The local environment may have taken a blow yesterday when mineral prospecting licenses were awarded to four companies by the Department of the Economy (fronted by Sinn Féin’s Caoimhe Archibald).
As the Irish News reports
“The licences will allow four companies to prospect for minerals, excluding gold and silver, in at least three counties with the possibility that the prospecting could lead to full time mining operations in the future… the Department for the Economy received more than 2,100 public responses—99.5% of which were against the awarding of the licences…
Under the terms, Conroy Gold will be allowed to explore south Armagh in an area near Keady and Newtownhamilton. Meanwhile, Dalradian Gold will be able to explore portions of County Tyrone, including areas near Strabane and Plumbridge in the Sperrin Moutains. Karelian Diamond Resources will now be allowed to prospect in Colebrook, Co Fermanagh, while Flintridge Resources will focus on land near Killeter in Co Tyrone.”
Of the groups,
Dalradian is probably the one that is best known given the long running campaign against its operations in the Tyrone region that has been going on for several years (with this
Belfast Live report from 2021 reminding us the group’s operations have been a source of persistent controversy). They are strongly defending their investments and plans, with Dalradian being
quoted in the Belfast Telegraph as saying their schemes for an “
“environmentally responsible underground mine” will bring many opportunities for the community, including 1,000 jobs and a £1bn supply chain that will help support local businesses” and that objections from locals and An Taisce have been dealt with in the appropriate forum of the public enquiry.
On Facebook the anti-mining group ‘Save our Sperrins’, which has been campaigning against the awarding of the licenses, posted the following statement expressing their feelings regarding the decision…
“We were shocked and deeply disappointed to learn over the weekend that the Department for the Economy and Crown Estate Commissioners have approved all 7 mineral prospecting licences. This comes despite 99.5% of public responses opposing them, every affected local Council objecting, and a recent successful Judicial Review that called out failures in this very process. Once again, the democratic voice of local communities has been sidelined in favour of private mining interests. The DfE’s own report admits that:
No Strategic Environmental Assessment was conducted as per ESPOO Convention obligations.
There was no transboundary consultation.
The majority of consultation responses were dismissed or minimised.
They will continue to ignore the Public Inquiry currently underway into gold mining in our region.
This is not only anti-democratic – it is environmentally reckless, legally questionable, and socially divisive. At SOS, we will not stand quietly by. These decisions cannot go unchallenged.
The campaign continues — for the living soil beneath our feet, the rivers that carry life, the air we all share, and for a future where our children can thrive.We call on all who care for democracy, for nature, and for justice to stand beside us. Now is the time to rise together — to protect what cannot be replaced.”
Opposition to the plans also cannot be written off as simple nimbyism either, as the Belfast Telegraph
reports that
An Taisce (the Irish National Trust) had also opposed the project…
“An Taisce recommended permission be refused, saying there had been “a wholly inadequate assessment” of EU directives to protect water supply and wildlife habitats.
It criticised failings in the consultation process, questioning why only the River Finn had been identified, given the “clear potential impacts” for the River Foyle and tributaries, Lough Foyle and the Atlantic.”
An Taisce’s ultimate assessement is that “The Northern Irish state is not equipped to manage a project of this magnitude, nor is it able to adequately protect the environment nor the population of this island from the impacts of such a project.”
Ouch.
The actions taken by the Department of Economy and Minister Archibald seem to stand at cross purposes to Sinn Féin’s strong opposition to the mining projects and purported emphasis on listening to public concerns in 2020 when the DUP’s Diane Dodds held the Economy brief, as the
below statement reminds us.
“Over the past few years there have been concerns raised and community opposition to gold mining, and specifically the planning application by Dalradian Gold Ltd. to carry out exploration and mining. Sinn Féin’s position is that there should be a public inquiry on the planning application by Dalradian Gold Ltd due to its complex and controversial nature and the need to consider the views of stakeholders, including the local community. The regulatory framework for mineral licensing should be reviewed and amended with any future licensing system ensuring the highest standards of environmental protection. There should be a moratorium on the granting of any new prospecting licences for precious minerals, or renewal of existing licenses until the regulatory framework for licensing has been reviewed and amended. I have written to the Minister for Infrastructure to call for a public inquiry on the planning application by Dalradian Gold Ltd for a gold mine and related infrastructure in the Sperrins. I have also written to the Minister for Economy to ask that she review the framework for mineral licensing and in the meantime place a moratorium on the issuing of mineral prospecting licences. We need to protect our natural heritage and environment for future generations and any economic development must be considered in that context.”
This statement is attributed to the party’s then economy and climate spokesperson, Caoimhe Archibald.
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