Public meeting in Maam over mining plans in County Galway’s picturesque ‘Joyce Country’
A meeting will be held in Maam this Saturday (March 21 at 7pm) about organising the community in Connemara to oppose prospecting licences in Joyce Country.
Gold Note Minerals Limited – owned by Canadian company BTU Metals Corp – has applied to the Department of Climate, Communications and Environment for prospecting licences in Dúiche Seoighe/ Joyce Country.
The major mining company wants to search for base metals, barytes, silver, gold and platinum group metals in the townlands of Breenaun, Carrowgarriff, Cleggan, Crumlin East, Doogtha, Farnaght, Glenlusk, Griggins, Kilmilkin and Moneenmore.
“This should still be considered the first steps towards an application for a mining licence”
These prospecting licences sit within the villages of Maam and Corr na Móna, villages known for their scenic beauty and rugged landscape.
Communities in Connemara are opposing the granting of prospecting rights to BTU Metals for a second time, having opposed the granting of rights within the area previously, in 2019.
“While we are currently opposing the granting of prospecting licences, which would only allow for the exploration and test drilling for minerals to gather relevant information of the mineral content in the landscape, this should still be considered the first steps towards an application for a mining licence.
“The landscape and the nature and people that form and rely on that landscape have had to share in existence in a manner of balance and fairness as the landscape relies on us for its health and we rely on it for our continued existence,” a spokesperson told the Connacht Tribune.
The applicants said that the mineral exploration activities of “geological mapping, hammer prospecting, soil geochemistry (shallow and non-motorised sampling), and geophysical surveying (excluding seismic)” have been screened for Appropriate Assessment, and “are not likely to have a significant effect on the environment.”.
“These activities are temporary, non-intrusive activities, involving minimal disturbance and have a limited zone of influence,” the application reads.
A public meeting will be held in Maam Community Centre at 7pm on Saturday March 21.
The final date for public submissions to the Department is March 27.