Brian Williams
HEAVY metals and acids from at least 10 Queensland mines have contaminated water supplies in an emerging environmental catastrophe. Authorities are unsure how much of the toxic material has been discharged into waterways after the biggest floods in decades swept through north Queensland over the past two months.
The Environmental Protection Agency has already ordered landowners downstream of the Lady Annie copper mine, 120km north of Mt Isa, not to drink water from or swim in Saga and Inca creeks and to destock paddocks. A helicopter is being used to take samples and graziers are talking about fish kills 20km from the Annie mine, acid eating away at steel pickets and water 1m deep pouring off the site.
Other mines in the northwest minerals province the EPA says have discharged contaminated material are the Great Australia Mine, Birla Mt Gordon, Ernest Henry Mine, MIM, Century Mine, Leichhardt Mine, Selwyn Mine, Lorena Mine and the Yurbi concentrate rail loading facility.
Graziers fear the contamination may put at risk western Queensland's burgeoning, multibillion-dollar, organically certified beef industry. Boulia mayor and grazier Rick Britton said mines were polluting water from north Queensland about 1300km down the Georgina River to Lake Eyre in SA, areas renowned for their lack of contaminants.
Many properties drew drinking water from streams and cattle drank from them. "The grazing industry's been here for 200 years and then these bastards come along and rip the guts out of the country," Cr Britton said. An EPA spokeswoman said yesterday some mines had had more than one discharge although most spills had ceased."If heavy rain continues, it is possible there will be further contaminated run-off," she said.
The EPA does not know how much has been spilled and what range of materials are involved. Greens spokesman Drew Hutton labelled it an environmental catastrophe on an unprecedented scale. He said he knew of no other single event in the state's history that had caused so much pollution.
An announcement made to the ASX yesterday by Annie joint receiver Gary Doran said mining had been suspended after significant flooding. "We are fully co-operating with the Environmental Protection Agency to protect the health and safety of the company's staff as well as the environment and local community," Mr Doran said.
HEAVY metals and acids from at least 10 Queensland mines have contaminated water supplies in an emerging environmental catastrophe. Authorities are unsure how much of the toxic material has been discharged into waterways after the biggest floods in decades swept through north Queensland over the past two months.
The Environmental Protection Agency has already ordered landowners downstream of the Lady Annie copper mine, 120km north of Mt Isa, not to drink water from or swim in Saga and Inca creeks and to destock paddocks. A helicopter is being used to take samples and graziers are talking about fish kills 20km from the Annie mine, acid eating away at steel pickets and water 1m deep pouring off the site.
Other mines in the northwest minerals province the EPA says have discharged contaminated material are the Great Australia Mine, Birla Mt Gordon, Ernest Henry Mine, MIM, Century Mine, Leichhardt Mine, Selwyn Mine, Lorena Mine and the Yurbi concentrate rail loading facility.
Graziers fear the contamination may put at risk western Queensland's burgeoning, multibillion-dollar, organically certified beef industry. Boulia mayor and grazier Rick Britton said mines were polluting water from north Queensland about 1300km down the Georgina River to Lake Eyre in SA, areas renowned for their lack of contaminants.
Many properties drew drinking water from streams and cattle drank from them. "The grazing industry's been here for 200 years and then these bastards come along and rip the guts out of the country," Cr Britton said. An EPA spokeswoman said yesterday some mines had had more than one discharge although most spills had ceased."If heavy rain continues, it is possible there will be further contaminated run-off," she said.
The EPA does not know how much has been spilled and what range of materials are involved. Greens spokesman Drew Hutton labelled it an environmental catastrophe on an unprecedented scale. He said he knew of no other single event in the state's history that had caused so much pollution.
An announcement made to the ASX yesterday by Annie joint receiver Gary Doran said mining had been suspended after significant flooding. "We are fully co-operating with the Environmental Protection Agency to protect the health and safety of the company's staff as well as the environment and local community," Mr Doran said.
[Source:http://www.news.com.au,February 26, 2009]
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