More than 100 new jobs have been created with the return to operation of the Henty gold mine, near Queenstown, in a confidence boost for the local community and the wider mining industry.
Today, Premier Will Hodgman joined the celebrations for the achievement of a major milestone for the new owners of the Henty mine, Diversified Minerals.
“The pouring of the first gold since Diversified Minerals commenced operations is not only a great occasion symbolically, it also marks the beginning of the mine providing a return on the company’s strong investment,” Mr Hodgman said.
“This is a great day for the directors, for the management and for the workers here at the Henty gold mine.
“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 Henty’s resurgence showed that mining and mineral processing has 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.
“We are also backing our productive industries, like mining, by providing resource security through an end to the land lock-ups.
“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.”