Mr Adams understood one man who might face prosecution had left the mining industry and was dredging illegally, at times by torchlight during the night.įollowing the South Island sweep in March and April from Tasman, down the West Coast and through Otago, Mr Adams said NZPM was considering separate prosecutions against the two West Coast men.

He described the Shag and Arrow dredgers as 'enthusiastic hobbyists'' who were found with only a few grams of gold, while one of the West Coast dredgers allegedly had $60,000 worth of the precious metal. 'The penalties under the Crown Minerals Act are high, two years' prison or a fine up to $400,000,'' he said. While suction-dredging is allowed by the Otago Regional Council, as a permitted activity under the Resource Management Act, any gold-mining activity also has to meet NZPM's criteria under the Crown Minerals Act, and a permit is required. He highlighted there was a legislative 'element of confusion'' that would-be suction-dredgers must be aware of. they were small-scale operators,'' he said, but noted any warning now would count against if they were caught again and were prosecuted. 'I don't want to be the one crucifying people because of their lack of knowledge or ignorance,'' Mr Adams said. Of six people recently found to be operating small, relatively lightweight suction dredges illegally around the South Island, two men found dredging the Shag River and Arrow River in Otago are likely to get off with a formal warning, NZPM principal compliance adviser Jackie Adams said. Photo supplied.Two illegal South Island suction gold dredge operators could be looking at jail time or fines up to $400,000, following a sweep of the South Island by Government permitting agency New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals (NZPM).

An illegal and home-made suction-dredging operation, discovered by Department of Conservation and police, in the upper South Island.

Small river gold dredge