❓ A Western Australian parliamentary Question on Notice from 2010 addresses mining activities at the Kaltails facility and KCGM, focusing on environmental management, safety, and operational details. The Minister provides answers regarding registered managers, hydrogen peroxide use, topsoil management, seepage control, stockpile details, and vegetation clearing.
AnsweredQoN 2002Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to photographs taken on 21 January 2010 depicting clearing of vegetation and construction of bores undertaken with exploration equipment available for viewing at www.mp.wa.gov.au/rchapple/Kaltails, a document dated 3 December 2009 titled, ‘KCGM Mining Proposal and Works Approval Application’, and an article which appeared in
The Kalgoorlie Miner
newspaper on Friday, 15 January 2010 on page two titled, ‘KCGM faces two charges’, -
(1) Can the Minister state the name of the person whom was the registered mine manager or nominated exploration manager with the Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP) for the exploration, mining activities carried out and depicted in the photographs dated, 21 January 2010?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) Can the Minister state what is the importance of any mining company nominating and advising the DMP of the registered mine manager, or exploration manager on mining tenements within the state of Western Australia?
(4) If no to (3), why not?
(5) Is it correct that a hydrogen peroxide dosing plant is going to be constructed and operated as part of the proposal dated 3 December 2009?
(6) If yes to (5), what is the purpose of this plant and why is it needed?
(7) Will the Kaltails dam itself be required by the DMP to have half a metre of topsoil placed on the entire surface of the dam to encourage regrowth and vegetation at the completion of operations?
(8) If no to (7), why not?
(9) Will all the seepage be fully recovered and intercepted by the recovery system planned thereby preventing a seepage mound expanding and spreading over time below four to six metres from the surface downstream from the facility?
(10) If no to (9), why not?
(11) Can the Minister table a more clear detailed photograph than Figure 22 on page 81 of the document dated 3 December 2009, showing tenement boundaries and the position of the KCGM TSF capping stockpile in relation to the super pit open cut operations and other surrounding infrastructure?
(12) If no to (11), why not?
(13) Can the Minister indicate the amount of tonnage of waste rock including the height above the ground in metres that will be stockpiled for the KCGM TSF capping stockpile location?
(14) If no to (13), why not?
(15) Will any vegetation clearing and topsoil stripping be undertaken in the area shown as figure 22 in the document dated, 3 December 2009, KCGM TSF capping stockpile location, prior to the deposition of suitable waste rock?
(16) If no to (15), why not?
The Kalgoorlie Miner
newspaper on Friday, 15 January 2010 on page two titled, ‘KCGM faces two charges’, -
(1) Can the Minister state the name of the person whom was the registered mine manager or nominated exploration manager with the Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP) for the exploration, mining activities carried out and depicted in the photographs dated, 21 January 2010?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) Can the Minister state what is the importance of any mining company nominating and advising the DMP of the registered mine manager, or exploration manager on mining tenements within the state of Western Australia?
(4) If no to (3), why not?
(5) Is it correct that a hydrogen peroxide dosing plant is going to be constructed and operated as part of the proposal dated 3 December 2009?
(6) If yes to (5), what is the purpose of this plant and why is it needed?
(7) Will the Kaltails dam itself be required by the DMP to have half a metre of topsoil placed on the entire surface of the dam to encourage regrowth and vegetation at the completion of operations?
(8) If no to (7), why not?
(9) Will all the seepage be fully recovered and intercepted by the recovery system planned thereby preventing a seepage mound expanding and spreading over time below four to six metres from the surface downstream from the facility?
(10) If no to (9), why not?
(11) Can the Minister table a more clear detailed photograph than Figure 22 on page 81 of the document dated 3 December 2009, showing tenement boundaries and the position of the KCGM TSF capping stockpile in relation to the super pit open cut operations and other surrounding infrastructure?
(12) If no to (11), why not?
(13) Can the Minister indicate the amount of tonnage of waste rock including the height above the ground in metres that will be stockpiled for the KCGM TSF capping stockpile location?
(14) If no to (13), why not?
(15) Will any vegetation clearing and topsoil stripping be undertaken in the area shown as figure 22 in the document dated, 3 December 2009, KCGM TSF capping stockpile location, prior to the deposition of suitable waste rock?
(16) If no to (15), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
4 May 2010
Responded by
Minister for Mines and Petroleum
Response time
42 days
1) On 21 January 2010, Mr Russell Cole was the Registered Manager for KCGM and Mr Mark Reynolds was the Registered Manager for the Kaltails Facility.
2) Not applicable.
3) Apart from being a requirement of Section 33 of the Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994, the importance is to have a point of contact, someone who is accountable for the health and safety of employees on site.
4) Not applicable.
5) Yes.
6) The hydrogen peroxide storage and dosing facility is used to reduce the level of residual cyanide in water prior to it being re-used as process water. This process is carried out for metallurgical reasons at the process plant.
7) No.
8) Application of 0.5 meter topsoils to the surface of the TSF would cause the topsoil to become unusable (not suitable for plant growth) via capillary action of salt water from the TSF surface. The surface and slopes of the TSF would become unstable and lead to erosion issues as there would be very little protection from rain-splash erosion.
9) The nominated seepage recovery system is designed to contain 100% seepage from the TSF. However, all TSF designs allow for some seepage to occur without any unacceptable impact to the receiving environment, particularly in the long term.
10) See Answer No 9
11) No.
12) This image is generated by a software program owned and utilised by KCGM. A request should be made directly to KCGM for an updated image.
13) The details regarding the size of the proposed TSF capping stockpile are included on page 57 of the Golden Pike Mining Proposal. The volume of the stockpiled rock will be approximately 6000bcm (11,400 tonnes) and it will be stockpiled to a height of approximately 40m above ground level.
14) Not applicable
15) Yes.
16) Not Applicable.
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2) Not applicable.
3) Apart from being a requirement of Section 33 of the Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994, the importance is to have a point of contact, someone who is accountable for the health and safety of employees on site.
4) Not applicable.
5) Yes.
6) The hydrogen peroxide storage and dosing facility is used to reduce the level of residual cyanide in water prior to it being re-used as process water. This process is carried out for metallurgical reasons at the process plant.
7) No.
8) Application of 0.5 meter topsoils to the surface of the TSF would cause the topsoil to become unusable (not suitable for plant growth) via capillary action of salt water from the TSF surface. The surface and slopes of the TSF would become unstable and lead to erosion issues as there would be very little protection from rain-splash erosion.
9) The nominated seepage recovery system is designed to contain 100% seepage from the TSF. However, all TSF designs allow for some seepage to occur without any unacceptable impact to the receiving environment, particularly in the long term.
10) See Answer No 9
11) No.
12) This image is generated by a software program owned and utilised by KCGM. A request should be made directly to KCGM for an updated image.
13) The details regarding the size of the proposed TSF capping stockpile are included on page 57 of the Golden Pike Mining Proposal. The volume of the stockpiled rock will be approximately 6000bcm (11,400 tonnes) and it will be stockpiled to a height of approximately 40m above ground level.
14) Not applicable
15) Yes.
16) 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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