❓ Hon Robin Chapple questions the Minister for Environment and Heritage regarding the absence of the word 'cyanide' in KCGM's environmental license, while the Minister clarifies that the condition remains unchanged and is adequately covered by other license conditions.
AnsweredQoN 532Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
licence number 6420 for Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines Pty Ltd (KCGM) operator for Barrick Gold and Newmont Australia super pit Fimiston mining operations -
(1) Can the Minister explain why the word cyanide has been removed from a condition of the licence since September 2000 and which currently states ‘The Licensee shall retain all matter containing saline or alkaline constituents shall be retained within holding facilities in a manner which prevents pollution. Pollution includes, but is not limited to the constituents of tailings damaging vegetation, contaminating surface waters or contaminating underground waters’, given that -
(a) cyanide is highly hazardous and toxic; and
(b) other environmental licences issued by the Department of Environmental Protection for various large and small mine sites have the word cyanide still included in their licences?
(2) Will the Minister or the Department of Environmental Protection immediately amend KCGM’s licence to include the word cyanide in the licence condition as it was prior to September 2000?
(3) If no to (2), why not?
Environmental Protection Act 1986
licence number 6420 for Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines Pty Ltd (KCGM) operator for Barrick Gold and Newmont Australia super pit Fimiston mining operations -
(1) Can the Minister explain why the word cyanide has been removed from a condition of the licence since September 2000 and which currently states ‘The Licensee shall retain all matter containing saline or alkaline constituents shall be retained within holding facilities in a manner which prevents pollution. Pollution includes, but is not limited to the constituents of tailings damaging vegetation, contaminating surface waters or contaminating underground waters’, given that -
(a) cyanide is highly hazardous and toxic; and
(b) other environmental licences issued by the Department of Environmental Protection for various large and small mine sites have the word cyanide still included in their licences?
(2) Will the Minister or the Department of Environmental Protection immediately amend KCGM’s licence to include the word cyanide in the licence condition as it was prior to September 2000?
(3) If no to (2), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
1 April 2003
Responded by
Minister for Housing and Works representing the Minister for the Environment and Heritage
Response time
21 days
(b) other environmental licences issued by the Department of Environmental Protection for various large and small mine sites have the word cyanide still included in their licences?
(1) The reference to cyanide was not removed. The condition is the same as it was in the previous licence issued on 28 September 1999. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has advised the Minister, that the potential contamination from ‘cyanide’ at KCGM Fimston is adequately covered by conditions W1, W3 and W4 in the current licence. (2) No. (3) This condition was reaffirmed as appropriate by the previous Minister following appeal by KCGM in 1999.
(2) No. (3) This condition was reaffirmed as appropriate by the previous Minister following appeal by KCGM in 1999.
(3) This condition was reaffirmed as appropriate by the previous Minister following appeal by KCGM in 1999.
(1) The reference to cyanide was not removed. The condition is the same as it was in the previous licence issued on 28 September 1999. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has advised the Minister, that the potential contamination from ‘cyanide’ at KCGM Fimston is adequately covered by conditions W1, W3 and W4 in the current licence. (2) No. (3) This condition was reaffirmed as appropriate by the previous Minister following appeal by KCGM in 1999.
(2) No. (3) This condition was reaffirmed as appropriate by the previous Minister following appeal by KCGM in 1999.
(3) This condition was reaffirmed as appropriate by the previous Minister following appeal by KCGM in 1999.
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