The operator of Waihi's open cast gold mine says false claims are being made by a protest group regarding its tailings dam.
Protest group, Coromandel Watchdog, describes the dam at Martha Mine as containing 40 million cubic litres of toxic waste and being the size of three dairy farms.
But Newmont Waihi Gold says the tailings do not contain toxic chemicals and are ground down rock left behind when gold and silver are extracted.
A spokesperson, Kelvyn Eglinton, says the cyanide used in processing is less than that contained in a cigarette at the discharge point and is inert after 48 hours.
He says the capacity of both dams is 228 hectares, the equivalent of one medium-sized farm.
