❓ Hon Robin Chapple questions the Minister for the Environment and Heritage about the Bulong Nickel mine tailings dams, focusing on seepage, discharge, capacity, and construction costs. The Minister provides data on discharge volumes, dam capacities, and construction costs, but lacks information on seepage.
AnsweredQoN 284Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Bulong Nickel mine operations and specifically the tailings dams located in close proximity to the lake -
(1) Can the Minister state how much seepage in terms of litres/year from the tailings dams is leaking and seeping back into the ground and surrounding groundwater at this operation?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) Can the Minister state how much in litres/year is discharged into this tailings dam?
(4) If no to (3), why not?
(5) Can the Minister state what is the maximum specific holding capacity in terms of litres/per day that can be discharged into these tailings dams?
(6) If no to (5), why not?
(7) Can the Minister state what was the approximate cost of constructing the existing tailings dam?
(8) If no to (7), why not?
(9) Can the Minister state what was the approximate cost of constructing the previous tailings dam?
(10) If no to (9), why not?
(1) Can the Minister state how much seepage in terms of litres/year from the tailings dams is leaking and seeping back into the ground and surrounding groundwater at this operation?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) Can the Minister state how much in litres/year is discharged into this tailings dam?
(4) If no to (3), why not?
(5) Can the Minister state what is the maximum specific holding capacity in terms of litres/per day that can be discharged into these tailings dams?
(6) If no to (5), why not?
(7) Can the Minister state what was the approximate cost of constructing the existing tailings dam?
(8) If no to (7), why not?
(9) Can the Minister state what was the approximate cost of constructing the previous tailings dam?
(10) If no to (9), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
5 December 2002
Responded by
Minister for Housing and Works representing the Minister for the Environment and Heritage
Response time
22 days
(2) The DEP does not have this information. (3) Yes, 204,000 cubic metres of dry tailings and 2.1 million cubic metres of water was discharged into the tailings dam adjacent to Lake Yindarigooda in 2001 calendar year. A further 82,000 cubic metres of dry tailings and 798 cubic metres of water was deposited up to May 2002, at which time disposal was directed into the mined out Criterion pit. (4) Not applicable. (5) Yes, the capacity of the tailings dam adjacent to Lake Yindarigooda is 2,347,500 cubic metres. Design daily tailings discharge is 7,400 cubic metres. (6) Not applicable. (7) Yes, the approximate cost of constructing the existing tailings dam (Criterion pit in-pit tailings disposal facility) was $650,000. (8) Not applicable. (9) Yes, the approximate cost of constructing the previous tailings dam including evaporation pond, tailings pipeline and all associated infrastructure was $6.2 million. (10) Not applicable.
(3) Yes, 204,000 cubic metres of dry tailings and 2.1 million cubic metres of water was discharged into the tailings dam adjacent to Lake Yindarigooda in 2001 calendar year. A further 82,000 cubic metres of dry tailings and 798 cubic metres of water was deposited up to May 2002, at which time disposal was directed into the mined out Criterion pit. (4) Not applicable. (5) Yes, the capacity of the tailings dam adjacent to Lake Yindarigooda is 2,347,500 cubic metres. Design daily tailings discharge is 7,400 cubic metres. (6) Not applicable. (7) Yes, the approximate cost of constructing the existing tailings dam (Criterion pit in-pit tailings disposal facility) was $650,000. (8) Not applicable. (9) Yes, the approximate cost of constructing the previous tailings dam including evaporation pond, tailings pipeline and all associated infrastructure was $6.2 million. (10) Not applicable.
(4) Not applicable. (5) Yes, the capacity of the tailings dam adjacent to Lake Yindarigooda is 2,347,500 cubic metres. Design daily tailings discharge is 7,400 cubic metres. (6) Not applicable. (7) Yes, the approximate cost of constructing the existing tailings dam (Criterion pit in-pit tailings disposal facility) was $650,000. (8) Not applicable. (9) Yes, the approximate cost of constructing the previous tailings dam including evaporation pond, tailings pipeline and all associated infrastructure was $6.2 million. (10) Not applicable.
