Tas court action costs Venture $50k a week LEGAL action by environmentalists against a mine in Tasmania's Tarkine is costing Venture Minerals $50,000 a week, a court has heard. Green group the Tarkine National Coalition (TNC) has gone to the Federal Court to challenge former environment minister Mark Butler's approval of Venture's Riley Creek project. The mining company's lawyer Chris Gunson has argued the matter should be completed quickly because Venture calculates inactivity at the site is costing it $50,000 a week. Mr Butler approved the project for the environmentally sensitive area in the state's northwest in August. Lawyers for the TNC argued they need more time and orders allowing them to access extra documents after Mr Butler's affidavit is filed. The Commonwealth opposed what it called a "trawling exercise," saying Mr Butler had produced an extensive statement of reasons for his decision. Justice Duncan Kerr said the case was unlikely to be completed this year if extra orders were put in place. The TNC's grounds for its challenge include the former minister failing to consider a decision by Tasmania's planning tribunal or the cumulative impact of several mines in the area. The Commonwealth should also have conducted its own assessment of the mine's impact, the court heard. The Tarkine is home to one of the last populations of Tasmanian devils free of the deadly facial tumour disease which has wiped out up to 80 per cent of the species. Mining has also been part of the area for a century and the state government says the Riley Creek project will generate $40 million for Tasmania. A similar challenge against a Shree Minerals mine in the Tarkine was successful in July before Mr Butler re-approved the project taking into account the court's concerns. Justice Kerr adjourned the Venture matter until a date to be set.