Latest news with #VistaGold
ABC News
14-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Vista Gold fined $160,000 for damaging sacred site in illegal drilling near Katherine
A Canadian gold-mining company has been fined $160,000 for carrying out illegal exploration drilling at an Aboriginal sacred site near the Northern Territory town of Katherine. Vista Gold Australia Pty Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching the NT's sacred sites laws in the Darwin Local Court last month, after the company's own press release tipped authorities off to the illegal works. Vista Gold operates the Mount Todd Gold Project on Jawoyn country outside of Katherine, 300 kilometres south-east of Darwin, which is estimated to hold about 10 million ounces of gold. The court heard that in 2022, Vista Gold announced to its shareholders that it had successfully explored deposits at its Mount Todd operations, providing maps and coordinates for 26 drilling holes. The following year the NT's Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority (AAPA) discovered 12 of those holes, from which core samples were taken, were within the boundaries of a sacred site near Yinbarrie Hills. AAPA inspections of the site in 2024 found grass and vegetation had been cleared, drill pads levelled and excavated material deposited. In fining Vista Gold on Wednesday, Acting Judge Steven Ledek said the company's breach had "everything to do with the price of gold". "This is nothing more than a mercenary exercise, where they had been looking and looking for what they believed was there, but unfortunately found it to be under a restricted works area," he said. Despite describing the works as "invasive and ground-disturbing", Acting Judge Ledek said the $160,000 fine was "insignificant" compared to the company's projected profit from the site. He said the Mount Todd site was a "flagship asset" for Vista Gold, from which he calculated the company could earn more than $500 million. "All present market indicators suggest the only way is up," Acting Judge Ledek said. He said while the Jawoyn Association had "some" understanding of the unlawful works, the organisation did not raise any objections or submit any evidence to the case against Vista Gold. "The Jawoyn were not called in these proceedings, they have not prepared a victim impact statement, and I have no information … as to loss or harm that has been suffered by the Jawoyn Association," he said. "In fact what I have is an uncontroverted dissertation of all of the things Vista Gold has done for the people of the Jawoyn and Banjarn Associations." In a statement, AAPA chair Bobby Nunggumajbarr said he welcomed the court's decision. "Vista Gold's Mount Todd mine site is located on Aboriginal freehold land which is managed by the Barnjarn Aboriginal Corporation and the Jawoyn Association," he said. 'While Vista Gold may have met with members of these groups, [AAPA] ensures custodians are consulted properly and widely about the impacts of proposed work." Mr Nunggumajbarr said Vista Gold had "accepted they did the wrong thing." "We look forward to working with Vista Gold to keep the sacred sites near the Mount Todd gold mine safe," he said.
ABC News
24-04-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Mount Todd gold miner pleads guilty to damaging sacred site during drilling, after press release tip-off
A Canadian-owned gold miner caught drilling holes on a Northern Territory Aboriginal sacred site after the regulator spotted the works in the company's own media release has pleaded guilty to damaging the area. The Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority (AAPA) charged Vista Gold subsidiary, Vista Gold Australia Pty Ltd, with the breaches after the company announced the successful completion of an exploration project to the Australian Stock Exchange in June 2022, including a map and GPS coordinates of 26 drill holes. Vista Gold operates the Mount Todd Gold Project on Jawoyn country outside of Katherine, 300 kilometres south-east of Darwin, which is estimated to hold about 10 million ounces of gold. On Wednesday, the Darwin Local Court heard AAPA overlaid the GPS coordinates from the media release onto satellite imagery and determined 12 of the holes had been drilled within the boundaries of a sacred site, including parts of Yinberrie Hills. Exploratory drilling at the Mount Todd Gold Project near Katherine. ( Supplied: Vista Gold ) The authority's inspectors attended the site last year and found damage including grass and vegetation clearing, levelling of drill pads and, in some instances, excavated material deposited at the sites. The court heard there was confusion over whether approvals for the drilling program were officially granted, but AAPA said they were not in place for that particular sacred site. Vista Gold chief executive Frederick Earnest flew in from Colorado to give evidence at the plea hearing. He said he was not embarrassed by the media release. "We believed we had identified a number of targets that had a potential for a combined 1.8 to 3.5 million ounces of gold that may be added to resources in the future with more extensive drilling," he told the court. Frederick Earnest told the court his exploration team had assured him the drilling program had been approved. ( ABC News: Steven Schubert ) Mr Earnest said his exploration team and Australia-based general manager Brent Murdoch had assured him the drilling program was approved, but acknowledged responsibility went "all the way up to the board of directors". He said none of the Jawoyn Association traditional owner representatives had "complained" during about six routine meetings with the company while the drilling program was under way. "To my knowledge the drilling program was presented to the Jawoyn, complete with maps and figures," he said. "I thought our people acted in good faith, I believed them when I was told we had all the authorisations". But Mr Earnest admitted those assurances would have only been verbal and there was no formal "checklist" to ensure approvals were secured. The Jawoyn Association says it will continue to work with Vista to ensure the ongoing protection of sacred sites at the Mount Todd mine. ( ABC News: Steven Schubert ) "We now have a process that's been established to be formally executed," he said. Mr Earnest said some staff involved in the incident had received a 25 per cent pay cut as a result. An 'open and constructive relationship' Mr Earnest said Vista Gold had a good relationship with the Jawoyn Association, and had paid 1 million Canadian dollars to the traditional owners for the right to explore the Mount Todd site. He told the court about $120 million had already been invested in the project itself, but previous analyses showed it would require about $1.3 billion in additional funding to begin operating at full capacity. Photo shows a person sitting on a rock looking at a grassy savanna The NT's Aboriginal sacred sites authority is investigating allegations of "interference with human remains" at a sacred site near a remote station in the Roper Gulf region. Mr Earnest said the "exploration phase" of the project was "largely complete" and there was sufficient material to begin mining — a determination that was made largely through the unlawful drilling. A Jawoyn Association spokesperson said "we want to acknowledge the open and constructive relationship" with Vista Gold. "Vista's willingness to cooperate throughout this process, including their decision to plead guilty, reflects a fair and respectful approach that we value," they said. "We have worked closely with Vista and traditional owners to strengthen cultural awareness, improve processes and ensure the ongoing protection of sites." The company will return to court for sentencing on May 13.
