Prospecting licenses were recently granted by the Minister for the Environment to an Australian company, Oriel Selection Trust Ltd, to explore the potential for the mining of base metals, gold, silver and platinum across a wide area of East Mayo.

Just over a year ago, similar prospecting licenses were granted by Minister Eamon Ryan in North Leitrim. Flintridge Resources Ltd secured the licenses across 47 townlands there.

Treasure Leitrim is a voluntary campaign group set up to raise awareness and oppose the development and a member of the group Ger Kelly is urging East Mayo townland communities to set up their own group to oppose the development of metal mining on their local landscape.

The Mayo Environmental Group, that successfully put a halt to gold mining on Croagh Patrick and in the Doolough Valley back in the late 80s/ early 90s, expressed concern and shocked at the metal prospecting licenses being granted in East Mayo last month, and also urged the communities around the Charlestown area to immediately react.

Sean O’Malley, the Secretary of the Mayo Environmental Group, that more than three decades ago went to the Supreme Court to stop the blight of the gold mining process on areas of West Mayo, stated on Midwest News recently that it amazed him that Minister Eamon Ryan, who almost brought down the government recently over the sale and supply of turf, has now granted prospecting licenses to a company to determine the commercial potential of mining for gold or silver on a wide stretch of land across east Mayo.

In response to Sean’s interview Ger Kelly contacted Midwest News and told News Editor Teresa O’Malley more about Treasure Leitrim…