Kanieri gets prospecting approval

Press, 13 February 1982, Page 2

Kanieri gets prospecting approval

Parliamentary reporter

A p rospecting licence has been issued to Kanieri Gold Dredging, Ltd, over 1121 ha on the Grey River in Westland. The area is on either side of the Blackball bridge and is next to the site of the company’s mining licence No. 32,093. The licence has been granted for a .threeyear term.

The company’s prospecting application was .originally the subject of a hearing at the District Court at Greymouth and the licence has been issued by the Minister of Energy (Mr Birch) in line with the recommendations of the District Court Judge.

Mr Birch said the licence would permit Kanieri to begin a drilling programme over the bed and banks of the Grey River; subject to a

set of stringent conditions, including the progressive rehabilitation of the area. The Mines Division of the Ministry of Energy had carefully considered all aspects of the Grey River prospecting proposal. Under the provisions of the Mining Amendment Act, 1981, which came into force on January 1, the holder of a prospecting licence no longer has the automatic right to obtain a mining licence.

Mr Birch said that any subsequent application for a mining licence made by the company over any part of the prospecting licence area would be subject to the provisions of the new mining legislation, which meant the full details of any applications would be available to the public.