The final stage of remediation work at the Tui mine at Mount Te Aroha is likely to start in October. It will take two years to complete. The site is contaminated.
Waikato Regional Council says Hiway Environmental has won a $12.5 million contract to finish cleaning up the mine, which has been abandoned since 1973.
River and catchment services group manager, Scott Fowlds says the work involves stablising a tailings dam which is 25 metres high and holds more than 100,000 cubic metres of waste material.
Heavy metals, including lead, zinc and cadmium, are leaching out.
He says lime and cement will be injected to bind the material together, which should encase the toxic agents.
