❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice regarding environmental concerns at the Kundana Gold Mine, specifically relating to topsoil management, water contamination, and regulatory authority. The Minister's responses cite relevant legislation and justify environmental protection measures.
AnsweredQoN 1369Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to a letter which I understand is dated February 14 2002 signed by Eugene Bouwhuis, Environmental and Rehabilitation Officer, from the Department of Minerals and Energy addressed to Registered Manager, Goldfields Limited, Kundana Gold Mine -
(1) Is it correct that part of the letter dated February 14 2002 under the heading of ‘Mill and Adjacent Environs Mining Lease 16/72’ states ‘The topsoil stockpile located immediately North of the Plant is being impacted upon by salt water emanating from the mill and process water dam. The Topsoil stockpile must be relocated’. Topsoil is an extremely important component of successful rehabilitation and therefore must be safeguarded. Appropriate surface water control features are required to be installed to negate sediments and contaminates (eg. Salt, hydrocarbons, sediment) from shedding from the ROM and mill areas to adjacent environs.’?
(2) If no to (1), will the Minister table a copy of this letter?
(3) Can the Minister quote the text of the specific section or regulation and the authority under what Act administered by the Department which enabled Mr Bouwhuis to state ‘The Topsoil stockpile must be relocated’?
(4) If no to (3), why not?
(5) Can the Minister quote the text of the specific section or regulation and the authority under what Act administered by the Department Mr Bouwhuis was authorised to direct and state that ‘Appropriate surface water control features are required to be installed to negate sediments and contaminates (eg. Salt, hydrocarbons, sediment) from shedding from the ROM and mill areas to adjacent environs.’?
(6) If no to (5), why not?
(7) Can the Minister state the rationale and justification as to why the ‘plant process water dam requires an appropriate liner to achieve a permeability of 10
-9
metres per second or less’ given that any seepage would seep into underlying groundwater which is predominantly hypersaline and can be claimed to be of no beneficial use?
(8) If no to (7), why not?
(9) Can the Minister state the rationale and justification as to why surface water control features were required to be installed ‘to negate sediments and contaminates (eg. salt, hydrocarbons, sediment) from shedding from the ROM and mill areas to adjacent environs’ given that it is my understanding that the area concerned is quite distant from a major/minor population centre, is in general salt lake terrain with sparse small vegetation, with the underlying groundwater being hypersaline and can be claimed to be of no beneficial use?
(10) If no to (9), why not?
(1) Is it correct that part of the letter dated February 14 2002 under the heading of ‘Mill and Adjacent Environs Mining Lease 16/72’ states ‘The topsoil stockpile located immediately North of the Plant is being impacted upon by salt water emanating from the mill and process water dam. The Topsoil stockpile must be relocated’. Topsoil is an extremely important component of successful rehabilitation and therefore must be safeguarded. Appropriate surface water control features are required to be installed to negate sediments and contaminates (eg. Salt, hydrocarbons, sediment) from shedding from the ROM and mill areas to adjacent environs.’?
(2) If no to (1), will the Minister table a copy of this letter?
(3) Can the Minister quote the text of the specific section or regulation and the authority under what Act administered by the Department which enabled Mr Bouwhuis to state ‘The Topsoil stockpile must be relocated’?
(4) If no to (3), why not?
(5) Can the Minister quote the text of the specific section or regulation and the authority under what Act administered by the Department Mr Bouwhuis was authorised to direct and state that ‘Appropriate surface water control features are required to be installed to negate sediments and contaminates (eg. Salt, hydrocarbons, sediment) from shedding from the ROM and mill areas to adjacent environs.’?
(6) If no to (5), why not?
(7) Can the Minister state the rationale and justification as to why the ‘plant process water dam requires an appropriate liner to achieve a permeability of 10
-9
metres per second or less’ given that any seepage would seep into underlying groundwater which is predominantly hypersaline and can be claimed to be of no beneficial use?
(8) If no to (7), why not?
(9) Can the Minister state the rationale and justification as to why surface water control features were required to be installed ‘to negate sediments and contaminates (eg. salt, hydrocarbons, sediment) from shedding from the ROM and mill areas to adjacent environs’ given that it is my understanding that the area concerned is quite distant from a major/minor population centre, is in general salt lake terrain with sparse small vegetation, with the underlying groundwater being hypersaline and can be claimed to be of no beneficial use?
(10) If no to (9), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
2 December 2003
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for State Development
Response time
39 days
1. Yes. 2. Not applicable. 3. Section 11 of the Mining Act 1978 and Part VI A of the Mining Regulations 1981. Tenement conditions “6”, “15”, “30” attached to Mining Lease 16/72, Section 84 Mining Act 1978. 4. Not applicable. 5. As per answer (3). 6. Not applicable. 7. Seepage of potentially contaminated water (with salt) from the dam can have advert effects on vegetation growth. 8 Not applicable. 9. To minimise any impact from uncontrolled discharge of potential contaminated water to the environment. 10. Not applicable.
2. Not applicable. 3. Section 11 of the Mining Act 1978 and Part VI A of the Mining Regulations 1981. Tenement conditions “6”, “15”, “30” attached to Mining Lease 16/72, Section 84 Mining Act 1978. 4. Not applicable. 5. As per answer (3). 6. Not applicable. 7. Seepage of potentially contaminated water (with salt) from the dam can have advert effects on vegetation growth. 8 Not applicable. 9. To minimise any impact from uncontrolled discharge of potential contaminated water to the environment. 10. Not applicable.
