The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has commenced criminal proceedings in the NSW Land and Environment Court against Newcrest’s Cadia gold mine.
Key points:
- Newcrest’s Cadia gold mine will face the Land and Environment Court for alleged air pollution in March this year
- The EPA has said there are more investigations underway into air pollution mismanagement at Cadia
- A first directions hearing is listed for September 29
The EPA will allege the mine exceeded clean air regulations in March 2022 by operating underground exhaust fans that launched unfiltered crushed ore into the atmosphere, which is in breach of section 128 of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act.
“All mining operations have mandatory legal obligations regarding air emissions to protect the community and the environment, and the community should be able to have confidence that these obligations are being met,” EPA chief executive Tony Chappel said.
Mr Chappel said the matter was just one of the EPA’s investigations into the management of air pollution at the mine.
Cadia has told the ABC it is now compliant with clean air regulations.
“Mining responsibly is what the community expects of us, and what we demand of ourselves,” a spokesperson said in a statement.
“We remain firmly committed to rebuilding trust and confidence in our operations with the community and regulator, so we can continue to support jobs, regional investment, and the energy transition.”
Increased scrutiny
Last October, an independent air quality report established a single vent rise in the mine’s underground filtration network was emitting 18 times the legislated amount of particulate matter including respirable crystalline silica, which has been linked to the incurable lung disease silicosis.
In May, nearby residents reported heavy metals including lead and nickel in their drinking water supplies and elevated copper, cobalt, and selenium in their blood.
The EPA is still investigating whether Cadia is the source of these heavy metals.
In July, Cadia’s general manager Mick Dewar admitted the operation was not complying with clean air requirements, calling community concerns about dust from the mine site being the source of the heavy metals in their blood as “reasonable”.
Community grateful
Residents in the mine’s neighbourhood formed the Cadia Community Sustainability Network in 2021 in response to regular dust events.
The group greeted today’s announcement with relief.
“We are thankful for all of the efforts of the EPA team in reaching this milestone,” the vice-chair of the Cadia Community Sustainability Network, Frances Rettalack, said.
“We are looking forward to working with Cadia for a sustainable future for the mine and the community going forward.”
A first directions hearing is listed for September 29, 2023.
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