Neighbours protest proposed sand mine alongside West Coast tourist road

Monday, 5 July 2021

Communities on the West Coast fear a ban on new mining on DOC land could devastate their economy and future. (Video first published in July 2018)

Opponents of a plan to mine minerals on the West Coast say they’re concerned about the effects it will have on native animals, house values, road safety and the mental health of those living nearby.

Barrytown JV Ltd has applied for resource consent from the West Coast Regional Council and the Grey District Council to mine 5000 tonnes of heavy mineral concentrate from 115 hectares of private farmland every week for 15 years. The minerals would be trucked along the Coast Road tourist drive (State Highway 6) to Westport for exportation.

The consent sought includes mining activities, earthworks, diversion works in and on the bed of affected waterbodies, taking and using surface and groundwater, and discharging treated mine water to land where it may enter water.

The councils decided to process the application with limited notification, so only people deemed “affected parties” were invited to make submissions.

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Barrytown JV Ltd wants to mine gold, garnet and titanium on land in the Barrytown area.

The Grey District Council received eight submissions, all of which opposed the proposal.

Department of Conservation director-general Lou Sanson’s submission said he was concerned the proposal did not adequately identify the effects on indigenous biodiversity and freshwater fish habitat.

Barrytown is on the West Coast between Greymouth and Punakaiki.

The habitats of native animals including longfin eels, whitebait, white heron and banded dotterel could be affected by the mining activity, and the company did not provide adequate information on how it would avoid or mitigate the potential adverse effects, he said.

Adjoining landowners George and Gladys Langridge said they were concerned by the noise and dust the mining operation would create.

The Coast Road was not safe for high numbers of heavy vehicles, and nighttime trucking would harm Westland petrels, which crash-landed when disorientated by lights at night, they said.

Robyn Langridge and Dan Vandenberg said the proposal to mine seven days a week was not fair on neighbours and the wider community.

They feared radioactive decay of components such as radon and thoron would occur while they were being mined, transported and exported.

The proposal was also “alarming” because mining would lower the land already prone to erosion, they said.

Sharon Langridge and Ross Wildbore said the mining operation went against the area’s reputation for spectacular nature-based tourism.

Sophie Allen's horse-drawn wagon tours traverse Barrytown Beach. The proposed mining site is visible in the background.

“The proposed mine is in a clearly visible location, on a world-class coastal highway.”

Michael Morgan and Michelle Radford said people lived in Barrytown for its peace and quiet and views of sea, bush and green pasture.

“Residents and visitors consider this a piece of paradise. Land and houses owned by local residents are sure to drop in value severely.

“Mental health effects are likely to be a major problem for those who cannot afford to leave the area, and they will need psychological and medical help, which should be provided by Barrytown JV Ltd.”

Jacqui Rogers and Andrew Ellis said they said they were not anti-mining, but the project had killed their chances of selling their property or restarting their bed and breakfast business. A recent sale offer had fallen through because of the proposed mine, they said.

“Not too many people want to buy or live in a house that overlooks a noisy, dusty pit, a hectare in size and 15m deep.”

The application says material would be processed at the site 24 hours a day and the mine would create up to 80 jobs and pay $1 million in tax a year.

A letter to the Grey District Council from the company’s consultants said the potential effects on the environment from radioactivity would be negligible.

The company also said the mine's effects on the Westland petrel would be low, and lighting would be limited at night.

It would also rehabilitate the land back to farmland, plant buffers along creeks and implement mitigation for noise and visual affects, it said.