❓ A WA parliamentary question investigates a cyanide-containing hypersaline water spill from KCGM, impacting Optimum Resources' tenement and KCGM land. The question seeks to determine if the spill caused environmental damage and if KCGM will be prosecuted under the Environmental Protection Act.
AnsweredQoN 3544Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to a spillage/discharge first identified on Saturday morning 25 February 2006 of hypersaline water containing cyanide which stressed/killed vegetation and contaminated the soil on both Optimum Resources tenement and KCGM owned/controlled land causing pollution, a KCGM media release dated 28 February 2006 titled ‘Bund Overflow’, a newspaper article which appeared on page 11 of the
Kalgoorlie Miner
dated 4 March 2006, titled ‘Prospector angry over time delay’, and a document dated March 1992 titled ‘Environmental Guidelines, spill containment for bores, saline water pipelines and tailings pipelines, Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines Pty Ltd’ -
(1) Is it correct that part of the March 1992 document referred to above states ‘Uncontrolled release and leakage of hypersaline bore water and tailings from pipelines has the potential for serious and major environmental damage. Hypersaline water/tailings is directly toxic to vegetation and can result in the sterilization of soils for many years’?
(2) If no to (1), will the Minister quote the full text from the March 1992 document?
(3) Is it correct that part of the KCGM media release dated 28 February 2006 in part states ‘KCGM has had an environmental incident on site which resulted in the overflow of what is believed to be process water, onto an adjoining lease held by Optimum Resources’?
(4) If yes to (3), will the Department of Environment (DoE) provide this media release to the environmental enforcement unit to be used as evidence in any prosecution proceedings?
(5) If no to (3), will the Minister quote the full text from the media release dated 28 February 2006?
(6) Did the spillage/discharge of hypersaline water containing cyanide stress and kill vegetation and contaminate the soil on the Optimum Resources tenement?
(7) If yes to (6), will the DoE prosecute KCGM for causing pollution under the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
given that the spillage/discharge has clearly altered the nature of the land to its detriment and degradation?
(8) Did the spillage/discharge of hypersaline water containing cyanide stress and kill vegetation and contaminate the soil on land owned/controlled by KCGM?
(9) If yes to (8), will the DoE prosecute KCGM for causing pollution under the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
given that the spillage/discharge has clearly altered the nature of the land to its detriment and degradation?
Kalgoorlie Miner
dated 4 March 2006, titled ‘Prospector angry over time delay’, and a document dated March 1992 titled ‘Environmental Guidelines, spill containment for bores, saline water pipelines and tailings pipelines, Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines Pty Ltd’ -
(1) Is it correct that part of the March 1992 document referred to above states ‘Uncontrolled release and leakage of hypersaline bore water and tailings from pipelines has the potential for serious and major environmental damage. Hypersaline water/tailings is directly toxic to vegetation and can result in the sterilization of soils for many years’?
(2) If no to (1), will the Minister quote the full text from the March 1992 document?
(3) Is it correct that part of the KCGM media release dated 28 February 2006 in part states ‘KCGM has had an environmental incident on site which resulted in the overflow of what is believed to be process water, onto an adjoining lease held by Optimum Resources’?
(4) If yes to (3), will the Department of Environment (DoE) provide this media release to the environmental enforcement unit to be used as evidence in any prosecution proceedings?
(5) If no to (3), will the Minister quote the full text from the media release dated 28 February 2006?
(6) Did the spillage/discharge of hypersaline water containing cyanide stress and kill vegetation and contaminate the soil on the Optimum Resources tenement?
(7) If yes to (6), will the DoE prosecute KCGM for causing pollution under the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
given that the spillage/discharge has clearly altered the nature of the land to its detriment and degradation?
(8) Did the spillage/discharge of hypersaline water containing cyanide stress and kill vegetation and contaminate the soil on land owned/controlled by KCGM?
(9) If yes to (8), will the DoE prosecute KCGM for causing pollution under the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
given that the spillage/discharge has clearly altered the nature of the land to its detriment and degradation?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
20 June 2006
Responded by
Minister for Education and Training representing the Minister for the Environment
Response time
26 days
(1) Yes. (2) Not applicable. (3) Yes. (4) The media statement is part of an investigation currently being undertaken by the Department of Environment. (5) Not applicable. (6) The contents of the spill and impact of the spill are part of an ongoing investigation by the Department of Environment. As such I cannot make comment at this time. (7) Enforcement action against KCGM depends on the result of the investigation as per (6). (8) As per (6). (9) As per (7).
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