❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice addresses concerns about potential arsenic trioxide leaks at the Kanowna Belle Gold Mine, with the Minister providing detailed responses and assurances regarding environmental safety measures and monitoring.
AnsweredQoN 2315Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Kanowna Belle Gold Mine and Raleigh Gold Mine both owned by Barrick Gold located near Kalgoorlie Boulder, and ask -
(1) In the period of the last 24 months, is it correct that arsenic trioxide stored underground at the Kanowna Belle gold after contact with hypersaline water underground, has been leaking into the decline or some drives?
(2) If no to (1), what specifically is correct in relation to these matters?
(3) If yes to (1), what specifically has happened with each incident?
(4) Can the Minister state how many times in the last three years the Department of Environment Conservation (DEC) inspectors have been underground, to check all of the arsenic trioxide that has been stored underground, to ensure that it is securely contained and not leaking into the ground and penetrating into the hypersaline water?
(5) If no to (4), why not?
(6) Can the Minister table a map indicating where the arsenic trioxide is being stored in the underground Kanowna Belle mine showing the mine plan and also indicate whether this material is being stored above in upper levels from where the miners are working further below?
(7) If no to (6), why not?
(8) Can the Minister quote the full text of licence condition W1(a) for the Kanowna premises and explain how this condition prevents pollution and environmental harm?
(9) If no to (8), why not?
(10) Can the Minister quote the full text of condition W10 for the Kanowna premises and explain how this condition prevents pollution and environmental harm?
(11) If no to (10), why not?
(12) Can the Minister quote the full text of condition W9(b) and explain how this condition prevents pollution or environmental harm to hypersaline water?
(13) If no to (12), why not?
(14) Can the Minister state the natural salinity of the water in the underground Kanowna Belle Gold Mine?
(15) If no to (14), why not?
(16) Can the Minister state the natural pH acidity of the water in the underground Kanowna Belle Gold Mine?
(17) If no to (16), why not?
(1) In the period of the last 24 months, is it correct that arsenic trioxide stored underground at the Kanowna Belle gold after contact with hypersaline water underground, has been leaking into the decline or some drives?
(2) If no to (1), what specifically is correct in relation to these matters?
(3) If yes to (1), what specifically has happened with each incident?
(4) Can the Minister state how many times in the last three years the Department of Environment Conservation (DEC) inspectors have been underground, to check all of the arsenic trioxide that has been stored underground, to ensure that it is securely contained and not leaking into the ground and penetrating into the hypersaline water?
(5) If no to (4), why not?
(6) Can the Minister table a map indicating where the arsenic trioxide is being stored in the underground Kanowna Belle mine showing the mine plan and also indicate whether this material is being stored above in upper levels from where the miners are working further below?
(7) If no to (6), why not?
(8) Can the Minister quote the full text of licence condition W1(a) for the Kanowna premises and explain how this condition prevents pollution and environmental harm?
(9) If no to (8), why not?
(10) Can the Minister quote the full text of condition W10 for the Kanowna premises and explain how this condition prevents pollution and environmental harm?
(11) If no to (10), why not?
(12) Can the Minister quote the full text of condition W9(b) and explain how this condition prevents pollution or environmental harm to hypersaline water?
(13) If no to (12), why not?
(14) Can the Minister state the natural salinity of the water in the underground Kanowna Belle Gold Mine?
(15) If no to (14), why not?
(16) Can the Minister state the natural pH acidity of the water in the underground Kanowna Belle Gold Mine?
(17) If no to (16), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
15 June 2010
Responded by
Minister for Environment
Response time
42 days
(1-3) Treated arsenic trioxide (termed dolocrete encapsulated arsenic trioxide) is stored in disused sections of the Kanowna Belle Underground. The underground storage of treated arsenic trioxide in the Kanowna Belle Mine was inspected by the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) on 7 May 2010 as part of an investigation into an anonymous complaint. The storage areas inspected did not have high water levels and the dolocrete blocks sealing the arsenic trioxide in a non-leaching solid did not appear to have deteriorated. Samples of water were taken and the results have shown low traces of arsenic, which were below relevant guideline values for groundwater of this type. The arsenic present in the samples is reflective of arsenic found in the ores of the area. Given the low levels, it is unlikely that the treated arsenic trioxide is the source of the arsenic present in the samples. There is no evidence to date that arsenic trioxide is leaking into the decline or drives.
(4-5) I have been advised that DEC inspected the storage of arsenic trioxide underground on 7 May 2010. Areas where arsenic trioxide has been placed for storage previously have been sealed off to limit access for safety and management reasons. Whether DEC officers go into underground operations depends on the risk that the underground activities pose to an emissions or discharge or in response to a complaint. Water and leachate tests results provide suitable information to determine the stability of the treated arsenic trioxide.
