage became available.

'The wrong mine in the wrong place'

Environmental advocacy group Save Our Springs last year applied for judicial review of government decisions linked to the controversial proposal with a hearing date set for September.

Sams Creek Collective, which was formed in opposition to the mine, said the decision was "the best news of the year".

Its members were relieved NZPAM had declined the application, and said the group had pointed out the shortcomings of the proposed mine to the government over the past two years.

"We believe that local opposition has played a strong role in achieving this result and thank everyone who participated. For nearly two years, SCC ran a sustained campaign to ensure that MBIE was aware of public interest and opposition."

The group said it was delighted with the outcome.

"The main risk from the mine is that toxic mining waste, including arsenic which cannot ever be remediated, would leak from its Upper Tākaka location into the Tākaka River and the unique marble aquifers that feed the Tākaka Valley and the Springs.

"We believe it was always the wrong mine in the wrong place."

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