Urgent Otago meetings held to oppose fast-tracking gold mine

Tarras residents are holding urgent public meetings around Otago to oppose a proposed open-cast gold mine just north of Cromwell.

The Bendigo-Ophir gold mine is being submitted for fast-track approval by Australian company Santana Minerals. But residents say, if it gets the green light, local industries will suffer.

Residents estimate it would be one of the largest earthworks projects in the area since the construction of the Clyde Dam but the project site is classified as an "outstanding natural landscape" in the Central Otago District Plan.

Opponent Matthew Sole, from the Central Otago Environmental Society, told 1News "we're going to be left with this enduring legacy after the miners have long gone".

However, Santana said as part of its fast-track application, significant environmental studies had been undertaken.

Key ecology reports remained outstanding but, in the meantime, Santana said it was considering and mitigating potential effects.

Santana estimated the open pit would ultimately be 1000m long, 850m wide and 200m deep.

New Zealand Minerals Council chief executive Josie Vidal said: "They go through all the same environmental water impact on the environment, dust, all of the reports that they would normally do to get a mine permit are still have to be done."

Santana estimated it would make $4.4 billion in export revenue from the mine, with the government set to receive $900 million in taxes and royalties.

Santana also said the project would create 350 jobs.

But others had concerns the local wine and food and tourism industries would be impacted.

Bendigo business owner Hayden Johnston said: "In the great wine regions of the world, like Napa in America and Burgundy in France, they would never dream of plonking a big open cast gold mine in the middle."

But Vidal said: "There is no impact on the tourism or wine industry from this particular project that I can see."

An expert panel would decide whether the proposed fast-tracked project will be approved or declined.

Meanwhile, opponents have hosted urgent public meetings in Dunedin and Wānaka this week, concerned they don't have enough detail or opportunity to oppose the project in the fast-track process.

Sole said: "I have to say I'm surprised at a number of people I've spoken to that are not really aware of the significance and the potential of it."

Johnston said: "It's not building a new bridge or a community housing project. I have empathy for just going ahead and doing those things that we all need. But an open-cast gold mine is something that really changes the landscape forever."

But Vidal said: "They pay bonds so that they can't walk away from a project and it be left unattended. There will be money there for the ground fix it should that ever happen."

Santana hoped to start gold production next year.