Thursday, 21 February 2019

Mining Exploration without Social Licence in 2019: Castillo Copper expects to make an announcement in respect of the status of its exploration tenements on Monday, 4 March 2019



The Daily Examiner, 19 February 2019:

Member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis has told an anti-mining group he does not support short-term mining that risks the environment of our area.

It comes while Castillo Copper has again requested an extension to the voluntary suspension of its securities on the Australian Security Exchange.

This is the third time they have requested an extension following their initial suspension on December 27.

The initial suspension came after the NSW Resources Regulator suspended two exploration licences near Cangai, northwest of Grafton.

Resources Regulator director of compliance operations Matthew Newton said action was taken to suspend the operations due to a number of serious compliance issues being identified at a recent inspection.

“The contraventions related to alleged non-compliance with conditions of both exploration licences, which were uncovered during an inspection on November 22, 2018,” Mr Newton said.

Castillo’s letter said their board remained in active engagement with the Regulator as it continued its inquiries.

Meanwhile, representatives from the Stop Cangai Mine group and the Gumbaynggirr Nation met with Nationals MP Mr Gulaptis in Grafton on Monday to voice their concerns about Castillo Copper’s optimistic reports to shareholders that could lead to a mine in the Clarence Valley.

“The hype promising jobs for locals when the exploration licence was first reported in 2017 was misleading,” Stop Cangai Mine’s Karen von Ahlefeldt said.

“Any mining jobs gained will be at the loss of jobs in fishing, farming and tourism.
“We need more inspectors, paid for by exploration licence fees to enforce contractors compliance. Self-regulation does not work.”

The group told Mr Gulaptis they were concerned there could be plans to ship tailings from the old Cangai Mine to China for processing, which would fund the development of an open-cut cobalt mine, but Mr Gulaptis said an approval to do so would require a development application to be lodged and at the moment the exploration activities had been suspended.
“I was glad that their exploration licence was suspended by the NSW Resources Regulator for breaches of their licence,” Mr Gulaptis said.

“The whole purpose of having a Resources Regulator is to ensure mining companies comply with the terms of their licence and if companies breach their licence conditions then they should answer for it.”

The group said that both Greens state candidate Dr Greg Clancy and Shooters, Fishers and Farmers candidate Steve Cansdell had publicly announced their strong opposition to the mine.

Castillo Copper informed the Australian Stock Exchange on 4 February 2019 that it had completed remedial work at the exploration site and awaits notice of NSW Resources Regulator approval to recommence mining exploration at Cangai. 

On 18 February it applied for a third voluntary trading suspension pending an announcement in respect of the status of its exploration tenements which Castillo expects to make on Monday, 4 March 2019.

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