(6-7) Barrack Kanowna has voluntarily provided the attached map and mine levels plans to DEC. I table the attached documents. The blue line identifies the travel way into and out of the underground workings with the blue line at the bottom of the mine indicating where new mine levels are about to be installed. The black lines are the underground workings where gold bearing ore is extracted.
(8-9) "The Licensee shall store environmentally hazardous chemicals (where the total volume of each substance stored on the premises exceeds 250 litres) within low permeability (10
-9
metres per second or less) compound(s) designed to contain not less than 110% of the volume of the largest storage vessel or inter-connected system, and at least 25% of the total volume of substances stored in the compound".
This condition requires containment of chemicals within a defined area to ensure that any spill does not enter the environment and cause harm or pollution.
(10-11) "The Licensee shall ensure that the premise is drained such that contaminated stormwater is retained on the premises".
This condition requires contaminated rain or stormwater to be contained on the premises, so that contaminants are prevented from entering the environment.
(12-13) "The Licensee shall advise the Goldfields Region Office in writing within 7 days of becoming aware of the results from any water samples drawn from designated monitoring bores which fall outside the following criteria:
i) pH in the range of 2 to 3.5 for GWMB1 to GWMB7;
ii) pH in the range of 3 to 5 for GWMB8 to GWMB11".
This condition is designed to track potential seepage from around the tailings storage facilities using pH as a marker of seepage characteristics. It is designed to indicate the presence of seepage so that the recovery of seepage can be assessed as successful or not. Recovery of seepage is required to prevent mounding of water with saline or acidic characteristics that may impact the vegetation by coming into contact with its roots.
(14-15) Natural groundwater salinity in the Kanowna Belle Mine is considered to be at levels that are found in the bores extracting water in the surrounding areas and these range from 19,000 - 76,000 mg/L total dissolved solids (TDS).
(16-17) The natural groundwater pH at the Kanowna Belle Mining Mine is considered to be the levels that are found in the bores extracting water in the surrounding areas and these range from 3-7 (acidic to neutral).
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
(4-5) I have been advised that DEC inspected the storage of arsenic trioxide underground on 7 May 2010. Areas where arsenic trioxide has been placed for storage previously have been sealed off to limit access for safety and management reasons. Whether DEC officers go into underground operations depends on the risk that the underground activities pose to an emissions or discharge or in response to a complaint. Water and leachate tests results provide suitable information to determine the stability of the treated arsenic trioxide.
(6-7) Barrack Kanowna has voluntarily provided the attached map and mine levels plans to DEC. I table the attached documents. The blue line identifies the travel way into and out of the underground workings with the blue line at the bottom of the mine indicating where new mine levels are about to be installed. The black lines are the underground workings where gold bearing ore is extracted.
(8-9) "The Licensee shall store environmentally hazardous chemicals (where the total volume of each substance stored on the premises exceeds 250 litres) within low permeability (10
-9
metres per second or less) compound(s) designed to contain not less than 110% of the volume of the largest storage vessel or inter-connected system, and at least 25% of the total volume of substances stored in the compound".
This condition requires containment of chemicals within a defined area to ensure that any spill does not enter the environment and cause harm or pollution.
(10-11) "The Licensee shall ensure that the premise is drained such that contaminated stormwater is retained on the premises".
This condition requires contaminated rain or stormwater to be contained on the premises, so that contaminants are prevented from entering the environment.
(12-13) "The Licensee shall advise the Goldfields Region Office in writing within 7 days of becoming aware of the results from any water samples drawn from designated monitoring bores which fall outside the following criteria:
i) pH in the range of 2 to 3.5 for GWMB1 to GWMB7;
ii) pH in the range of 3 to 5 for GWMB8 to GWMB11".
This condition is designed to track potential seepage from around the tailings storage facilities using pH as a marker of seepage characteristics. It is designed to indicate the presence of seepage so that the recovery of seepage can be assessed as successful or not. Recovery of seepage is required to prevent mounding of water with saline or acidic characteristics that may impact the vegetation by coming into contact with its roots.
(14-15) Natural groundwater salinity in the Kanowna Belle Mine is considered to be at levels that are found in the bores extracting water in the surrounding areas and these range from 19,000 - 76,000 mg/L total dissolved solids (TDS).
(16-17) The natural groundwater pH at the Kanowna Belle Mining Mine is considered to be the levels that are found in the bores extracting water in the surrounding areas and these range from 3-7 (acidic to neutral).
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
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.