❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice regarding the recommissioning of the Kaltails tailings dam, focusing on environmental concerns related to its siting, construction, and potential seepage. The Minister's response indicates a pending decision based on an appeal and lack of current evidence of impacts.
AnsweredQoN 5967Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Does the Minister support the recommissioning of the Kaltails tailings dam given that this -
(a) dam with toxic seepage emissions was deficient in its siting and construction; and
(b) dam built over fresh water drainage lines and on the edge of a major fresh water watercourse which provides porous seepage paths to the external environment including fresh water dams downstream, a paleochannel system and a lake in total disregard for the
Mining and Mineral Processing Tailings facilities Guidelines 2000,
advocated by various Government regulatory agencies, one of which has stated in answer to question on notice No. 3640 of 13 June 2006 ‘These guidelines were developed to establish actions required by operators to meet their obligations under all of the Acts administered by those Departments and to also guide operators into areas of best practice that may be over and above legislative requirements’?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) If yes to (1), why?
(4) Can the Minister explain why is it unreasonable for any member of the public to expect the proponents of all projects to adhere firstly to works approval conditions and licence conditions set and imposed previously by the EPA and the Department of Environmental Protection given -
(a) it is my understanding that the Kaltails dam originally had a works approval condition imposed which required the operator/proponent to sign a compliance certificate under the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
to indicate that tailings dam had been constructed and designed to meet works approvals conditions, one of which stated that ‘All saline, alkaline and cyanide constituents shall be retained within impervious holding facilities’ with impervious, meaning a permeability of 10-9 metres per second, seepage of three centimetres per year; and
(b) the Minister has stated in answer to question on notice No. 2563 of 30 August 2005 ‘The Department continues to recommend that mining waste containment structures are constructed to limit seepage rates under normal conditions to 10-9 metres per second. This equates to an equivalent water seepage rate of three centimetres per year. This limit can be achieved by appropriate soils management and engineering compaction. This level of seepage is considered compatible with protection of surrounding values under most circumstances’?
(5) If no to (4), why not?
(a) dam with toxic seepage emissions was deficient in its siting and construction; and
(b) dam built over fresh water drainage lines and on the edge of a major fresh water watercourse which provides porous seepage paths to the external environment including fresh water dams downstream, a paleochannel system and a lake in total disregard for the
Mining and Mineral Processing Tailings facilities Guidelines 2000,
advocated by various Government regulatory agencies, one of which has stated in answer to question on notice No. 3640 of 13 June 2006 ‘These guidelines were developed to establish actions required by operators to meet their obligations under all of the Acts administered by those Departments and to also guide operators into areas of best practice that may be over and above legislative requirements’?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) If yes to (1), why?
(4) Can the Minister explain why is it unreasonable for any member of the public to expect the proponents of all projects to adhere firstly to works approval conditions and licence conditions set and imposed previously by the EPA and the Department of Environmental Protection given -
(a) it is my understanding that the Kaltails dam originally had a works approval condition imposed which required the operator/proponent to sign a compliance certificate under the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
to indicate that tailings dam had been constructed and designed to meet works approvals conditions, one of which stated that ‘All saline, alkaline and cyanide constituents shall be retained within impervious holding facilities’ with impervious, meaning a permeability of 10-9 metres per second, seepage of three centimetres per year; and
(b) the Minister has stated in answer to question on notice No. 2563 of 30 August 2005 ‘The Department continues to recommend that mining waste containment structures are constructed to limit seepage rates under normal conditions to 10-9 metres per second. This equates to an equivalent water seepage rate of three centimetres per year. This limit can be achieved by appropriate soils management and engineering compaction. This level of seepage is considered compatible with protection of surrounding values under most circumstances’?
(5) If no to (4), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
2 April 2008
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for the Environment
Response time
35 days
(1) (a) - (b) The Environmental Protection Authority's report on the proposed Fimiston Gold Mine Operations Extension (Stage 3) and Mine Closure Planning which includes recommissioning of the Kaltails tailings dam, is currently under appeal. The Minister is awaiting the Appeals Convenor's advice before making any decision on the environmental acceptability of the recommissioning of the Kaltails tailings dam.
(2) - (3) Not applicable.
(4) Members of the public can reasonably expect proponents to abide by works approval and licence conditions. The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) is committed to undertaking enforcement action consistent with its 'Enforcement and Prosecution Policy'.
(a) - (b) Notwithstanding the above, the Kaltails Tailings facility has not been active for some years.
The records relating to this facility have been archived and stored off-site. I do not support the substantial amount of time and resources it would take DEC to locate this information.
There is also no evidence to suggest that there are any current impacts as a result of this facility and there are no active investigations into Newmont Kaltails in regard to seepage and/or impacts relating to the facility.
(5) Not applicable.
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(2) - (3) Not applicable.
(4) Members of the public can reasonably expect proponents to abide by works approval and licence conditions. The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) is committed to undertaking enforcement action consistent with its 'Enforcement and Prosecution Policy'.
(a) - (b) Notwithstanding the above, the Kaltails Tailings facility has not been active for some years.
The records relating to this facility have been archived and stored off-site. I do not support the substantial amount of time and resources it would take DEC to locate this information.
There is also no evidence to suggest that there are any current impacts as a result of this facility and there are no active investigations into Newmont Kaltails in regard to seepage and/or impacts relating to the facility.
(5) Not applicable.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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