The protesters are concerned about the impact of the mine on the environment
Campaigners have gathered outside the Strule Arts Centre in Omagh for a public inquiry into plans for a controversial goldmine in County Tyrone.
Members from the Save Our Sperrins group wore black and red and held small wooden black coffins daubed with “RIP Clean air” and “RIP Clean water”.
They have been fighting against proposals by Dalradian for an underground mine near Greencastle since the group was set up in 2015.
They are concerned about the impact on health and the environment and have said they will continue to challenge the plans, regardless of whether the proposals get the green light following the inquiry.
Dalradian has said the mine will “be one of the largest ever investments by a US company and it will create and support up to 1,000 jobs”.
The company also claims it will add £5bn to the Northern Ireland economy.
Marella Fyffe, from Save our Sperrins, says the mine will “poison the earth”
Marella Fyffe, from Save our Sperrins, is feeling “nervous” but “very positive”.
She said being “here gives us a chance to speak as a community about the damage that will be done to the environment by the mining company”.
“Mining poisons the earth, poisons the air, [and] poisons the water,” she said.
Ms Fyffe described the process of getting to the inquiry as “chaotic” because experts are not allowed to give their evidence online.
“Why in this day and age wouldn’t we present our evidence online? It seems they have something to hide and don’t want it be seen making mistakes,” she said.
James Orr, from Friends of the Earth, says the inquiry “doesn’t feel very public”
James Orr, from Friends of the Earth, said: “The stakes are incredibly high.”
“This is a story about the future. Do we want sustainable farm businesses; tourism; do we want to protect our rivers; do we want to protect our air quality; or do we want to sacrifice this to global corporations,” he said.
Mr Orr also questioned why the inquiry isn’t being recorded.
“So much for a public inquiry. It doesn’t feel very independent and it doesn’t feel very public,” he said.
The public inquiry into a controversial gold mine in County Tyrone began on Monday.
Dalradian has been working on the Curraghinalt site near Greencastle in the Sperrin Mountains since 2009 with the aim of developing an underground mine.
The Planning Appeals Commission (PAC) inquiry is being held at the Strule Arts Centre in Omagh and is to continue until the end of March.
The first two days will cover strategic matters and the principle of development, with representations from Fermanagh and Omagh and Derry City and Strabane district councils.
Dalradian believes the mine could yield 100 tonnes of gold
The mine is said to contain one of the world’s most significant undeveloped gold deposits as well as substantial quantities of silver, copper and other minerals.
Dalradian believes the site could yield 100 tonnes of gold, 48 tonnes of silver and 15,000 tonnes of copper in its 20 to 25-year lifetime.
But the plans have been divisive, with some in local community welcoming the prospect of jobs and investment while others remain concerned about the impact on health and the environment.
The mine is located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, close to the Owenkillew and Owenreagh rivers which contain several protected species.
Campaign group Save Our Sperrins was formed in 2015 to oppose the mine’s development.
Not everyone living in the area is opposed to the mine.
The Silent Majority Community Group welcomes the prospect of jobs and investment.
The group says the majority of the 50,000 objections to the proposal came before Dalradian ditched the use of cyanide.
It believes the company’s environmental commitments have increased local confidence in the project.
The mine is located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Speaking last week, Dalradian’s community relations manager Peter McKenna said the mine will be good for Northern Ireland.
“This will be one of the largest ever investments by a US company and it will create and support up to 1,000 jobs,” he said.
The company claims it will add £5bn to the Northern Ireland economy.
The inquiry was ordered by former infrastructure minister Nichola Mallon in 2020.
Later this week it will examine environmental and public health issues including air quality, lighting, noise, radon, vibration and electric and magnetic fields.
The second week will consider the impact on water, water ecology and peat.
Hearings will then resume at the end of February looking at the landscape and visual impact and non-water ecology.
In March the topics for the inquiry include the mine waste plan, health and safety, culture and heritage, socio-economic matters, climate and transport.
The planning commissioners will then make recommendations, but it will be up to ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive to decide whether planning permission is granted.