The Martha Mine is one of two hard rock gold mines operating in New Zealand.Martha Mine is an open pit mine and has been operating since 1987. It is due to close in 2006. Newmont Waihi Gold is constructing the Favona underground project. This is expected to begin production by the end of 2006. The company has recently increased its exploration activity in and around Waihi. The renewed investment in the area is expected to continue for some time, depending on results.
The aerial photograph below shows the Martha Mine and the town of Waihi.
Above: Looking southeast towards the Bay of Plenty and Tauranga. The open pit (1) is surrounded by a residential area. The processing plant,(5) water treatment plant (4) and tailings storage areas (6,8) are about two kilometres away. A conveyor belt (3) links the open pit to the rest of the operation. The Favona Project is underground, adjacent to the water treatment plant (4). |
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| Above: Historic workings similar to this example are common in the Waihi area. Miners sank vertical shafts and then drove horizontal tunnels in their search for veins containing gold-bearing ore. |
Gold was first discovered in Waihi in 1878. The town grew
around the underground mine that operated from the 1880s until
its closure in 1952. After closure most of the buildings were
removed, some of the shafts were capped and the miners went
to jobs elsewhere.
In those days attitudes to the environment were very different
and mining companies were not required to carry out any rehabilitation
work. The mined area was fenced off and became overgrown with
scrub and bush.
There was no more gold mining activity in Waihi until prospecting work began in the 1970s for the current project.
The New Martha Mine
Environmental attitudes and values had changed from the early days. It was no longer okay to mine without considering the environment. Planning for the new Martha Mine had to take into account that the mine would be operating very near to people’s houses and properties. The planners had to look at ways the open pit mine and its activities might affect neighbouring areas. If any effects could be seen as negative, the planners had to work out ways those effects could be avoided or lessened.
To do this they collected a large amount of information about Waihi, such as the area’s climate, geology, waterways, air quality, noise, flora and fauna, social and economic environment and much more. This took about seven years.
They also had to plan ways that the mined land could be rehabilitated afterwards, so that the area would be left the same as it was before mining started … or better.
Above: An impression of the proposed lake
which will replace the present open pit once mining is complete.
All the information that was gathered was used to support applications for a mining licence, water rights and clean air licence.
The Mining Licence was granted in July 1987 for 30 years. It allowed the open pit to be mined to a depth of 200 metres. This would be reached by 2000 – 2001. The clean air licence and water rights consents followed.
The licences and water rights had strict conditions for factors such as noise, dust, vibration, hours of work and water quality.
The Extended Project
In the 1990s the company studied the possibility of mining deeper in the open pit - to a depth of 250 metres instead of 200 metres. This meant that the pit would need to be wider and longer than was first planned. Another round of information gathering began.
Due to changes in New Zealand law, licence applications now came under the control of the Resource Management Act, which was introduced in 1991. To permit an extension to the Martha Mine applications for new resource consents were made to the Hauraki District Council and Environment Waikato; the Environment Court in Wellington heard appeals.
Consents were granted in December 1998. Once again, strict conditions were imposed, including conditions for environmental monitoring and reporting.
Exploration drilling over the last few years has tested the Favona orebody east of Union Hill and Gladstone Hill. This reef system was explored and shafts were sunk at various times over 20 years from 1895 but the area never produced any gold. More recently the area was explored to a much greater depth and a zone of mineralisation has been identified that is of sufficient quantity and grade to be economic to mine by underground methods. The permitting process for the Favona Underground Project was completed in 2004 and work has begun on construction of the decline. It is expected that stope production from Favona will commence in 2006. For more information about the Favona Project click here.
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