Survey For Copper May Be Approved

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30901, 6 November 1965, Page 3

Survey For Copper May Be Approved

(From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, Nov. 5. The Minister of Mines (Mr Shand) is expected to grant an application from the big mining and metals firm, Conzinc Riotinto of Australia, Ltd., to prospect for copper on Coppermine Island, one of the Hen and Chicken group, off Whangarei.

The islands constitute a scenic reserve and the application was therefore referred to the Nature Conservation Council.

By a majority vote, councillors have decided to support the application provided there is no use of explosives in prospecting and provided an officer of the Internal Affairs Department Wildlife Division accompanies those making the survey. Coppermine Island is scrubcovered, but other islands in the group contain rare plants and large-leafed trees as well as harbouring the rare native saddleback bird. The council has also attached conditions to its approval obliging the firm to report the result of any survey and declaring that sanction for prospecting implies

no commitment by the Crown to permit subsequent mining on the island should minerals be found in payable quantities. The Minister of Lands (Mr Gerard), involved because the island is Crown land, has endorsed the qualified approval of the council and declared himself at present firmly opposed to any mining. Any prospectors on the island will be obliged to take care not to introduce cats or rats.

Some 724 tons of copper ore, worth £6864, was mined in New Zealand last year for use as a fertiliser additive or as an industrial precipitate. It was all won in Northland by Marriot Industries, Ltd., from the Copper Queen mine at Parakao or the Hazlebrook mines, near Kaeo.