❓ Hon Robin Chapple questions the Minister for the Environment and Heritage regarding a 1993 letter concerning leakage from the Oroya Tailings Dam, seeking details on compliance with license conditions and the source of information about the leakage. The Minister declines to investigate due to the age of the issue and resource constraints, but offers a meeting to discuss the concerns.
AnsweredQoN 391Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to a letter dated August 19 1993 I understand is signed by Peter Skitmore for Andrew Baker, Director Pollution Control Division, enquiries H Johnstone, titled ‘Management of Oroya Tailings Dam’ addressed to Mr Peter Rowe, The Manager- Mineral Processing, Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines -
(1) Is it correct that part of this letter states ‘I also take this opportunity to raise the issue of compliance with licence conditions for the Oroya facilities, specifically conditions B1, B4 and B8. Condition B1 requires saline, alkaline or cyanide solutions to be retained within holding facilities. I have been advised that there is considerable surface leakage from the tailings facilities walls on the northern and southern sides particularly one location situated under mullock armouring. I request that you investigate and implement appropriate measures to prevent this leakage through the dam walls’?
(2) If no to (1), can the Minister state what is specifically stated in the letter?
(3) If yes to (1), can the Minister state specifically from whom the department was advised that there was considerable surface leakage from the tailings facilities walls and how this advice came about?
(4) Is it correct that the advice that there was considerable surface leakage from the Oroya tailings facility came from Mr Alan Bradley from the Department of Minerals and Energy who visited the Oroya tailings dam on August 6 1993 and who observed leakages from the northern and southern sides of the tailings facility?
(5) If no to (4), how did that advice about considerable surface leakage come about?
(6) Is it correct that part of the letter states ‘Condition B4 requires the licensee, where practical, to install a perimeter drain downstream of the external toe of the tailings dam. Given the current situation with leakage, I believe that it is now practical to install that toe drain around the perimeter of the Oroya dam facilities. Condition B8 requires the immediate reporting of any failure of components of the tailings system to the Regional Water Authority office. I understand that the leakage through the Oroya walls has not been formally reported in accordance with the condition of licence and I certainly have no record of such a report’?
(7) If no to (6), can the Minister state what is specifically stated in the letter?
(8) Is it correct that part of the letter states ‘Notwithstanding these measures, I have received information that sodden ground conditions persist on parts of an adjacent lease, held by Optimum Resources as Prospecting Licence 26/1848, and that these conditions are primarily caused by leakage from the Oroya Tailings dams and associated facilities’?
(9) If yes to (8), can the Minister state what specific information had been received by the department to make that statement and to factually rely on it to write the letter?
(10) If no to (8), can the Minister state what is specifically stated in the letter?
(1) Is it correct that part of this letter states ‘I also take this opportunity to raise the issue of compliance with licence conditions for the Oroya facilities, specifically conditions B1, B4 and B8. Condition B1 requires saline, alkaline or cyanide solutions to be retained within holding facilities. I have been advised that there is considerable surface leakage from the tailings facilities walls on the northern and southern sides particularly one location situated under mullock armouring. I request that you investigate and implement appropriate measures to prevent this leakage through the dam walls’?
(2) If no to (1), can the Minister state what is specifically stated in the letter?
(3) If yes to (1), can the Minister state specifically from whom the department was advised that there was considerable surface leakage from the tailings facilities walls and how this advice came about?
(4) Is it correct that the advice that there was considerable surface leakage from the Oroya tailings facility came from Mr Alan Bradley from the Department of Minerals and Energy who visited the Oroya tailings dam on August 6 1993 and who observed leakages from the northern and southern sides of the tailings facility?
(5) If no to (4), how did that advice about considerable surface leakage come about?
(6) Is it correct that part of the letter states ‘Condition B4 requires the licensee, where practical, to install a perimeter drain downstream of the external toe of the tailings dam. Given the current situation with leakage, I believe that it is now practical to install that toe drain around the perimeter of the Oroya dam facilities. Condition B8 requires the immediate reporting of any failure of components of the tailings system to the Regional Water Authority office. I understand that the leakage through the Oroya walls has not been formally reported in accordance with the condition of licence and I certainly have no record of such a report’?
