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There's serious concern from scientists that a geologically significant site may be mined by an off-shore company.
Newsroom is reporting that Plaman Resources plans to dig into Foulden Maar in Otago's Middlemarch. The area has millions-old fossils contained in diatomite.
Dr Nic Rawlence, the director of Otago University's paleogenetics lab, discusses the importance of the site.