Mineral exploration tender puts New Zealand environment under scrutiny
New Zealand Epithermal Gold 2013, the second competitive minerals tender, was opened to companies interested in exploring for metallic minerals over 8,040 square kilometers of zone in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato regions, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment announced.
The area is known to contain epithermal style gold and silver deposits in both extinct and active geothermal fields.
"The government wants to manage any interest in minerals exploration, strategically," David Binnie, general manager of the ministry's New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals, said in a statement.
"Only through the investment of the exploration companies is it possible to identify whether there are economically viable minerals deposits. Exploration is the first step in a long process that eventually may or may not lead to mining activity. However, there are potential benefits for local and regional economies of exploration and mining activities."
Companies interested in exploring for minerals had until January next year to submit staged exploration work program bids.
The opposition Green Party said the area included conservation land in the Pureora Forest Park and the proposal would further tarnish the country's clean and green reputation.
"Many jobs in the central North Island, such as agriculture and tourism, rely on our '100 percent Pure' brand," Green Party mining spokesperson Catherine Delahunty said in a statement.
Gold mining was not environmentally benign as it created toxic tailings dams and allowing mining in the area would jeopardize the tourism industry and the agriculture export economy, which relied on the brand, she said.
The government's environmental standing has come under fire with a series of recent decisions regarding mining and oil and gas exploration, while its commitment to cutting greenhouse gas emissions has also been questioned.
The international alert over Fonterra's contaminated whey protein concentrate this month also saw the "100 percent Pure" brand called into question.