Gold Mining

Lesson 4: The Environmental Impact of Gold Mining Part One

What Lies Beneath (2006)

Key Content

• Gold mining extraction techniques.
• Environmental impact of gold mining.
• Conflict over resources use.

Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

• Outline gold extraction techniques.
• Describe some of the environmental impacts of the gold mining extraction system.
• Describe how different people perceive and use a resource differently.

Waitua Gold Mine

8. Building & Operation of a Dredge [extracts], A. Campbell, 1935-1936

Building and Operation of a Dredge (1936)

Amateur footage that shows the invasive nature of mining, the use of the environment and what remains.

a. In the footage, how did the miners get underground? A lift.

b. What type of animal is shown hauling a train of coal buckets out of the mine? A horse.

c. What are the stampers crushing? Quartz.

d. What does the film footage state is the modern method of mining gold? Dredging.

e. What environmental impact does dredging appear to have in the footage?
Vegetation destroyed; lots of mud and pools of silted water; waste water carrying silt pumped back into the river; erosion; massive piles of tailings.

Shotover River [1990s]

9. Mining and the Environment (extract), Coromandel Watchdog / Team Video Pacific, 1993

Mining and the Environment (1993)

The Shotover River Valley near Queenstown is a popular tourist attraction. However white water rafting companies became concerned about the environmental impact of the mining operation.

a. What recreation uses does the Shotover river have?
Rafting/tourism. Of course the Shotover jet is also important and very famous but is not shown in the footage.

b. Specifically, what were the rafting company concerned about?
Destruction of the rapids; moving rocks in the river; discolouring the river through silt discharge from the dredging operation. Later the rafting company state that the economic impact on their business is also of concern (as well as the environmental impact).

c. What was the compromise reached between the rafting and mining company?
The mining company would leave designated areas of the river alone. The rafting company would stop making a fuss about the mining operation in areas that didn’t have a lot of rapids/white water.

Coromandel

10. Prospects (extracts), Pit Productions, 1989

Prospects (1989)

Natural resources in the Coromandel Peninsula are under threat, and local residents to band together to preserve the area, and protest against destructive mining.

a. At what rate does the footage state that gold is being mined around the world today?
2000 tones per year.

b. What environmental impacts doe the footage show has been cause by mining in the Coromandel?
Bush/vegetation destroyed; noise; landscape changes/scarring.

c. Which groups are opposed to mining on the Coromandel?
Local Maori; lobby groups; local residents and businesses.

d. What sort of action did those opposed to mining on the Coromandel take?
Protests; anti-mining signs along roads; legal measures; letter writing campaigns; occupation of mining sites.

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