(5) Yes, the capacity of the tailings dam adjacent to Lake Yindarigooda is 2,347,500 cubic metres. Design daily tailings discharge is 7,400 cubic metres. (6) Not applicable. (7) Yes, the approximate cost of constructing the existing tailings dam (Criterion pit in-pit tailings disposal facility) was $650,000. (8) Not applicable. (9) Yes, the approximate cost of constructing the previous tailings dam including evaporation pond, tailings pipeline and all associated infrastructure was $6.2 million. (10) Not applicable.
(6) Not applicable. (7) Yes, the approximate cost of constructing the existing tailings dam (Criterion pit in-pit tailings disposal facility) was $650,000. (8) Not applicable. (9) Yes, the approximate cost of constructing the previous tailings dam including evaporation pond, tailings pipeline and all associated infrastructure was $6.2 million. (10) Not applicable.
(7) Yes, the approximate cost of constructing the existing tailings dam (Criterion pit in-pit tailings disposal facility) was $650,000. (8) Not applicable. (9) Yes, the approximate cost of constructing the previous tailings dam including evaporation pond, tailings pipeline and all associated infrastructure was $6.2 million. (10) Not applicable.
(8) Not applicable. (9) Yes, the approximate cost of constructing the previous tailings dam including evaporation pond, tailings pipeline and all associated infrastructure was $6.2 million. (10) Not applicable.
(9) Yes, the approximate cost of constructing the previous tailings dam including evaporation pond, tailings pipeline and all associated infrastructure was $6.2 million. (10) Not applicable.
(10) Not applicable.
(3) Yes, 204,000 cubic metres of dry tailings and 2.1 million cubic metres of water was discharged into the tailings dam adjacent to Lake Yindarigooda in 2001 calendar year. A further 82,000 cubic metres of dry tailings and 798 cubic metres of water was deposited up to May 2002, at which time disposal was directed into the mined out Criterion pit. (4) Not applicable. (5) Yes, the capacity of the tailings dam adjacent to Lake Yindarigooda is 2,347,500 cubic metres. Design daily tailings discharge is 7,400 cubic metres. (6) Not applicable. (7) Yes, the approximate cost of constructing the existing tailings dam (Criterion pit in-pit tailings disposal facility) was $650,000. (8) Not applicable. (9) Yes, the approximate cost of constructing the previous tailings dam including evaporation pond, tailings pipeline and all associated infrastructure was $6.2 million. (10) Not applicable.
(4) Not applicable. (5) Yes, the capacity of the tailings dam adjacent to Lake Yindarigooda is 2,347,500 cubic metres. Design daily tailings discharge is 7,400 cubic metres. (6) Not applicable. (7) Yes, the approximate cost of constructing the existing tailings dam (Criterion pit in-pit tailings disposal facility) was $650,000. (8) Not applicable. (9) Yes, the approximate cost of constructing the previous tailings dam including evaporation pond, tailings pipeline and all associated infrastructure was $6.2 million. (10) Not applicable.
(5) Yes, the capacity of the tailings dam adjacent to Lake Yindarigooda is 2,347,500 cubic metres. Design daily tailings discharge is 7,400 cubic metres. (6) Not applicable. (7) Yes, the approximate cost of constructing the existing tailings dam (Criterion pit in-pit tailings disposal facility) was $650,000. (8) Not applicable. (9) Yes, the approximate cost of constructing the previous tailings dam including evaporation pond, tailings pipeline and all associated infrastructure was $6.2 million. (10) Not applicable.
(6) Not applicable. (7) Yes, the approximate cost of constructing the existing tailings dam (Criterion pit in-pit tailings disposal facility) was $650,000. (8) Not applicable. (9) Yes, the approximate cost of constructing the previous tailings dam including evaporation pond, tailings pipeline and all associated infrastructure was $6.2 million. (10) Not applicable.
(7) Yes, the approximate cost of constructing the existing tailings dam (Criterion pit in-pit tailings disposal facility) was $650,000. (8) Not applicable. (9) Yes, the approximate cost of constructing the previous tailings dam including evaporation pond, tailings pipeline and all associated infrastructure was $6.2 million. (10) Not applicable.
(8) Not applicable. (9) Yes, the approximate cost of constructing the previous tailings dam including evaporation pond, tailings pipeline and all associated infrastructure was $6.2 million. (10) Not applicable.
(9) Yes, the approximate cost of constructing the previous tailings dam including evaporation pond, tailings pipeline and all associated infrastructure was $6.2 million. (10) Not applicable.
(10) Not applicable.
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