Newmont blasted over Martha vibrations

Newmont blasted over Martha vibrations

Miningnews.net

Friday, April 16, 2004

The problems of mining in an urban environment continue to dog Newmont at its Martha mine at Waihi on the North Island of New Zealand.

According to a report in Waikato Times newspaper, the Hauraki district council is discussing a number of complaints about blast vibrations from the mine and may seek permission to prosecute.

The Martha mine is closely monitored by Newmont under a noise management plan agreed with the council which considered a prosecution last year but did not proceed.

The acting planning and environment manager at the Hauraki council, Mark Buttimore, told the newspaper he had received several complaints over a period of about a week.

"They knew they'd exceeded but they continued blasting, and on that basis I'm recommending a new prosecution be brought," Buttimore was quoted as saying.