User:Schwede66/Sandbox
Mining interests
[edit]Gold was first found in the Sams Creek area in 1974 by CRA Exploration.[1] From 1980 to 1987, Australian mining company Conzinc Riotinto of Australia (CRA)—which is these days part of Rio Tinto—was exploring the area by drilling.[2][3] In 1985, the Native Forests Action Council expressed concern over three large mining proposals in the North-west Nelson Forest Park, covering an area of 42,000 ha (420 km2) – larger than the area of Abel Tasman National Park. Sams Creek was one of the three proposals, and 26 drill sites had been established by then. To get access, CRA had bulldozed tracks into the steep-sided native forest.[4] The concerns of the Native Forests Action Council, led by Guy Salmon, was acknowledged by Murray Hosking, the director of environmental forestry of the Forest Service.[5] The president of the New Zealand Mining and Exploration Association, Roger Adamson, spoke of the potential economic benefits from gold mining at Golden Cross, Union Hill, and the Martha Mine at Waihi, Macraes Mine in Otago, and Sams Creek in Golden Bay.[6]
In 1987, CRA put its 701 ha (7.01 km2) Sams Creek prospect for sale, expecting NZ$10 million. The reason for their desire to sell was that they only wanted to deal with large scale deposits.[7] Two years later, CRA still owned the claimed and had by then been given consent for bulk sampling 8000 tons of rock by the Minister of Conservation, Philip Woollaston. The advisory committee of North-west Nelson Forest Park gave its qualified support for bulk sampling, which the Maruia Society criticised as "small-scale mining".[8] In 1991, the founder of Macraes Mining Company—Miles Kennedy—negotiated the purchase of the exploration permits and assets from CRA Exploration at Sams Creek and Reefton. [2]
Macraes Mining Company changed its name GRD Macraes in 1998, and from 2002 to 2004, it undertook further explorative drilling. At the end of that period, the company changed its name once more–this time to OceanaGold–and reported an inferred gold prospect of 750,000 oz (21,000 kg) extending over a length of 7 km (4.3 mi).[2][9] Activities at Sams Creek ceased in 2004 and were taken up again in 2011 when OceanaGold formed a joint venture with MOD Resources. The latter company was registered in August 2011, formed from the Medical Corporation Australasia—a biotech company—by James Packer, Andrew Forrest, and former Multiplex director Tim Roberts (son of John Roberts).[10][11] Kennedy was chairman of MOD Resources.[1] The arrangement was that MOD Resources would fund further exploration, and would get 80% of the benefits from the venture. At the time, the exploration permit covered an area of 3,060 ha (30.6 km2).[2] In November 2011, MOD Resources announced that they intended to buy 80% of the Sams Creek asset from OceanaGold,[10] but the joint-venture arrangement stayed in place instead. Between October 2011 and March 2012, a drilling programme costing NZ$2.4 million was carried out by MOD Resources. The exploration permit was to expire in March 2012,[12] but was extended by five years based on the results.[1][13] In a statement to the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), MOD Resources labelled Sams Creek "New Zealand's biggest undeveloped gold project".[1] By June 2012, MOD Resources had commenced its second drilling programme and reported to the ASX an increased inferred gold prospect of 1,024,000 oz (29,000 kg). The updated estimate was provided by the Nelson office of Golder Associates.[12] Forest & Bird was the organisation that most actively opposed the exploration activities.[14]
- ^ a b c d Moore, Bill (1 May 2012). "Gold promise gets more scrutiny". The Nelson Mail. Nelson, New Zealand. p. 3. ProQuest 1010399122.
- ^ a b c d Goodger, Karen (13 Oct 2011). "Companies to evaluate gold in Golden Bay; GOING FOR GOLD". The Nelson Mail. Nelson, New Zealand: Fairfax Media. p. 1. ProQuest 243439111.
- ^ "CRA says it will return". The Press. 12 June 1985. p. 36. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
- ^ "Moratorium on park drilling sought". The Press. 5 December 1985. p. 72. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
- ^ "Threat of large-scale mining acknowledged". The Press. 8 January 1986. p. 23. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
- ^ Adamson, Roger G. (11 August 1986). "Mining and the N.Z. economy". The Press. p. 20. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
- ^ "$10M tag on CSR claim". The Press. 1 July 1987. p. 39. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
- ^ "Maruia Soc. to fight prospecting licence". The Press. 26 September 1989. p. 3. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
- ^ "Oceana expands assets". The Northern Miner. Toronto, Ontario. 3 September 2004. p. 8. ProQuest 243439111.
- ^ a b "New Zealand mine acquired by MOD Resources". Mining Engineering. 63 (11). Littleton: 17. November 2011. ProQuest 908875991.
- ^ Forrestal, Luke (1 July 2012). "Upgrade boon for Golden Bay gold". Sunday Star-Times. Wellington. p. D12. ProQuest 1022708083.
- ^ a b Basham, Laura (26 June 2012). "Bay gold strike worth $2 billion; Multimillion ounce reserve". The Nelson Mail. Nelson, New Zealand. p. 1. ProQuest 1022185209.
- ^ Moore, Bill (11 June 2012). "Drilling at Sams Creek reveals greater gold resource". The Nelson Mail. Nelson, New Zealand. p. 1. ProQuest 1019779514.
- ^ Young, Sarah (14 October 2011). "Battle warning in Golden Bay mining; Forest and Bird oppose planned gold exploration". The Nelson Mail. Nelson, New Zealand. p. 3. ProQuest 901235361.