Australian mining company agrees to notified consent ahead of second run at Barrytown mine

An Australian mining company behind plans for an open cast mineral mine, plant and load out facility in a small West Coast settlement has agreed to make the re-application for resource consents publicly notified, pre-empting a decision from the regional and district council on who could have a say.

TiGa Minerals managing director Robert Brand said the company will request the applications are publicly notified, as they are “committed to ensuring mana whenua, the community and key stakeholders have the opportunity to participate in the process, to ensure everyone is listened to and the process is open and transparent.”

“This project brings significant benefits to the West Coast and the company wants to ensure it commences and continues in the best possible light.”

Barrytown residents had been lobbying both the West Coast Regional Council and the Grey District Council to make the consent applications by TiGa Minerals and Metals (previously known as Barrytown JV) notifiable – allowing anyone to make a submission on the proposal to mine hundreds of hectares of farmland on the Coast Road for ilmenite, garnet ore and other minerals.

READ MORE:
* Company behind Barrytown mine proposal ‘100% confident’ of go ahead
* Residents of small coastal community gear up for another mine battle
* Majority submissions oppose proposed West Coast mineral sands mine
* Public shut out from having a say on proposed West Coast mining operation

The earlier consent applications – which were declined by independent commissioners at the start of 2022 – were classed as ‘limited notification’ by both councils, which meant they were not publicly advertised, and only those identified by the council were allowed to make a submission.

The 11 parties deemed affected were adjacent landowners, the Department of Conservation, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Waewae and Fish and Game West Coast.

The applications proposed excavating to a depth of 15m across 114 hectares, however the company has since submitted applications to extend their mining and explorations permits, and the area encompassed by the new applications is unknown.

In their decision, the commissioners chastised the company and their representatives for inadequate information, which “left them with no alternative but to decline the applications”, and cited discrepancies and inconsistencies in some of their evidence.

Concerns were also raised about the only known breeding colony of tāiko/Westland petrels, which is approximately 3km north of the proposed site.

In January, TiGa Minerals and Metals executive chair Phil Thick said he believed the company had done everything necessary to address concerns raised by the commissioners, having gathered close to 12 months worth of water monitoring and other data.

At the time, Thick said he was “100% confident” the project would be approved this time around.

The company has long indicated it would re-apply for the required consents, which were expected initially in January then delayed until last month.

On Tuesday, a West Coast Regional Council spokesperson said the applications were now not expected to be lodged until the end of March or possibly April, as “the company is waiting on some further reports to be finalised …”

Barrytown resident Laksmi Crick and member of the Coast Road Residents group opposing the mine, welcomed the move, which meant residents would have “the right to be heard.”

“We’ve had to spend a lot of energy to fight for a democratic process.”

A public meeting on the proposed mine last month hosted by the Coast Road Residents group drew “over 70 people, which in a community of around 200 is pretty crazy” and pointed to the level of concern in the community, Crick said.

She was pleased TiGa have indicated they are keen to keep dialogue with the community open.

“There are serious questions about the whole undertaking, especially the traffic impact.”

Crick said the company has reduced the hours of heavy vehicle operation to address concerns regarding the petrel, but are still estimating 50 heavy vehicle movements a day between 5am and 10pm.

The group hoped to learn from submissions, expert evidence and panel decision on the Cape Foulwind Westland Mineral Sands mine, which was approved in 2022, and was publicly notified.

Some Cape Foulwind residents contributed towards experts such as hydrologists, and the quality of that evidence made a difference in the conditions ultimately placed on the consent, Crick said.