
THE RISKS
Despite the creation of short term jobs, mining adversely affects ecosystems and has a detrimental knock-on effect to the broader West Coast environment, economy and society. The risks associated with the projected mining activities are as follows:
Disturbance and destruction of marine life on mined beaches
Destabilisation of fisheries and fishing communities
Impacts on already scarce water resources
Air pollution from mining activities
Increased roads and traffic footprint
Visual impacts on local population and tourism
Loss of access to beaches and coastline for recreational activities such as surfing and fishing
Damage to the fragile dune system, which has evolved over millions of years as part of the natural interface between land and sea.
Alteration of the natural beach profile, and its dynamic equilibrium with the wave energy
Knock-on impacts on land-based ecosystems
Loss of archaeological resources and fossils
Loss of indigenous heritage sites




