"Mercury is spread throughout the rocks and soils. It's very poisonous, and it causes really nasty diseases. These range from birth defects in infants to painful early death in adults and mental illnesses," Ms Kirk said.
"Local people talk about their older relatives who developed Minamata disease from mercury poisoning when the now disused mercury mine was functioning."
De Grey Mining had said it wouldn't discharge into surface waters but that it would drill into groundwaters, Ms Kirk said.
"There are no guarantees contamination won't happen. This could lead to mercury dissolving into groundwaters which come to the surface as springs all around Puhipuhi that local people rely on for their personal drinking water, the healing springs and for farming purposes."
"Local people talk about their older relatives who developed Minamata disease from mercury poisoning when the now disused mercury mine was functioning."
De Grey Mining had said it wouldn't discharge into surface waters but that it would drill into groundwaters, Ms Kirk said.
"There are no guarantees contamination won't happen. This could lead to mercury dissolving into groundwaters which come to the surface as springs all around Puhipuhi that local people rely on for their personal drinking water, the healing springs and for farming purposes."
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