Blackwater Gold Mine Permit a Welcome Boost for West Coast
Straterra, New Zealand’s minerals sector industry organisation, has welcomed the decision from government agency New
Zealand Petroleum and Minerals to grant Tasman Mining a mining permit for the high-grade Blackwater gold deposit near
Reefton.
“There is still much work to be done to establish the Blackwater prospect as a new mine, but this is an important
milestone.” said Straterra CEO Chris Baker.
“New mines are hard to find and hard to develop, in New Zealand and globally. If it goes ahead it will attract hundreds
of millions of dollars in investment for the West Coast and New Zealand, create more than a hundred local jobs and boost
New Zealand exports considerably. It would also provide significant revenue for the government in the form of royalties
and taxes.
“Not many people know that gold is already New Zealand’s number one goods export to Australia. Demand for gold over
recent years has been quite strong and that is likely to continue. Everyone knows gold is used for jewellery and as a
store of wealth, but it is also an important component in electronics and many emerging ‘low carbon’ technologies.
“Modern hard rock gold mining is conducted responsibly, and environmental management and rehabilitation is an integral
part of any mine and project proposal. We have excellent examples of this in New Zealand at Waihi, Macraes and the now
closed Reefton gold mine and that good record is due, in no small part, to the legislative regime that regulates
resource projects such as the Blackwater proposal – including the RMA. This give us confidence that future operations
will meet the highest standards.
“Blackwater was once the most productive mine in the Reefton Goldfield. Between 1908 and 1951 it produced approximately
700,000 ounces of gold (worth $1.3 billion at today’s prices). The West Coast has a strong tradition in mining. A
benefit of that tradition is that the community, local councils and relevant government officials are well versed in the
business of mining.
“And we note that the Government has recently provided explicit support for mining on the West Coast and will be keen to
see responsible investment generating jobs and taxes.” Mr Baker concluded.