Decision on mining application at Mt Te Kuha
Archived content: This media release was accurate on the date of publication.
Introduction
The access application to develop and operate an opencast coal mine on Mt Te Kuha near Westport has been declined.Date: 16 June 2018
The Minister of Conservation and the Minister of Energy and Resources have jointly declined an application made by Rangitira Developments Limited for access to 12 ha of public conservation land as part of a larger project to develop and operate an opencast coal mine on Mt Te Kuha near Westport.
The Ministers declined the application because it was not considered that the potential economic benefits of the mine were large enough to outweigh the irreparable damage to an area with very high, unique and nationally significant conservation values.
The public conservation land under application is part of the Mt Rochfort Conservation Area, held for conservation purposes and managed as stewardship land under section 25 of the Conservation Act.
The Application was deemed significant by the Minister of Conservation pursuant to Section 61C(2) of the Crown Minerals Act. As such, the application was publicly notified pursuant to Section 49 of the Conservation Act. Submissions closed on 9 March 2016.
76 submissions were received, 64 were in favour, and 12 opposed. A public hearing was held in April 2016 in Westport for the six submitters that wished to be heard. The recommendations of the Director-General of Conservation stemming from the notification process have been incorporated into the access arrangement decision report linked below.
Media release from the Minister of Conservation and Minister of Energy and Resources
Te Kuha access application documents
Te Kuha decision report
Te Kuha decision report (PDF, 7,197K)
Appendix 1
Te Kuha public notification report (PDF, 3,667K)
Appendix 2
- Appendix 2a RDL Economics Report (PDF, 846K)
- Appendix 2b RDL Revised Assessment of Economic Effects (PDF, 534K)
- Appendix 2c Landscape Preliminary Review (PDF, 357K)
- Appendix 2d Landscape Review (PDF, 438K)
- Appendix 2e Access Road Engineering Review (PDF, 3,068K)
- Appendix 2f Fauna Review (PDF, 1,660K)
- Appendix 2g Invertebrate Report (PDF, 697K)
- Appendix 2h Fauna Review Addendum (PDF, 335K)
- Appendix 2i Geochemistry Review (PDF, 1,045K)
- Appendix 2j Economics Review 2016 (PDF, 593K)
- Appendix 2k Te Kuha Mine Planning V4 (PDF, 2,877K)
- Appendix 2l Economics Review 2014 (PDF, 1,239K)
- Appendix 2m Ecology Review (PDF, 105K)
- Appendix 2n Aquatic Ecology Review (PDF, 2,711K)
- Appendix 2o Mine Plan and Operations Review (PDF, 91K)
Photos of the Te Kuha site
- 6293 Te Kuha Ridgeline looking north (JPEG, 210K)
- 6962 Proposed pit area (JPEG, 336K)
- 7022 Proposed pit area with Buller Gorge in background (JPEG, 241K)
- 7058 Ridgeline looking west toward Westport (JPEG, 307K)
- 7100 Sandstone pavement and coal outcrop (JPEG, 349K)
- 7120 Upper pit area looking west (JPEG, 319K)
- 7156 Top of ridgeline (JPEG, 410K)
- 7200 Sub alpine vegetation assemblage (JPEG, 350K)
- 7270 Ridgeline looking west over Westport water conservation reserve (JPEG, 327K)
Other documents
Consultation
Te Kuha notification process and application documents
Some of these documents are scans.