Experienced Australian engineer Ian Magee queries the opinions of Santana Minerals CEO Damian Spring published in the ODT (17.2.26), after Spring’s words have found their way to him in Bendigo— Australia’s historic epicentre of gold mining.
“Damian presented us with some science and engineering concepts which, to an engineer with some five decades of experience, I have to admit I had been unaware. Maybe these new concepts were discovered by Santana and will now be offered to the wider industry. I am left wondering if Santana got value for the $8million they paid their consultants.”
Magee writes that his home is several kilometres from Victoria’s failed Bendigo mining project. More than a decade after the project was abandoned the state government is still unable to locate the rehabilitation bond monies and the mine sits as a toxic industrial wasteland.
“Damian has invited an Australian mining company into your community. The risk is that this company brings with it the Australian philosophy on the conduct of mining. That philosophy is very much ‘‘Dig, baby, dig’’. Australian companies rarely rehabilitate their gold mining projects.
My personal view is that it would be a high-risk strategy for your community to engage with that philosophy.”
Read the full article: https://www.odt.co.nz/opinion/%E2%80%98dig-baby-dig%E2%80%99-high-risk-strategy
Here at the top of the South Island, we thank Magee for speaking out on the multiple long-term risks that tailings waste facilities present to NZ communities living near proposed fast-tracked goldmines.