Mining

1 March 2002

Answers Needed on Cyanide Dumping

The Environment Centre NT has today called on the NT Government to move swiftly to prosecute and remove operating licences from those responsible for dumping cyanide beside the Tanami Highway. On February 11th a traditional owner discovered a 400 litre cyanide spill on the Tanami Highway. The spill is reported to have killed at least 500 birds and a dingo. The longer term environmental impacts of the spill are unclear at this stage.

The Environment Centre's Mark Wakeham said today: "It is critical that the NT Government takes swift action action to prosecute whoever is responsible for dumping the cyanide solution and ensure that their licence to operate is revoked. We are extremely concerned that the investigation seems to be proceeding slowly and that to date no charges have been laid. The Government needs to send a strong message to the community and to the mining industry that it will not tolerate environmental vandalism."

"Furthermore the Environment Centre believes that the incident is another example of the need to ban the use of cyanide in gold mining. While the industry argues it is possible to use cyanide safely, cyanide leaks and spills from gold mines throughout the world continue to prove otherwise. The Baia Marie gold mine spill in Romania by Australian company Esmeralda in February 2000 killed almost all aquatic life in the upper reaches of the Tisza and Szamos rivers. Closer to home fish kills in the Edith river occurred in 1999 as a result of cyanide contaminated water overflowing from the tailings dam at the Mt Todd mine. This week traditional owners have again expressed concern about contaminated water leaking into the Edith River from the abandoned Mt Todd site."

"The mining industry needs to develop alternatives to using cyanide. The NT Government however must safeguard the public interest and the environment from mining 'accidents' by banning the use of cyanide and finding those responsible for the Tanami incident and revoking their licence to operate."

For more information on mining issues contact ECNT:
Phone: 08 8981 1984
Email: ecnt@octa4.net.au

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