The Coromandel coastal community of Onemana has confirmed its opposition to gold mining and plans to challenge renewed exploration in the area by mining companies, Green MP Catherine Delahunty said today.
A meeting of residents and ratepayer yesterday expressed concern about drilling rigs in the hills near the town as the Newmont gold mining company looks for more gold on the Coromandel
Peninsula.
"Locals are adamant that they don't want mining near their seaside community and beach," Ms Delahunty said. "They're understandably worried about all aspects of the potential mining project from the impact on the local environment to the effect on property values and they see gold mining as incompatible with the values that bring people to live and holiday in the region."
Rising gold prices were increasing mining pressure on many areas of the world where multi-nationals had already made a mess and the Hauraki/Coromandel area was no exception, she noted.
"Newmont want to expand out of Waihi by drilling at Onemana. The people at Onemana haven't
had the chance to object because Newmont took over exploration licences belonging to Heritage Mining and most locals didn't know this had happened until it was too late.
"The last thing this community wants is an endless stream of trucks driving from a gold mine in their catchment to the Waihi processing plant."
The Coromandel was worth more than gold to the country and mining companies would be actively challenged, Ms Delahunty said.
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