Protests against gold mining in Coromandel

  • 02/11/2015
(iStock)
(iStock)

Protesters are refusing to allow Oceana Gold's first day in office to be smooth sailing.

The company has taken over Newmount's extensive operations in the Coromandel, including mining in Waihi and prospecting further North.

Coromandel Watchdog protester Ruby Powell says around 50 people will gather outside Oceana's Waihi office this afternoon to voice their opposition.

"We're not going to let the gold mining industry destroy heaps of land, waters or communities," she says.

"The gold mining is something that our communities really don't need overall in the Coromandel. We have a growing tourism industry, we have regenerating native forests."

Oceana Gold is currently suing the government of El Salvador for passing a law that prevents them creating mines that threatened the drinking water.

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