❓ Hon. Robin Chapple questions the Minister for Mines and Petroleum regarding the rehabilitation of the forfeited Bulong Nickel Project, including costs, complaints, rehabilitation progress, and the status of the $1.12 million bond. The Minister responds, outlining the estimated rehabilitation cost, lack of recorded complaints, reasons for delayed rehabilitation, and the bond's location.
AnsweredQoN 312Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
BULONG NICKEL PROJECT
312. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the Attorney
General representing the Minister for Mines and Petroleum:
I refer to the Bulong nickel
project, mining lease 25/97, which was forfeited on 5 March 2013.
(1) Has the
estimated cost of rehabilitating this site been calculated; and, if so, what is
that cost?
(2) Has the
department received any complaints regarding and/or related to the
non-rehabilitation of this site; and, if so, on what dates were they received?
(3) Has any work
been done to initiate rehabilitation of this site?
(4) If no to (3),
why not?
(5) Was the $1.12
million bond previously on ML 25/97 transferred into the mining rehabilitation fund, held by the
department, or did it go into general revenue?
(6) If no to (5),
what has happened to this money?
312. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the Attorney
General representing the Minister for Mines and Petroleum:
I refer to the Bulong nickel
project, mining lease 25/97, which was forfeited on 5 March 2013.
(1) Has the
estimated cost of rehabilitating this site been calculated; and, if so, what is
that cost?
(2) Has the
department received any complaints regarding and/or related to the
non-rehabilitation of this site; and, if so, on what dates were they received?
(3) Has any work
been done to initiate rehabilitation of this site?
(4) If no to (3),
why not?
(5) Was the $1.12
million bond previously on ML 25/97 transferred into the mining rehabilitation fund, held by the
department, or did it go into general revenue?
(6) If no to (5),
what has happened to this money?
AnswerView source ↗
On behalf of the Minister for Mines
and Petroleum, I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1) Yes. The cost
of rehabilitating the site has been estimated as per the mining rehabilitation
fund rates. The rehabilitation liability estimate for the tailing storage
facility is $6 854 280.
(2) The
department cannot find any record of a complaint against this site.
(3) No.
(4) Prior to the
introduction of the mining rehabilitation fund, there was no dedicated source
of funding to rehabilitate abandoned mine sites, and the unconditional performance
bond held for Bulong was not sufficient to rehabilitate the site. Bulong has
been identified as a high priority for rehabilitation, which will be undertaken
using a mixture of the bond and interest generated through the mining
rehabilitation fund.
(5) The
unconditional performance bond is held in a trust account administered by the
Department of Mines and Petroleum in accordance with legislative requirements.
(6) Refer to the response in part
(5).
and Petroleum, I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1) Yes. The cost
of rehabilitating the site has been estimated as per the mining rehabilitation
fund rates. The rehabilitation liability estimate for the tailing storage
facility is $6 854 280.
(2) The
department cannot find any record of a complaint against this site.
(3) No.
(4) Prior to the
introduction of the mining rehabilitation fund, there was no dedicated source
of funding to rehabilitate abandoned mine sites, and the unconditional performance
bond held for Bulong was not sufficient to rehabilitate the site. Bulong has
been identified as a high priority for rehabilitation, which will be undertaken
using a mixture of the bond and interest generated through the mining
rehabilitation fund.
(5) The
unconditional performance bond is held in a trust account administered by the
Department of Mines and Petroleum in accordance with legislative requirements.
(6) Refer to the response in part
(5).
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