Gold miner Matthew Crawford, 27, will apply for a resource consent for a low-impact and small-scale mining operation on his family farmland adjacent to the pristine and protected springs reserve just out of Takaka.
Crawford spoke at the Golden Bay Community Board on Tuesday to reassure perturbed residents of his intentions.
He said the enterprise, which would use one screen and would cover a maximum of 4 hectares per year, would mine up to a depth of five metres.
«There will be no chemicals whatsoever used,» he said. «There will be settling ponds and it’s going to be set up in the summer months when it’s really dry and the water from the settling pond will be hopefully be used for irrigation. Any excess water may be discharged into the main river will have been through settling ponds.»
Crawford said under no circumstances would the water be discharged into Fish Creek.
«Fish Creek is a very small part of the entire permit. It’s not even the main area of interest.»
The operation would also be kept at quite a distance from the springs reserve.
Crawford said keeping his home beautiful was a top priority.
«My resource consent application will go into full detail as to how the environment and surrounding areas will be protected.»
«They also had a lot of mining techniques that left a lot of gold behind. So now we have an opportunity go in there and hopefully get that out.»
Crawford said he hoped to bring in a steady income to help keep the farm afloat from the slumping dairy prices.
«Everyone knows the dairy price is terrible and I just hope to bring in a steady income that may help keep the farm.»
Source: Stuff
Link: http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/83008496/Dairy-farmer-turned-miner-hopes-to-find-gold-in-Te-Waikoropupu-valley
