A crew was sampling iron-sand for Trans-Tasman Resources in 2013. PHOTO/ FILE
It made a submission on iron-sand mining from the South Taranaki seabed last time, but will not be doing so this time, the Conservation Department says.
The department (DOC) has decided not to make a submission on the application by Trans-Tasman Resources (TTR) to mine iron-sand from the sea bed
offshore from Patea.
DOC and its independent experts reviewed the latest application, DOC Central North Island communications advisor Steve Brightwell said. The department then provided TTR with comments and requested amendments to the draft conditions to address potential adverse effects on the marine environment.
TTR accepted all the revised conditions and amendments to the monitoring and management plans that DOC asked for. The department does not consider that further conservation gains will be made by submitting on the application.
It signed a confidentiality agreement covering commercial and technical aspects of the proposal to enable it to assess the application. The current application has been heavily revised since the first one was refused consent in 2014.
