The Tasmanian government has ordered a West Coast mine to immediately shut down after the company failed to pay debts owed to the Crown and breached multiple compliance requirements.
Business, Industry and Resources Minister Felix Ellis announced the closure of Hellyer Gold Mines on Tuesday, saying the company had been given repeated chances to fix its problems.
“When a company extracts and sells a Crown-owned mineral, it must meet its obligations,” he said.
“Hellyer has fallen significantly behind in paying their debts due to the crown and other compliance issues have continued to escalate.”
Exactly how much money is owed has not been disclosed.
Mineral Resources Tasmania has revoked the company’s authority to mine under the Mineral Resources Development Act 1995.
The mine will only be allowed to reopen once Hellyer addresses its non-compliance issues.
“If the company resolves these matters, operations could recommence quickly and lawfully,” Ellis said.
The shutdown was coordinated with the Environment Protection Authority and WorkSafe Tasmania to manage environmental and operational risks.
Ellis said the company had ignored warnings despite “extensive engagement and opportunities to comply” over an extended period.
“This action is necessary to prevent those matters worsening,” he said.
The closure is expected to affect about 30 workers, along with contractors and suppliers who rely on the operation.
The government says it will offer support including employee assistance services, career advice and help with finding new jobs or retraining.
“We call on the company to resolve its non-compliances, make good on what is owed and ensure … a clear, stable and safe pathway forward,” Ellis said.
He stressed the issues were specific to Hellyer’s leadership, not Tasmania’s broader mining industry.
“While I am deeply disappointed by the actions of Hellyer’s leadership, Tasmania’s mining sector continues to operate to very high standards,” he said.
“The responsible operators who make up the bulk of this industry do the right thing.”
The Hellyer Mine is located between Waratah and Tullah on Tasmania’s West Coast.
