Gold mining in road reserve

Press, 24 April 1980, Page 3

Gold mining in road reserve

Wellington reporter

Gold mining and dredging in the extensive reading reserve across the Mikonui riverbed in Westland, near Ross, has been approved by the National Roads Board. The dredging will be done by the Carpentaria Exploration Company, Ltd, and Lime and Marble, Ltd. Dredging may be done across the road reserve if a fully sealed bypass road protected by guardrails is built to 70km/h standards and maintained at all times to the satisfaction of the Ministry of Works and Development, at the expense of the mining companies. On completing the dredg-

ing work within the highway reserve, the highway will be reinstated to present standards, also at the expense of the mining company. No dredging work will be done within 15Om of any part of the Mikonui River bridge structure. The mining companies will do feasibility studies for dredging for alluvial gold in the lower reaches of the Mikonui River.

State highway 6 passes through the centre of the proposed area. If dredging work goes ahead, the Highway will have to be shifted, either temporarily or permanently. during the period when the .dredge path crosses it