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This is one of a long, long list of hazardous substances that will be stored in very large quantities on site. In the Dunstan Mountains. In Central Otago. Cheerleaders for Santana’s controversial fast-track mine often talk about “world class regulations” and “guardrails” for mining in NZ, to keep us and our environment protected. Significant news earlier this week. Santana Minerals is being accused of a second breach of overseas investment rules as it faces a legal challenge over a crucial land purchase. For those of you in or near Dunedin, there's a poetry reading taking place tomorrow. Please head along if you can. Details on the attached poster. We've been getting lots of questions about Santana's toxic tailings dam. This video shows you where it will be. As seen in The Post earlier this month - in letters to the editor. Keeping it real. The reality of tailings dams is that they can fail - we've seen this relatively frequently. Worse, according to the world leading expert in tailings dams, it's inevitable. It may not happen in your lifetime or mine, but he's saying it will happen. There's a lot of talking up royalties for the proposed fast-track mine. But there are significant risks and downsides. This recent article from Newsroom sheds light on one of the downsides which isn't talked about much: who pays for problems when the mining company can't, or long after they've left (and they will leave!). Spoiler alert: it's us!! In case you missed it: Former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark, on RNZ on Wednesday 4 February. She outlines her serious concerns about the direction we are heading - as a country - with mining. ICYMI: an article in The Press this week (link below) about the costs to the taxpayer of mining impacts. ICYMI: Here is the original reporting from local media. Some very outdated, non-scientific views from the man heading up controversial Australian fast-track mining company Santana. Many people haven’t actually seen a gold mine processing plant. Well, this is a shot showing some of the plant at Macraes mine in Otago, near Palmerston. For months, Santana has been claiming huge support for their controversial fast-track mine. There is no doubt support from shareholders and those who think they might get work from the project. But 99%? Really? For months, we've been asking Santana whether they will commit to mining safety standards and measures regarded as "best practice" globally, to afford our environment the highest possible industry protections. They have refused. In a recent open letter to Prime Minister Luxon, Sir Ian Taylor said in very plain terms what many of us have been concerned about. This is a must read. A letter to the editor in last weekend's ODT shedding some light on what it's like living in the wake of mining. If you're in Dunedin (or know someone who will be in the next few weeks) please pop along to this installation on George Street. Update: only half of the artworks for sale now remain. https://nogobendigo.substack.com/ Ian Magee is a mining expert who sits on the environment review committee which oversees Bendigo's gold mines. That's Bendigo, Australia, not Bendigo, Central Otago - although the irony is amusing. Earlier this week, Santana’s CEO said that he did not like the term “toxic sludge” to describe the contents of Santana’s tailings dam (a planned part of their fast-track mine). Despite "management plans" and good engineering intentions, tailings dams aren't perfect. Even close to home. A detailed study of seepage from Macraes mine in Otago shows clear evidence of a "sulphate plume" in just 14 years. In the Press today: Sam Neill video ramps up backlash to Central Otago gold mine. Sent to us this week - this detailed comment appeared on Santana's support group on Facebook. Written by a kiwi miner in response to another member's post. A significant story on p3 of today’s ODT confirming once again that Santana is not playing with a straight bat. From the article: Do we really want to welcome to New Zealand, with open arms, an Australian Mining Company whose chair has non-scientific, outdated views? A video message from Rt Hon Helen Clark - @helenclarknz - former Prime Minister of New Zealand , about the fast-track mine proposal at Bendigo, Central Otago. With mining proposals continuing to polarise communities throughout New Zealand, it’s easy to be seduced by extraordinary figures about profit, and tallies of projected jobs. Who doesn’t love something with the word “billions” threaded through its accounts? In a recent article, Sir Ian Taylor called out the labelling of those opposing Santana’s controversial mine as “elitist” and similar labels. We couldn’t have put it better ourselves. Much is being made of the impact Santana claims it will have on the economy of Cromwell and Central Otago. The gold mine, they say, will bring prosperity to the area. Oops. Santana won't want you to see this. One of the world's foremost authorities on tailings dams, Prof. Steven Emerman, gives us five key facts which Santana hasn't.

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