Home›Questions on Notice›QoN 1740

❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses asbestos management in Pilbara iron ore mining, revealing companies with Asbestos Management Plans, reported asbestos incidents, mineral content reporting practices, and community exposure notifications. The response indicates that while plans aren't mandatory submissions, incidents are reported, and community exposure hasn't been confirmed.

AnsweredQoN 1740Legislative Council

Asked

6 November 2018

Member

Hon Jacqui Boydell

Portfolio

Mines and Petroleum

QuestionView source ↗

I refer to all iron ore mining operations in the Pilbara and the management of asbestos, and I ask: (a) will the Minister please detail which companies have submitted Asbestos Management Plans relating to what mine sites to the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety; (b) will the Minister please detail the number of times and locations where the department has been advised that asbestos has been encountered in mining operations in the Pilbara; (c) how often does the department receive monitoring results from mining companies outlining the mineral content or iron ore during ship-loading activities; and (d) has the department ever received notification from mining companies that members of the community or port workers have been exposed to asbestos during ship-loading of iron ore?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered

4 December 2018

Responded by

Minister for Regional Development representing the Minister for Mines and Petroleum

Response time

9 days

(a) The Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 (MSI Act) does not require mining companies to submit Asbestos Management Plans to the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (the Department).
In the course of their work, Inspectors from the Department may request that a mine manager submit an Asbestos Management Plan.
The following mining companies operating in the Pilbara have submitted Asbestos Management Plans:
(b) Since 1 January 2011, 16 notifiable incidents, related to asbestos, have been reported by mining operations in the Pilbara. Of these, one related to the handling of an asbestos containing material (ACM) used in the construction of the infrastructure at a port operation.
06/11/2014
Phils Creek - Open Pit
PROCESS MINERALS INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD
21/02/2016
Iron Valley - Open Pit
MINERAL RESOURCES LIMITED
02/01/2015
Mining Area C - Open Pit
BHP BILLITON IRON ORE PTY. LTD.
20/06/2015
Yandi - Open Pit
BHP BILLITON IRON ORE PTY. LTD.
12/05/2016
Yandi - Open Pit
BHP BILLITON IRON ORE PTY. LTD.
10/02/2017
Mining Area C - Open Pit
BHP BILLITON IRON ORE PTY. LTD.
21/07/2017
Nelson Point and Finucane Island - Port
BHP BILLITON IRON ORE PTY. LTD.
20/08/2017
Nifty – Underground
NIFTY COPPER PTY LTD
28/01/2014
Brockman 2 - Open Pit
HAMERSLEY IRON PTY. LIMITED, RIO TINTO
21/07/2014
Greater Paraburdoo - Open Pit
HAMERSLEY IRON PTY. LIMITED, RIO TINTO
05/08/2014
Tom Price - Open Pit
HAMERSLEY IRON PTY. LIMITED, RIO TINTO
24/08/2014
Marandoo - Open Pit
HAMERSLEY IRON PTY. LIMITED, RIO TINTO
30/04/2017
Tom Price - Open Pit
HAMERSLEY IRON PTY. LIMITED, RIO TINTO
23/05/2017
Tom Price - Open Pit
HAMERSLEY IRON PTY. LIMITED, RIO TINTO
01/07/2017
Tom Price - Open Pit
HAMERSLEY IRON PTY. LIMITED, RIO TINTO
15/09/2018
Tom Price - Processing
HAMERSLEY IRON PTY. LIMITED, RIO TINTO
(c) A mine operator must submit a Project Management Plan (PMP) before operation of a mine can begin. The mine operator must include the mineral content of product being mined, transported or shipped with the PMP. However, the mine operator is not required to submit the mineral content report of product each time it is shipped.
(d) No

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