Gold miner backtracks on plans to mine next to Te Waikoropupu Springs

Friday, 16 June 2017

Te Waikoropupu Springs is the largest coldwater springs in New Zealand and contains some of the clearest waters ever measured in the world.

A Takaka dairy farmer who wants to mine gold on farmland adjacent to the treasured Te Waikoropupu Springs has shrunk his proposal after local iwi raised concerns.

Matthew Crawford, 28, said he had backtracked on his original application after consulting with iwi Ngati Tama ki Te Waipounamu trust.

The proposed mining area in the Pupu Valley.

He is expected to apply for resource consent soon and his updated consent application has cut out 33 hectares of pasture that adjoins the renowned springs in the Pupu Valley.

'Although the reserve was never going to be affected, I have taken on and respect it is a sensitive area and removed all land in the catchment of Fish Creek and the springs,' Crawford said.

Matthew Crawford (right) with his daughter, Ava Crawford and partner, Rowena Dixon.

'[I have] also distanced myself well away so noise will not be heard, meaning there will be absolutely no potential effects on the springs or reserve.'

Crawford hopes to mine in an area of 30 hectares of farmland further up the valley.

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There would be no chemicals used and no water takes, he said, and be divided into small-scale blocks.

The operation would take place at one block per year at a depth of one to ten metres — with the majority being less than five metres.

Te Waikoropupu Springs is the country's largest freshwater springs and contains some of the clearest water ever measured on earth.

Ngati Tama spokeswoman Sarah Sparks said the iwi had a 'no mining stance' near the wahi tapu, so it held obvious concerns with any mining occurring in the vicinity of Te Waikoropupu Springs.

'The Tasman District Council should notify all such consents to Ngati Tama as an affected party,' she said.

Crawford's family farm, owned by his grandfather Graham Ball, was heavily mined with no restrictions during the 1800s and early 1900s by the Takaka Sluicing Company.

It is believed a significant gold claim was abandoned at the time of World War 1. Crawford's great-grandparents bought the property and transformed it into 155 hectares of farmland.

Crawford said he was inspired to mine the area after working for two seasons in a large-scale gold mine in Mongolia, and applied for a mining permit on the farm in 2014 before submitting the original draft for a resource consent in 2016.

However, consultation with the Trust resulted in Crawford backtracking on his plans and cutting out an 'enormous' chunk of land, he said.

'In terms of the gold quantity it's probably about 80 per cent of the claim, in actual physical gold,' he said.

Crawford admitted he was disappointed and it had been a big investment.

'I guess it's a shame because there was never going to be any potential risk to the springs and it would have offered employment and an economic boost to the community,' he said.

It was hard to find a job, let alone afford to live or buy a home in Golden Bay, he said.

'This pushes a huge percentage of our young people out of the bay. I think we need to somehow look after our young people; we need to assess everything really carefully, but we also need to give them a chance and make compromises before saying no to everything.'

Crawford's original plan was to employ two staff, operate 12 hours a day and cover a maximum of four hectares per year up to a depth of five metres.

The operation was a part-time hobby now, that would cover up to one hectare per year and Crawford would likely work alone one or two days a week.

'Talking to Ngati Tama though, I can see they are very passionate about not mining in the catchment of Te Waikoropupu Springs,' he said.

'I can see their point as it is worth protecting; this has encouraged me to move away from the area, eliminating any potential risks to the springs reserve and aquifer.'

Te Waikoropupu Springs is wahi tapu and revered by local Maori, who have been fighting commercialisation of the area since the 1980s.

The Government has just accepted an application for an unprecedented Water Conservation Order to give national park status to the springs and the Arthur Marble aquifer that feeds them.

Recent tests reveal nitrate levels are running at critical levels in the main spring. Fish Creek, which flows near the springs, also has exceedingly high levels of E.coli during rain events.

The iwi also took TDC to the High Court in March over the company Kahurangi Virgin Water Limited's lapse extension without public consultation on a non-notified basis, to draw water from the reserve for its commercial bottling operation.

The judge found 'errors' in the council's process and ordered it to reconsider the application.