Scotgold Resources has had their application to reopen a gold mine in Loch Lomond National park turned down.
The firm had been opening to begin work at the Cononish Mine, near Tyndrum, after it was abandoned back in 1997. However, Dr Mike Cantlay, convener of the National Park Authority, said that the potential financial benefits could not be justified against the conservation concerns. Scotgold had applied to mine for both silver and gold and construct a processing plant at the mine’s surface.
Dr Cantlay said that the biggest concern was the design and scale including the visual impact of the waste management facility that the company had proposed to build. The facility is designed to hold 820,000 tonnes of slurry waste. The communities that live within the National Park, he added, were vital to the area. He also stated that the application had been a difficult decision as both sides had compelling arguments.
Last week, Loch Lomond National Park’s director of planning recommended that the application be denied. According to chief executive of Scotgold Resources Chris Sangster, the news was very disappointing.
Mr Sangster added that the company had put a lot of money, time and effort into planning with authorities and securing proper documentation. The site is a known gold deposit, but has never been mined commercially. Scotgold Resources’ parent company is based in Australia and had invested millions into the proposal.
|
|
