The mothballed Henty gold mine has returned to operation, creating more than 100 new jobs for the local community.
Located on Tasmania’s west coast, the mine was placed under care and maintenance two years ago after 19 years in operation.
Last year, the mine was purchased by Diversified Minerals, which yesterday celebrated the pouring of the first gold since the mine returned to production last year.
Premier Will Hodgman, who joined the Company’s celebration, said the first gold pour was not only a great occasion symbolically, but also marked the beginning of the mine providing a return on the company’s strong investment.
“This is a great day for the directors, for the management and for the workers here at the Henty gold mine,” Mr Hodgman said.
“Jobs are the Liberal Government’s number one priority, and we are pleased to see the creation of more than 100 skilled jobs in a regional community and in an industry that have both experienced challenges in recent years. We commend the company for its investment and also its commitment to employing local workers, which is ensuring the benefits are shared across the community.”
Resources Minister Guy Barnett said the recommencement of operations at the mine clearly demonstrated that mining and mineral processing had “a great future in Tasmania”.
“Commodity prices are on the up, and, as we can see at Henty, the West Coast forms part of one of the most mineral-rich districts in the world,” Mr Barnett said.
“Through our Mineral Exploration Investment Attraction Plan and our new $1.4 million Geosciences Initiative, the Government is working hard to encourage investment to create more jobs. There is no greater or more consistent supporter of mining than the Liberal Government and we look forward to continuing to work with the industry to create more jobs into the future.”
