News

At the latest BA5 Networking event in Central Otago, hosted by Santana Minerals, over 120 businesses attended the event to discuss the proposed fast-track mining operation. It was an informative and respectful discussion, with diverse business sectors sharing their views.

Below the ODT article published on the 14th of June 2025

...........

"Santana Minerals executive director Damian Spring has told a business audience in Cromwell his company is just "a few weeks away" from applying for a fast-tracked resource consent to operate an open pit and underground mine in the hills above the town.

More than 100 people attended the Business South event, where Mr Spring said the last of the reports were being finished on what he described as "one of the most intensive and extensive studies ever undertaken on the Dunstan Mountains".

"We have spent over $6million on consultants and contractors in order to acquire the studies that we need for that fast track," he said.

"This sort of work covers water quality, water quantity, dust, noise, traffic, water ecology, birds, lizards, plants, wetlands, pests, rehabilitation, environmental geochemistry — the list goes on."

While the new streamlined consenting process introduced by the coalition government was yet untested, all going to plan, it could give Santana Minerals the go-ahead to mine as early as the end of the year, Mr Spring said.

In response to a question from the Otago Daily Times, Mr Spring indicated to the room he was confident Santana Minerals had done what was needed to secure that consent and move the project forward, saying he did not lose any sleep thinking about the alternative.

Other questions from the floor revealed apprehension from some in the business community about the impact any mining activity could have on Central Otago’s reputation for fine wine and natural vistas, as well as the potential for workforce poaching from the region’s in-demand civil construction sector.

Hayden Johnston, of Tarras Vineyard, said the mine site was 5km away from his business, which traded off "the beautiful natural environment" around it.

"That’s where we have a conflict, right? No matter how good you guys are, the mining industry is exploitative."

Though Mr Spring was quick to offer the counterview that mining was "extractive" rather than "exploitative", he did not shy away from the reality and the fact it would be a "perception thing" for the local wine and tourism sectors: "It is the nature of mining — we dig up stuff, we change the landform."

But he also backed his science.

"When we’re talking about toxins, the tailings dam, the whole design is about ensuring that whatever residue is left in those tailings stays in those tailings in behind the dam.

"We are designing everything in order to understand what the effects are and how to control those effects."

Santana Minerals’ newest recruit, environment manager Cheryl Low, just four days in the job and fresh from the mines of North Queensland, was one of an arsenal of experts Mr Spring had join him on stage.

Ms Low said even in the last decade the industry had changed considerably in its approach.

"Mining people would be production, production, production, and the environment was an afterthought. They’ve now learnt they have to plan for the closing of the mine before they can even start digging."

Santana Minerals engagement manager Vicki Blakeborough, charged with finding the 300-odd staff needed at the site, said as many as 900 people had already been in touch.

"The interest has just been incredible."

That interest had come from people already living in the area who had industry experience or transferable skills as well as from those who called the area home but were working at other mines "around the world", she said.

Mr Spring confirmed a construction camp to house 80 people was part of the company’s resource application, alongside a caravan park for out-of-town workers with their own mobile homes.

He also expected the company to offer transport to and from the mine site from locations within an hour-and-a-half’s drive, he said.

Business South chief executive Mike Collins urged Santana Minerals to continue having transparent conversations with the community as the mining company moved forward with its plans to prevent an information "vacuum" where misinformation or misunderstanding could spread.

"It’s all about communicating ... and keeping the dialogue going," he said.

With "record-high" gold prices, Mr Spring told the room the latest ballpark revenue figure for the Bendigo site was more than $6.4 billion over nine years.

However, Santana Minerals geology manager Alex Nichol said drilling was ongoing at four sites in the northern part of the Rise and Shine deposit with the aim to grow that gold resource further."