Rehills minings decision due 'in weeks'

 

A local mining objection group has been told an application by a UK-based company looking to explore for minerals in the north of the county will be decided upon within a matter of “weeks”.

Great Glen Resources applied for a Prospecting Licence for land spanning south-east of Belturbet to the Redhills and north Ballyhaise back in January of this year, with the hope of finding barytes, base metals, as well as gold and silver ore.

The licence, if granted, allows the holder explore for minerals but does not authorise the actual mining of minerals. The only activities permissible under the licence are, in general, non-invasive and of “minimal” environmental impact.

Among the areas listed are 41 townlands in the Tullygarvey Barony including the historic Castlesaunderson and; and two (Carrickmore and Drumliff) in the Loughtee Upper Barony.
It follows a similar notice of intention submitted by Australian-based BMEx Pty Ltd back in 2017.

It too was met with widespread objection in the locality and later dropped by the company concerned.

A number of well-attended public meeting seeking support to block the Great Glen application have been held in the Redhills-Ballyhaise areas since the application first came to light towards the end of last year.

Confirmation that a decision on the application will be concluded within the “next couple of weeks” was received local opposition group, Redhills Action Against Mining, from Seán Canney, Minister of State for Community Development, Natural Resources and Digital Development.

“This prospecting licence application is currently under consideration by my Department, which is assessing the submissions received, including those received from Redhills Action Mining Group. These submissions will be considered as part of the final decision making process concerning this application and a decision will be made in the next couple of weeks,” said the letter from Deputy Canney, who only last week visited the Ireland exhibition at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) Convention 2020 in Toronto. He was joined at the worldwide industry event by Ireland’s Ambassador to Canada Jim Kelly, as well as Eibhlin Doyle of the Exploration and Mining Technical Division of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and the Environment.

A spokesperson for Redhills Action Against Mining meanwhile informed The Anglo-Celt: “We as a committee are currently making representations to the local elected politicians and councillors for support in this matter and would appreciate any assistance you can give us to highlight the issue.”

Another objector Cavan Mining Objection Group’s (CMOG), which previous strongly campaigned against the BMEx Pty Ltd application, is supporting the local communities affected by the Great Glen proposal also.
They point out that the area includes two important Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) as well as lands included the UNESCO recognised Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark.
As a result, CMOG has sent its own very detailed objection letter to the Department, containing what members feel is “new and relevant information” on prospecting and mining by linking to new guidance on the practices issued by the UN.”