The Tasmanian government has been accused of putting millions in revenue and dozens of jobs at risk following the sudden closure of a gold mine in the state’s north west.

Jeremy Rockliff’s government ordered Hellyer Gold Mines to cease operations at its west coast mine on Wednesday, in what the company described as a reckless and unnecessary move.

"We are absolutely astonished by the behaviour of the Tasmanian government,” Hellyer Gold Mines CEO Graham Cox said in a statement.

“This is a shocking and deeply damaging move to suspend mining operations without seeking to understand factual information prior to making decisions."

Resources Minister Felix Ellis said on Wednesday that the Australian-owned mine had been issued with a Cease Works Notice because there was “around a million doll

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