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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 1 Jul 1986

Vol. 368 No. 8

Written Answers. - Tara Mines.

32.

asked the Minister for Energy if, in respect of the State mining lease granted to Tara Mines Limited, he will review the treatment of ore reserves in the annual reports of Tara Exploration and Development Company Limited, for the years 1980 and 1981; if he will note the practice followed whereby quoted figures for proven and probable reserves at given dates contain reserves which had already been extracted on those dates; if he will confirm by reference to Tara, if necessary, that the ore reserve figures ascribed to Tara at 31 December 1985 in his replies dated 5 and 6 June, 1986 contained reserves which had already been extracted and were not proven and probable reserves which remained to be extracted within the Tara leasehold on 31 December 1985; and if he will disclose the tonnage and grade of both the proven reserve and the probable reserve which did in fact remain to be extracted within the Tara leasehold on 31 December 1985.

33.

asked the Minister for Energy if, in respect of the Tara leasehold, he will state the tonnage and grade of the recoverable reserves as calculated by the geological survey and as defined in the mining industry which remained to be extracted at 31 December 1985; and if he will define the terms recoverable reserves as used to derive the figures being furnished.

34.

asked the Minister for Energy if, in respect of the Tara leasehold he will state the tonnage and grade of the recoverable reserves as calculated by Tara and as defined in the mining industry which remained to be extracted at 31 December 1985; and if he will define the terms recoverable reserves as used to derive the figures being furnished.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 32 to 34 inclusive, together.

The reporting of ore reserves by Tara Exploration and Development Company Limited in its annual report is a matter for that company. The State mining lease at Navan is held by Tara Mines Limited which is obliged under the provisions of the lease to provide information on production and ore reserves to me, as Minister for Energy.

The Tara ore reserves indicated in my replies of 4 and 5 June 1986 were the net proven and probable ore reserves as at, 31 December 1985; none of these reserves had been extracted prior to 31 December 1985.

The Geological Survey has not made any calculation of the recoverable reserves in the Tara leasehold remaining to be extracted at 31 December, 1985. Apart from the information already provided in reply to other questions, I am not aware of any calculation of "recoverable reserves" made by Tara. As this is a variable concept which would be governed by the play of market forces and other factors, I do not think it would be appropriate to endeavour to procure such information.

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