❓ Question regarding a cyanide spill from KCGM onto Optimum Resources land, referencing CRG minutes and seeking confirmation of statements and their use in potential prosecution.
AnsweredQoN 3543Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to a spillage/discharge first identified on Saturday morning 25 February 2006, of hypersaline water containing cyanide which stressed/killed vegetation and contaminated the soil on both Optimum Resources tenement and KCGM owned/controlled land causing pollution and the KCGM Community Reference Group (CRG) Minutes dated March 2006 -
(1) Is it correct that General Manager Mr Cobb Johnstone in part of the March 2006 CRG minutes referred to above states ‘We have had another incident, we had some water flow from our leases onto another. We noticed it late on Monday and it was getting dark, we took samples to work out where it was coming from. I spoke to the other lease holder first thing on Tuesday morning. There was rain on Monday night but it did happen before that. The sample we took did detect cyanide, but in a small amount. Long term damage I don’t think there will be any by good management. All we can keep trying to do better. It is the Optimum Resources Lease’?
(2) If no to (1), will the Minister quote the full text from the March 2006 minutes?
(3) If yes to (1), will these CRG minutes dated March 2006 be provided to the environmental enforcement unit to be used as evidence in any prosecution proceedings?
(1) Is it correct that General Manager Mr Cobb Johnstone in part of the March 2006 CRG minutes referred to above states ‘We have had another incident, we had some water flow from our leases onto another. We noticed it late on Monday and it was getting dark, we took samples to work out where it was coming from. I spoke to the other lease holder first thing on Tuesday morning. There was rain on Monday night but it did happen before that. The sample we took did detect cyanide, but in a small amount. Long term damage I don’t think there will be any by good management. All we can keep trying to do better. It is the Optimum Resources Lease’?
(2) If no to (1), will the Minister quote the full text from the March 2006 minutes?
(3) If yes to (1), will these CRG minutes dated March 2006 be provided to the environmental enforcement unit to be used as evidence in any prosecution proceedings?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
20 June 2006
Responded by
Minister for Education and Training representing the Minister for the Environment
Response time
26 days
(1) Yes. The minutes are available from Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mine's website at www.superpit.com.au. (2) Not applicable. (3) The minutes are part of the investigation currently being undertaken by the Department of Environment.
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