Waihi mine rehabilitation – exciting economic  opportunities 

Plans for the rehabilitation and re-purposing of the ‘Martha’ gold mine located in Waihi, New Zealand are inevitably raised in the period leading up to the end of the operators licence. It was last broached around 2006 before Oceana Gold secured another license to operate the mine. 

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The prospect of the mine closing generates considerable public discussion about the possibilities for re-purposing the open cast pit. This includes the idea of creating a 192 metre deep recreational lake from the mine and parklands in the surrounding area.  

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While this idea attracted a generally positive response from the public, there was some concern about the feasibility of the lake, environmental impacts, and the economic potential. The impact upon employment opportunities for Waihi and the surrounding area were of particular note. 

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The mining license granted to Oceana Gold for Waihi requires an annual review of the Rehabilitation and Closure Plan (“the Plan”). This article is intended as supplementary input into the statutory and discretionary obligations Oceana Hold already holds, Hauraki District Council planning, and as stimulus for wider community discussion.    

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While Oceana Gold securing a license for further years somewhat muted the public conversation about options post-mine, the necessity to plan future options remains. The Waihi Community Vision (WCV) Group has historically been an active voice and such groups will be crucial in driving the exploration of possibilities. 

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As at 2023, it seems unlikely that all mining activity in the area will completely cease and hence ‘mixed use’ and/or transitional options may be the most attractive in the short to medium term. In this article, several high-level options for Martha mine are discussed. These options could be also considered in other mine rehabilitation scenarios in New Zealand and elsewhere. 

Clearly, health and safety of all post mine options will be paramount. It is the starting assumption that the necessary work to rehabilitate the mines to a safe level will be undertaken by the operator and/or the developer to permit future development. 

Options for development of Martha post mining operations could include: 

Option A - The Martha eco-park

A ‘garden of Eden’ native bush regeneration programme over twenty years to re-introduce local biodiversity and create a unique, accessible experience of the New Zealand natural environment. Comparative examples could include to the likes of Zealandia in Wellington, New Zealand and international bio-parks. The Martha eco-park option could include an extensive network of walkways that navigate their way around the re-forested mine and feature waterfalls, rivers, waterholes, caves, and reintroduced biodiversity.