❓ A parliamentary question regarding the Kaltails Tailings dam and the DEC's handling of pollution and enforcement between 1989-1999. The response confirms a license condition existed and defends the DEC's permeability standard.
AnsweredQoN 1726Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
With reference to the Kaltails Tailings dam, I ask –
(1) Is it correct that the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) allowed the operator of the tailings dam to stress and kill vegetation causing pollution in the period from 1989 through to 1999 without taking strong enforcement or prosecution action?
(a) If yes, can the Minister explain why?
(b) If no, what is correct?
(2) Is it correct that the operator of the Kaltails tailings dam had a license condition in 1991/92 which stated that matter containing saline, alkaline or cyanide constituents shall be retained within impervious holding facilities, such that there is no discernible impairment of surface or underground waters?
(a) If not, why not?
(3) Is it correct that the DEC considers that a permeability of 10-9 metres per second, which equates to about a water seepage rate of three centimeters per year, as being impervious for their purpose?
(a) If not, why not?
(1) Is it correct that the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) allowed the operator of the tailings dam to stress and kill vegetation causing pollution in the period from 1989 through to 1999 without taking strong enforcement or prosecution action?
(a) If yes, can the Minister explain why?
(b) If no, what is correct?
(2) Is it correct that the operator of the Kaltails tailings dam had a license condition in 1991/92 which stated that matter containing saline, alkaline or cyanide constituents shall be retained within impervious holding facilities, such that there is no discernible impairment of surface or underground waters?
(a) If not, why not?
(3) Is it correct that the DEC considers that a permeability of 10-9 metres per second, which equates to about a water seepage rate of three centimeters per year, as being impervious for their purpose?
(a) If not, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
26 February 2007
Responded by
Minister for the Environment
Response time
76 days
(b) If no, what is correct?
The Department of Environment and Conservation advises the following; (1) The Kaltails Tailings facility has not been actively deposited to for some years, and the records associated with its activity are in archive. The period in question is over seven years ago and I do not support the use of Department of Environment and Conservation resources to locate and retrieve these files, particularly when there is no evidence to suggest that vegetation is currently under stress or dying as a result of this facility. There are no active investigations into Newmont Kaltails with respect to seepage, and/or vegetation stress or death surrounding the Kaltails tailings storage facilities. (2) Yes, this was applied in 1991/92. (3) The DEC considers 10 -9 metres per second to be an extremely low permeability which effectively restricts seepage.
(1) The Kaltails Tailings facility has not been actively deposited to for some years, and the records associated with its activity are in archive. The period in question is over seven years ago and I do not support the use of Department of Environment and Conservation resources to locate and retrieve these files, particularly when there is no evidence to suggest that vegetation is currently under stress or dying as a result of this facility. There are no active investigations into Newmont Kaltails with respect to seepage, and/or vegetation stress or death surrounding the Kaltails tailings storage facilities. (2) Yes, this was applied in 1991/92. (3) The DEC considers 10 -9 metres per second to be an extremely low permeability which effectively restricts seepage.
(2) Yes, this was applied in 1991/92. (3) The DEC considers 10 -9 metres per second to be an extremely low permeability which effectively restricts seepage.
(3) The DEC considers 10 -9 metres per second to be an extremely low permeability which effectively restricts seepage.
The Department of Environment and Conservation advises the following; (1) The Kaltails Tailings facility has not been actively deposited to for some years, and the records associated with its activity are in archive. The period in question is over seven years ago and I do not support the use of Department of Environment and Conservation resources to locate and retrieve these files, particularly when there is no evidence to suggest that vegetation is currently under stress or dying as a result of this facility. There are no active investigations into Newmont Kaltails with respect to seepage, and/or vegetation stress or death surrounding the Kaltails tailings storage facilities. (2) Yes, this was applied in 1991/92. (3) The DEC considers 10 -9 metres per second to be an extremely low permeability which effectively restricts seepage.
(1) The Kaltails Tailings facility has not been actively deposited to for some years, and the records associated with its activity are in archive. The period in question is over seven years ago and I do not support the use of Department of Environment and Conservation resources to locate and retrieve these files, particularly when there is no evidence to suggest that vegetation is currently under stress or dying as a result of this facility. There are no active investigations into Newmont Kaltails with respect to seepage, and/or vegetation stress or death surrounding the Kaltails tailings storage facilities. (2) Yes, this was applied in 1991/92. (3) The DEC considers 10 -9 metres per second to be an extremely low permeability which effectively restricts seepage.
(2) Yes, this was applied in 1991/92. (3) The DEC considers 10 -9 metres per second to be an extremely low permeability which effectively restricts seepage.
(3) The DEC considers 10 -9 metres per second to be an extremely low permeability which effectively restricts seepage.
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