❓ A WA parliamentary question regarding the potential relocation of the Trans Australian Railway line to facilitate mining operations near Kalgoorlie-Boulder, focusing on the economic benefits and stakeholder considerations. The Minister acknowledges the potential importance but emphasizes the need for further investigation before committing to the relocation.
AnsweredQoN 3827Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I referto the gold resources still around the Mt Percy open pits, the proposed Lucknow, Phar lap, Milanese Open cuts, the Westralia Lode gold mineralization, the gold resources known as Sons of Gwalia, Charlotte Fault and Golden Dream located close to the Trans Australian Railway line in the vicinity of the Mt Charlotte/Cassidy mining operations owned by Barrick Gold and Newmont Mining managed by KCGM, the Goldfields Esperance Region 2010-2020 Strategic Plan produced by the Goldfields Esperance Development Commission(GEDC) and question on notice No. 3251 asked on 2 December 2010, and I ask -
(1) Does the Minister recognise the critical importance of removing the railway line from its current location, which will then facilitate the proposed mining of the proposed Lucknow, Phar lap, Milanese Open cuts and the Westralia Lode gold mineralization in the near vicinity of the Trans Australian Railway, providing for approximately another 10-20 years of open cut mining, giving enormous confidence to the Kalgoorlie-Boulder community?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) If yes to (1), can the Minister explain the rationale as to how he recognizes the importance?
(4) Does the Minister support the GEDC strategic plan referred to above which involves a rail bypass around Kalgoorlie Boulder for an approximate cost of $60 million?
(5) If no to (4), why not?
(6) Has the Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP) written to the GEDC and the Minister for Transport responsible for Westnet Rail, explaining that in principle they support the removal and relocation of the Trans Australian Railway Line, to facilitate open cut mining taking place which will significantly extend the life of the KCGM open pit operations in Kalgoorlie Boulder?
(7) If no to (6), will the DMP write to both Agencies informing them of their position?
(8) If yes to (6), on what dates did this occur?
(9) With reference to the answer for question on notice number 3251 asked on 2 December 2010 part (6), will the Minister specifically list and name who he regards as being the ‘interests of all stakeholders’?
(10) If no to (9), why not?
(1) Does the Minister recognise the critical importance of removing the railway line from its current location, which will then facilitate the proposed mining of the proposed Lucknow, Phar lap, Milanese Open cuts and the Westralia Lode gold mineralization in the near vicinity of the Trans Australian Railway, providing for approximately another 10-20 years of open cut mining, giving enormous confidence to the Kalgoorlie-Boulder community?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) If yes to (1), can the Minister explain the rationale as to how he recognizes the importance?
(4) Does the Minister support the GEDC strategic plan referred to above which involves a rail bypass around Kalgoorlie Boulder for an approximate cost of $60 million?
(5) If no to (4), why not?
(6) Has the Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP) written to the GEDC and the Minister for Transport responsible for Westnet Rail, explaining that in principle they support the removal and relocation of the Trans Australian Railway Line, to facilitate open cut mining taking place which will significantly extend the life of the KCGM open pit operations in Kalgoorlie Boulder?
(7) If no to (6), will the DMP write to both Agencies informing them of their position?
(8) If yes to (6), on what dates did this occur?
(9) With reference to the answer for question on notice number 3251 asked on 2 December 2010 part (6), will the Minister specifically list and name who he regards as being the ‘interests of all stakeholders’?
(10) If no to (9), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
21 June 2011
Responded by
Minister for Mines and Petroleum
Response time
70 days
(1) Yes, I recognise the potential for this to be important.
(2) Not applicable
(3) The area has the potential, subject to the results of drilling and other investigations currently underway, to extend the life of KCGM's mining operations well beyond the current mine life of the Super Pit.
(4) If further exploratory work and investigation by KCGM confirms the need to relocate the Trans Australian Railway, I will of course support this happening subject to due process.
(5) Not applicable
(6) No
(7) No. I believe that it is premature for such action.
(8) Not applicable
(9) The stakeholders would be the tenement holders affected by the new route of the relocated railway line. It is not possible to list these stakeholders until the new route has been proposed and referred to the Department of Mines and Petroleum for clearance under Section 16(3) of the
Mining Act 1978
.
(10) Not applicable
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(2) Not applicable
(3) The area has the potential, subject to the results of drilling and other investigations currently underway, to extend the life of KCGM's mining operations well beyond the current mine life of the Super Pit.
(4) If further exploratory work and investigation by KCGM confirms the need to relocate the Trans Australian Railway, I will of course support this happening subject to due process.
(5) Not applicable
(6) No
(7) No. I believe that it is premature for such action.
(8) Not applicable
(9) The stakeholders would be the tenement holders affected by the new route of the relocated railway line. It is not possible to list these stakeholders until the new route has been proposed and referred to the Department of Mines and Petroleum for clearance under Section 16(3) of the
Mining Act 1978
.
(10) Not applicable
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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