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Feedback on draft minerals programmes sought - TAKE ACTION

gavin		Posted : Thursday, 4 October 2012 5:19:53 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		Just received this in my inbox... Further consultation to inform the review of the Crown Minerals Act regime is underway. The Ministry is now seeking feedback on two draft minerals programmes, which set out the policies and procedures for the allocation and administration of Crown-owned petroleum and mineral resources. Consultation on the draft minerals programmes is happening concurrently to the Commerce Select Committee process on the Crown Minerals (Permitting and Crown Land) Bill. The draft minerals programmes should be read alongside the Bill. Submissions on the draft minerals programmes are due by 5.00pm, Wednesday 5 December 2012 If you wish to make a submission on the Bill, this must be made to the select committee directly. _________________________________ I've only just received it so need to give it a good read through, but lets see if we can get our voices heard and get some consideration made for the hobby prospector and use of metal detectors!
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mintcar		Posted : Thursday, 4 October 2012 6:33:44 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Medals: Groups: Registered Joined: 30/03/2010(UTC) Posts: 32 Location: nelson Thanks: 102 times Was thanked: 7 time(s) in 7 post(s)		Hi Gavin I thought due date was early november we need to get some action on this. Bill

digahole!!		Posted : Thursday, 4 October 2012 9:16:16 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 22/01/2012(UTC) Posts: 89 Location: chch Thanks: 19 times Was thanked: 47 time(s) in 28 post(s)		Just had a quick look, seems like there might be scope for recreational permits, however I didn't see the specifications, WE ALL need to jump on this and have a say, or we could simply let it pass and keep on complaining amongst ourselves!

gavin		Posted : Thursday, 4 October 2012 10:46:34 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		Anyone want to throw a quick template letter we can all use to air our thoughts? I still haven't had a chance to have a proper read through yet - hopefully tomorrow!
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gogold		Posted : Thursday, 4 October 2012 10:56:25 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 5/01/2012(UTC) Posts: 217 Location: gore Thanks: 4 times Was thanked: 56 time(s) in 45 post(s)		No matter how hard you try you are still not going to get something for nothing!!! What needs to happen is the process made easier and cheaper for the "small scale miner" i use this term as it covers sniping pans sluices detectors highbankers and dredges of various sizes. If you are going to make submissions and have a say then do it using the term "small scale mining" dont use fossicking/hobby prospector as they probably wont care as there are already the designated sites that you can fossick/ prospect on a hobby scale. To be fair the crown minerals side of things is not where the problem lies, the only bad part is the cost but then this also stops every wally out there claiming lots of area to have a pan a couple times a year and stopping ligitimate miners. you have to remember anyone small scale will most likely not find enough gold in a year to pay royaltys. 10 yr mining permit = $840 a year or $16 a week thats not too bad when you look at it that way.(minimum annual fee $511.11 incl) Where the changes are needed is in the RMA and the crown access areas these are very time consuming and get very costly,they also come with rediculous rules and restrictions. I am not sure about other parts of nz but here in southland there is no consistiency at all when it comes to this. consents are all over the place they seem to have no idea what they are doing. access is retarded why do we need millions of dollars in insurance to dig a few holes? even at the larger end of the small scale mining say 6" or even 8" dredges it is very low impact on the envirionment a whole days work could be done with just a couple of scoops from a digger . it all seems out of hand small scale miners need a way to bypass this BS and stop being treated like we are hacking the countryside to pieces with heavy machinery. Edited by user Thursday, 4 October 2012 11:13:25 PM(UTC) \| Reason: Not specified

