'Toxic': Actor Sam Neill slams Central Otago mine proposal

Actor Sam Neill has labelled a proposal for a Central Otago gold mine “unbelievable” and “toxic”.

Neill, who is based in Central Otago, put up a statement on Instagram about the mine yesterday.

The so-called Bendigo-Opher Gold Project would see Santana Minerals dig in the Bendigo hills east of Queenstown. Four open pits are proposed, the largest 1km wide and 200m deep.

Australia based Santana Minerals is chasing fast track consent for the open pit mine which would be located on Thompson Gorge Road.

Locals have already spoken out against the proposal with advocacy group Sustainable Tarras organising public meetings.

In his statement, Neill said: “It’s unbelievable, really. Unbelievable.”

“Why would you visit this kind of environmental catastrophe onto a region that is thriving, that is in the midst of what many of us think of as a renaissance? The future of Central Otago lies in its bike trails, vineyards, cafes, in good farming practice, and a diverse and growing population of people, young and old, who genuinely care about the future of where we live,” he said.

“All aspects of life in the province will be permanently affected by the toxic presence of a mine at Thomson Gorge.”

Neill said the mining pits would risk arsenic and cyanide pollution, cause “mad noise,” pollute land and air, increase dust and road traffic and have an “incalculable environmental cost”.

“Those of us who love Central Otago are going to fight this. Because, make no mistake, this mine would be the ruin of our region, and importantly its future.”

Neill‘s post has attracted more than 20,000 likes and many of his 838,000 followers have commented.

Many labelled the project short-sighted and greedy with one person saying “this type of mining is ecological suicide”.

Another commentor said: “I wouldn’t have thought this of NZ. I can believe it in America but not pristine NZ. Fight. Fight. Fight. There are so many environmental battles to fight on this globe.”

“Sounds like pure greed with no thought whatsoever for the environment,” said another.

Suze Keith, Chair of Sustainable Tarras, said getting support from Neill was “a huge boost” to a “David versus Goliath” battle.

“People are clearly shocked about what’s planned and how the community is being cut out, despite repeated requests for information and involvement.”

Other prominent New Zealanders, including Dick Frizzell, have donated artworks to Sustainable Tarras to contribute to legal and expert costs to oppose the mine.

Santana Minerals has been preparing to lodge a fast-track application for the $4.4 billion gold mine.

Fast-track legislation aims to make it faster and easier for projects with regional or national benefits to be approved. It means companies only need to seek one approval instead of making multiple separate applications.

The Infrastructure Minister decides if projects are eligible for referral to the Fast-track pathway.

Santana Minerals has been approached for comment.

Santana Minerals CEO Damien Spring. Photo: RNZ / Katie Todd

Its chief executive Damian Spring previously said the company was planning on at least eight years of extraction at the mine, with a crew of between 250 and 280 people working there.

In a scoping study released to the Australian Stock Exchange in April Santana Minerals reveals plans to recover 1.12 million ounces of gold at the site - at current rates for gold per ounce, that is more than $4.4 billion worth.

Santana Minerals previously said it aimed to start earthworks in February, if the project secured the necessary consents.