3. Section 11 of the Mining Act 1978 and Part VI A of the Mining Regulations 1981. Tenement conditions “6”, “15”, “30” attached to Mining Lease 16/72, Section 84 Mining Act 1978. 4. Not applicable. 5. As per answer (3). 6. Not applicable. 7. Seepage of potentially contaminated water (with salt) from the dam can have advert effects on vegetation growth. 8 Not applicable. 9. To minimise any impact from uncontrolled discharge of potential contaminated water to the environment. 10. Not applicable.
Tenement conditions “6”, “15”, “30” attached to Mining Lease 16/72, Section 84 Mining Act 1978. 4. Not applicable. 5. As per answer (3). 6. Not applicable. 7. Seepage of potentially contaminated water (with salt) from the dam can have advert effects on vegetation growth. 8 Not applicable. 9. To minimise any impact from uncontrolled discharge of potential contaminated water to the environment. 10. Not applicable.
4. Not applicable. 5. As per answer (3). 6. Not applicable. 7. Seepage of potentially contaminated water (with salt) from the dam can have advert effects on vegetation growth. 8 Not applicable. 9. To minimise any impact from uncontrolled discharge of potential contaminated water to the environment. 10. Not applicable.
5. As per answer (3). 6. Not applicable. 7. Seepage of potentially contaminated water (with salt) from the dam can have advert effects on vegetation growth. 8 Not applicable. 9. To minimise any impact from uncontrolled discharge of potential contaminated water to the environment. 10. Not applicable.
6. Not applicable. 7. Seepage of potentially contaminated water (with salt) from the dam can have advert effects on vegetation growth. 8 Not applicable. 9. To minimise any impact from uncontrolled discharge of potential contaminated water to the environment. 10. Not applicable.
7. Seepage of potentially contaminated water (with salt) from the dam can have advert effects on vegetation growth. 8 Not applicable. 9. To minimise any impact from uncontrolled discharge of potential contaminated water to the environment. 10. Not applicable.
8 Not applicable. 9. To minimise any impact from uncontrolled discharge of potential contaminated water to the environment. 10. Not applicable.
9. To minimise any impact from uncontrolled discharge of potential contaminated water to the environment. 10. Not applicable.
10. Not applicable.
2. Not applicable. 3. Section 11 of the Mining Act 1978 and Part VI A of the Mining Regulations 1981. Tenement conditions “6”, “15”, “30” attached to Mining Lease 16/72, Section 84 Mining Act 1978. 4. Not applicable. 5. As per answer (3). 6. Not applicable. 7. Seepage of potentially contaminated water (with salt) from the dam can have advert effects on vegetation growth. 8 Not applicable. 9. To minimise any impact from uncontrolled discharge of potential contaminated water to the environment. 10. Not applicable.
3. Section 11 of the Mining Act 1978 and Part VI A of the Mining Regulations 1981. Tenement conditions “6”, “15”, “30” attached to Mining Lease 16/72, Section 84 Mining Act 1978. 4. Not applicable. 5. As per answer (3). 6. Not applicable. 7. Seepage of potentially contaminated water (with salt) from the dam can have advert effects on vegetation growth. 8 Not applicable. 9. To minimise any impact from uncontrolled discharge of potential contaminated water to the environment. 10. Not applicable.
Tenement conditions “6”, “15”, “30” attached to Mining Lease 16/72, Section 84 Mining Act 1978. 4. Not applicable. 5. As per answer (3). 6. Not applicable. 7. Seepage of potentially contaminated water (with salt) from the dam can have advert effects on vegetation growth. 8 Not applicable. 9. To minimise any impact from uncontrolled discharge of potential contaminated water to the environment. 10. Not applicable.
4. Not applicable. 5. As per answer (3). 6. Not applicable. 7. Seepage of potentially contaminated water (with salt) from the dam can have advert effects on vegetation growth. 8 Not applicable. 9. To minimise any impact from uncontrolled discharge of potential contaminated water to the environment. 10. Not applicable.
5. As per answer (3). 6. Not applicable. 7. Seepage of potentially contaminated water (with salt) from the dam can have advert effects on vegetation growth. 8 Not applicable. 9. To minimise any impact from uncontrolled discharge of potential contaminated water to the environment. 10. Not applicable.
6. Not applicable. 7. Seepage of potentially contaminated water (with salt) from the dam can have advert effects on vegetation growth. 8 Not applicable. 9. To minimise any impact from uncontrolled discharge of potential contaminated water to the environment. 10. Not applicable.
7. Seepage of potentially contaminated water (with salt) from the dam can have advert effects on vegetation growth. 8 Not applicable. 9. To minimise any impact from uncontrolled discharge of potential contaminated water to the environment. 10. Not applicable.
8 Not applicable. 9. To minimise any impact from uncontrolled discharge of potential contaminated water to the environment. 10. Not applicable.
9. To minimise any impact from uncontrolled discharge of potential contaminated water to the environment. 10. Not applicable.
10. Not applicable.
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