oroplata		Posted : Friday, 5 October 2012 1:03:10 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered, Moderators Joined: 16/06/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,040 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 23 times Was thanked: 211 time(s) in 152 post(s)		Thanks for the "head's up" on this. I just made the following submission via their on-line submission system: Quote: I oppose the current intent of this bill because it does not go far enough in it's stated objective of "supporting New Zealand businesses to grow in order to create jobs and improve New Zealanders’ standard of living." At present, for a New Zealand wanting to become a gold miner they must first find a piece of land that hasn't already been claimed, then embark of a lengthy, expensive process to gain the right to work that land. In reality, it is so expensive that it is indeed easier and cheaper to move to Australia and work the land there under the Australian "miner's right" system - a far simpler and easier process. It is a fact that many New Zealanders visit Australia for "Gold Detecting Tourism", purchasing or hiring metal detectors on arrival and spending, say, 1 to 2 weeks exploring the outback hunting for nuggets. There is very little similar tourism in New Zealand, as here it is mainly limited to a very small number of "public fossicking areas" in the South Island. I submit that allowing large tracts of land under claim by multinational companies is completely contradictory to the stated goal of the "Business Growth Agenda". These companies have been allowed to lock away nearly all of the land suitable for working by small surface miners, land that these multinationals themselves do not have the resources to develop - especially in current economic conditions - for many years. I propose that Tier one claims are modified to only apply to sub-surface minerals - deeper than 1 metre below ground. Alongside this, a licence-fee-only "miners right" system would be implemented - along the lines of the Australian system (and what we had in New Zealand in 1911 when my great great grandmother and father each paid their 5 pound miner's fee to work the Karamea black sand beach). This annual fee (with short term option for tourists) could be, like many others, collected by an agency such as NZ POST on behalf of Crown Minerals. Holders of Miner's Rights Licences could hunt for nuggets with metal detectors, or perhaps pan or sluice for alluvial gold in rivers in areas within tier 1 claims, with appropriate permissions from the land owner. Doing so would align the Crown Minerals Act with the stated Business Growth Agenda as it would allow a large number of currently idle people to extract small amounted of gold from the ground allowing them to improve their standard of living, and would also open up new tourism business possibilities. Thank you for considering this submission. I encourage everyone to put their oar in!
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gingerbreadman		Posted : Friday, 5 October 2012 12:58:29 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 19/07/2010(UTC) Posts: 473 Location: south of the black stump Thanks: 34 times Was thanked: 96 time(s) in 74 post(s)		Originally Posted by: gogold No matter how hard you try you are still not going to get something for nothing!!! What needs to happen is the process made easier and cheaper for the "small scale miner" i use this term as it covers sniping pans sluices detectors highbankers and dredges of various sizes. If you are going to make submissions and have a say then do it using the term "small scale mining" dont use fossicking/hobby prospector as they probably wont care as there are already the designated sites that you can fossick/ prospect on a hobby scale. To be fair the crown minerals side of things is not where the problem lies, the only bad part is the cost but then this also stops every wally out there claiming lots of area to have a pan a couple times a year and stopping ligitimate miners. you have to remember anyone small scale will most likely not find enough gold in a year to pay royaltys. 10 yr mining permit = $840 a year or $16 a week thats not too bad when you look at it that way.(minimum annual fee $511.11 incl) Where the changes are needed is in the RMA and the crown access areas these are very time consuming and get very costly,they also come with rediculous rules and restrictions. I am not sure about other parts of nz but here in southland there is no consistiency at all when it comes to this. consents are all over the place they seem to have no idea what they are doing. access is retarded why do we need millions of dollars in insurance to dig a few holes? even at the larger end of the small scale mining say 6" or even 8" dredges it is very low impact on the envirionment a whole days work could be done with just a couple of scoops from a digger . it all seems out of hand small scale miners need a way to bypass this BS and stop being treated like we are hacking the countryside to pieces with heavy machinery. Well put gogold i agree the actuall Crown minerals side of things isnt to bad at least you no were you stand but the rest of the process is insane it tends to drive me a little loco at time,s dealing with dickheads that take months and months to achieve little or end up getting worse and instead of progress your going backwards :( for me i think the focuss should be on sorting out all the retarded loose ends and try and pull things more inline in the rma and get some consistency...probably not what a lot of fella,s want to hear on here but i would say that the rma will also play a huge part on the reasons why fossicking "small scale miner" is only permited in certian area,s. GBM.

gavin		Posted : Friday, 5 October 2012 3:14:18 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		Originally Posted by: oroplata Thanks for the "head's up" on this. I just made the following submission via their on-line submission system: SNIP! Very well put and argued! Given me a few ideas for my own submission ;)
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oroplata		Posted : Wednesday, 20 February 2013 12:38:21 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered, Moderators Joined: 16/06/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,040 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 23 times Was thanked: 211 time(s) in 152 post(s)		The "West Coast Commercial Gold Miner's Association Inc" put in an interesting submission. The last point especially - they whined about the big unused claims too. :) http://www.parliament.nz..._A305870_WestCoastCo.pdf If 50 people from this forum had done the same...
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