May 28, 2024
Lived experience key to Ngāi Tahu mining response
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Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu says hapū and rūnanga on the ground will dictate how the iwi responds to the government’s new minerals strategy.
Resources Minister Shane Jones has announced a stocktake of the country’s minerals and new regulatory settings and investment to encourage mining companies to extract them.
Te Waipoumau could be a source for rare earth minerals, hydrogen, potash, antimony and heavy mineral sands like garnet, titanium and zircon.
Ngāi Tahu chair Justin Tipa says mining has underpinned the economy of the West Coast Te Tai Poutini for generations, so the iwi will listen to the mana whenua.
“What we don’t want to see is a complete blanket approach in mining of virgin bush and things like that. Where it makes sense, there may already be areas that have been well mined and there’s other opportunities there for other types of mining. But as an iwi we take our lead from our hapu and runanga on the ground and their local knowledge as to when and where the possibilities may lie,” he says.