NZ: Central Otago goldmine dust could contaminate export fruit
Fruitgrower Stephen Jeffery delivered a verbal submission at an independent commissioner's hearing on Friday, voicing concerns about the establishment of an open pit alluvial goldmine proposed across 163 hectares near Roxburgh, Central Otago.
Kokiri Lime Company Limited is proposing to mine for about 15 years across orchards and farmlands through the Coal Creek Flat area.
Jeffery said after the hearing the potential impact of dust to fruit - in particular apricots - could be detrimental to business.
"The cherries to be fair are water based when they go through the system, so any surface dust should come off. But apricots - definitely not. Any dust on fruit at harvest time is rejected export fruit...Orchardists today, live off their exports. We would not survive if we were not exporting. The returns off the domestic market are not good enough and there is not enough volume, so it is critical we don't do anything to jeopardise the quality of export fruit."
He also had concerns about water availability.
"If they did anything to upset the aquifer - when I am frost fighting I cannot have any reduction. They would have to have something in place if they disrupted the water supply. Even one day is significant. If I don't frost fight one night I could lose the whole crop."
Kokiri Lime Company Limited owner Mackley Ferguson said the mine was a "viable economic project that will ensure that the potential effects on the environment will be avoided, remedied or mitigated".
Expert witness Richard Chilton said the mine would be progressively rehabilitated and much of the excavation and processing of the material would be a wet process and would not give rise to dust emissions.
Hydrogeologist Thomas Heller said the long-term hydraulic effect, the effect on groundwater quality and the potential for contamination from Kokiri operations, were of no more than "minor" in nature. However, the effect of mine de-watering upon water table drawdown upon local wells was "unavoidable".
Source: www.stuff.co.nz/
