Santana Minerals has outlined its plans for environmental stewardship at its proposed Bendigo-Ophir Gold Project, releasing a detailed press statement on Monday (August 25), a day before a local community group hosts a public meeting in Cromwell to discuss concerns over the project.

In the press release, chief executive Damian Spring said the company’s approach is guided by “respect for the land and the people who live there”, including collaboration with mana whenua, local communities, and environmental specialists. 

It outlined its post-mining rehabilitation plans, including measures it says will leave a “positive legacy” for Central Otago. 

These include reopening historic walking and cycling routes, reshaping the Tailings Storage Facility and planting it, creating wetlands, and progressively restoring land as mining advances at the site.

“This project gives us an opportunity not just to protect biodiversity, but to improve it,” Damian said.

“That includes meeting strict water compliance limits to prevent downstream effects, and creating new areas where threatened species can thrive.”

Santana Minerals confirmed its fast track application is expected to be submitted “imminently” - although this is something it has been saying for several months. As of last night, no application had yet been lodged. 

The fast track process, introduced by the coalition government, is designed to accelerate decision-making timeframes for key projects across the country.

Damian said all environmental assessments required under the Resource Management Act would still apply under the government’s fast track consenting process.

The timing of Santana Minerals’ release coincides with a public meeting organised by the Sustainable Tarras residents group, set for 6pm-8pm tonight (Tuesday August 26), at the Presbyterian Church in Cromwell. 

Community group Sustainable Tarras is hosting a public meeting in Cromwell to discuss the fast-tracked Bendigo gold mine. Images: Facebook/Sustainable Tarras

The group says the meeting is to inform the community about potential environmental and social impacts of the mine, as well as ways the public can provide feedback, with a panel of speakers lined up to present.

“Despite the scant amounts of information released by the mining company so far, there are numerous very worrying issues,” Sustainable Tarras chair Suze Keith said in a statement promoting the meeting. 

“These include the size and scale of the mine right in the heart of an Outstanding Natural Landscape, the massive tailings dam which will hold 10,000 Olympic swimming pools of toxic waste, and the extensive use and storage of large quantities of cyanide solution just upstream of the Clutha/Mata Au River. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.”

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