By MONIQUE DEVEREUX
TE AROHA - The Government is finally lending a financial hand to solve a toxic 27-year problem in te aroha.
The town's Tui mine, operated by Norpac Mining, was closed in 1973, leaving behind 100,000 cu m of toxic sludge.
What was once a prosperous mine - employing 54 people and yielding 43,500 tonnes of copper, lead, zinc, silver and gold a year - is now labelled an orphan site.
Since the closure the people of Te Aroha have had to change their water supply because of the mine's seeping waste and pay to stabilise the tailings, which were threatening the town.
Disposing of the tailings and cleaning up the abandoned site is estimated to cost around $5 million.
Because Norpac Mining went into receivership, no one is liable for the problem. For years, mining companies and local and central government avoided any commitment to the cleanup effort for fear of being labelled the pollution culprits and fined. The Government, despite having a significant financial interest in the mine when it was operational, offered only reluctant support to the town.
However, in the past few years the Matamata-Piako District Council, Environment Waikato, the Ministry of Economic Development and mining companies have worked together on the problem, and now the Government has stepped in a with a promise to fund their work further.
Environment Minister Marian Hobbs visited the mine on Sunday and congratulated the groups for their work so far, especially as none were liable for the toxic mess.
Matamata-Piako Mayor Hugh Vercoe said he was pleased about the Government's decision to fund further cleanup investigations. This would enable the town to deal with what had long been a blight.
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