Home›Questions on Notice›QoN 3209

❓ The question concerns the flooding of Lake Way and Lake Maitland, sites associated with the Wiluna uranium proposal, and the potential environmental risks associated with storing radioactive mine waste tailings in flood-prone areas. The Minister's response refers to a previous Question on Notice.

AnsweredQoN 3209Legislative Council

Asked

16 June 2015

Member

Hon Robin Chapple

Portfolio

Mines and Petroleum

QuestionView source ↗

I refer to rainfall events in late March which filled the salina systems of Lake Way and Lake Maitland associated with the Wiluna uranium proposal, and ask: (a) was the Minister aware of the flooding of Lake Way where the Wiluna uranium site was proposed; (b) was the Minister aware that the proponent Toro Energy plans to store radioactive mine waste tailings in an area now inundated with water; (c) given that the company completed a test pit at the Centipede site in 2011, has or will the Minister require a review of the site to assess if damage was done, or if radiation was released into the environment post-flooding; and (d) given that a motion through parliament was supported to effectively isolate uranium tailings from the environment for no less than 10,000 years, does the Minister consider tailings in a mine pit on a lake bed that was submerged due to flooding can meet this requirement?