(7) If no to (6), can the Minister state what is specifically stated in the letter?
(8) Is it correct that part of the letter states ‘Notwithstanding these measures, I have received information that sodden ground conditions persist on parts of an adjacent lease, held by Optimum Resources as Prospecting Licence 26/1848, and that these conditions are primarily caused by leakage from the Oroya Tailings dams and associated facilities’?
(9) If yes to (8), can the Minister state what specific information had been received by the department to make that statement and to factually rely on it to write the letter?
(10) If no to (8), can the Minister state what is specifically stated in the letter?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
1 April 2003
Responded by
Minister for Housing and Works representing the Minister for the Environment and Heritage
Response time
28 days
(1-10) The Honourable Member has asked a series of questions relevant to the Oroya Tailings Dam and events that occurred on or about 1993. These events occurred over nine years ago and several of the relevant officers have left the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) since then. I can advise the Honourable Member that this tailings dam is no longer in use and has been covered by a waste dump. The DEP is not aware of any current issues concerning groundwater seepage. I am not prepared, at this stage, to divert an officer from the important work of licensing duties to retrieve old files, which may take some time to locate, and conduct lengthy research on this matter. However, I am prepared to offer the Honourable Member a meeting with Departmental staff and representatives from my office to discuss the concerns raised.
These events occurred over nine years ago and several of the relevant officers have left the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) since then. I can advise the Honourable Member that this tailings dam is no longer in use and has been covered by a waste dump. The DEP is not aware of any current issues concerning groundwater seepage. I am not prepared, at this stage, to divert an officer from the important work of licensing duties to retrieve old files, which may take some time to locate, and conduct lengthy research on this matter. However, I am prepared to offer the Honourable Member a meeting with Departmental staff and representatives from my office to discuss the concerns raised.
I can advise the Honourable Member that this tailings dam is no longer in use and has been covered by a waste dump. The DEP is not aware of any current issues concerning groundwater seepage. I am not prepared, at this stage, to divert an officer from the important work of licensing duties to retrieve old files, which may take some time to locate, and conduct lengthy research on this matter. However, I am prepared to offer the Honourable Member a meeting with Departmental staff and representatives from my office to discuss the concerns raised.
I am not prepared, at this stage, to divert an officer from the important work of licensing duties to retrieve old files, which may take some time to locate, and conduct lengthy research on this matter. However, I am prepared to offer the Honourable Member a meeting with Departmental staff and representatives from my office to discuss the concerns raised.
However, I am prepared to offer the Honourable Member a meeting with Departmental staff and representatives from my office to discuss the concerns raised.
These events occurred over nine years ago and several of the relevant officers have left the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) since then. I can advise the Honourable Member that this tailings dam is no longer in use and has been covered by a waste dump. The DEP is not aware of any current issues concerning groundwater seepage. I am not prepared, at this stage, to divert an officer from the important work of licensing duties to retrieve old files, which may take some time to locate, and conduct lengthy research on this matter. However, I am prepared to offer the Honourable Member a meeting with Departmental staff and representatives from my office to discuss the concerns raised.
I can advise the Honourable Member that this tailings dam is no longer in use and has been covered by a waste dump. The DEP is not aware of any current issues concerning groundwater seepage. I am not prepared, at this stage, to divert an officer from the important work of licensing duties to retrieve old files, which may take some time to locate, and conduct lengthy research on this matter. However, I am prepared to offer the Honourable Member a meeting with Departmental staff and representatives from my office to discuss the concerns raised.
I am not prepared, at this stage, to divert an officer from the important work of licensing duties to retrieve old files, which may take some time to locate, and conduct lengthy research on this matter. However, I am prepared to offer the Honourable Member a meeting with Departmental staff and representatives from my office to discuss the concerns raised.
However, I am prepared to offer the Honourable Member a meeting with Departmental staff and representatives from my office to discuss the concerns raised.
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