TNC seeks to allay worker concerns

The Tarkine National Coalition has placed full page advertisements in The Advocate and The Mercury in an attempt to address the misconception that a Tarkine National Heritage Listing would threaten jobs in Tasmania’s existing mines.

“The campaign for the Tarkine has never sought to close existing mines, and not all of the Tarkine has been nominated for heritage protection,” said Tarkine National Coalition Campaign Coordinator, Scott Jordan.

“A principle in drafting boundaries for National Heritage nominations was that all existing mines were to be excluded from the nomination. As such, the boundaries for the 2004 National Heritage nomination excluded all operational mines at that time. In 2011 the TNC’s nominated boundary was revised to exclude the re-opened Hellyer Mine lease and additional mine lease area granted to the Rosebery mine (2008) and the Savage River new lease extensions (2005 & 2007) and a 1km buffer around this mine and the iron ore pipeline”.

“The current applications for tailings dam expansions within the Savage River mine leases are unaffected by the National Heritage nomination. Likewise the foreshadowed new Rosebery tailings dam is unaffected by the National Heritage nomination”.

“The Tarkine National Coalition has also supported the proposed re-mining projects at Luina and Burns Peak. Both of these projects relate to already degraded sites and there is a real opportunity to conduct mining operations while reducing pre-existing acid mine drainage issues. Over 200 new jobs will come from these two projects”.

“We have not opposed the Henty expansion, the Avebury mine, the proposed Heemskirk tin mine or the South Hercules mine – all of which fall outside the National Heritage nomination area”.

“We simply oppose new mines in the Tarkine National Heritage nominated area”.

“I hope that this information provides comfort to the workers in the existing West Coast mines and communities that rely on these mines”.