Xstrata denies environment and health impacts

Another Xstrata story from Mount Isa (courtesy of the Australian), it sounds very similar to stories last week about flesh-eating bacteria in the McArthur River region.

From The Australian Testing of kids adds weight to lead fears
MEDICAL tests conducted on children in the Queensland mining city of Mt Isa have failed to allay concerns of increased levels of lead in the blood, a condition often associated with learning and behavioural difficulties.
Amid a debate over the lack of continuing health and environment monitoring in the northwest Queensland city, The Australian revealed last year that the state Health Department had found 10per cent of children had blood-lead levels above those recommended by the World Health Organisation.  Queensland Health began testing children aged between one and four in September and by mid-December had 95 results: nine showed blood-lead levels greater than 10 micrograms per decilitre, with three of those being higher than 15 micrograms.

The WHO recommends children have a blood-lead level no greater than 10 micrograms, while Queensland Health’s notifiable level is 15 micrograms. Queensland Health has continued testing children and last week had 166 results - 17 showing blood-lead levels greater than 10 micrograms per decilitre, with four of those higher than 15 micrograms.

The new results continue to demonstrate how one in 10 Mt Isa children has a blood-lead level higher than that recommended by the WHO. High lead levels in young children can alter brain function, delay neurodevelopment, decrease IQ levels and slow cognitive function, and lead to behaviour problems.

The testing began in September after a report in The Australian raised concerns about the possibility of lead poisoning. A Queensland Health spokeswoman said the department wanted 400 children to take part in the study to help build a reliable sample size. She said a night clinic would be open each Wednesday this month at the Mt Isa Base Hospital to make it easier for parents to participate.

Mt Isa’s huge copper and lead smelters, which sit in the middle of the city’s skyline, are owned by mining company Xstrata and released 290 tonnes of lead into the air in 2004-05.

Political considerations had been blamed for preventing the introduction of air-quality monitoring and mandatory health checks at Mt Isa’s two smelters.

An investigation by The Australian has found that a soil sample taken from a driveway between the local council swimming pool and skate park has a lead content of 610 milligrams per kilogram, which is in breach of federal government health guidelines.

The National Environmental Protection Council health investigation level is 300mg/kg for standard residential sites, daycare centres and schools, and 600mg/kg for parks and recreational areas.

The Australian has previously revealed research carried out by Macquarie University environmental scientist Mark Taylor, which shows that the lead content in Mt Isa’s soil and waterways “grossly exceeded” federal guidelines.

The Queensland Environmental Protection Agency has not tested the city’s soil for the past 16 years, despite the huge clean-up that had to be launched following tests carried out on soil and water in 1990.

But despite the seemingly high blood-lead levels, local residents and elected representatives have so far appeared unphased by the problem, and Xstrata has sought to downplay the issue.

Sean Parnell, March 06, 2007

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21331852-23289,00.html 

Land council taking minister to court

This article from the Australian provides a good background on the two legal cases.

ONE of Australia’s most influential Aboriginal land councils is taking legal action against former federal environment minister Ian Campbell over the expansion of the Northern Territory’s largest zinc mine. The Northern Land Council (NLC) already has mounted a legal challenge against the Northern Territory government in the NT Supreme Court on behalf of traditional Aboriginal landowners.

It claims the Government should not have approved an application by Swiss mining company Xstrata to divert the McArthur River, near the Gulf of Carpentaria, by 5.5km.

The $110 million expansion is part of a project by Xstrata subsidiary McArthur River Mining (MRM) to turn the operation from underground to open cut mining.

Fresh legal action is now being taken by the NLC against Senator Campbell, who signed off on the project after the NT Government’s approval in October last year.

The group lodged an application in the Federal Court last week, claiming Senator Campbell – who now holds the human services portfolio – failed to follow proper process under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.

It also alleges his decision did not take into account how the mine would affect freshwater sawfish populations and the local environment. “Procedures that were required by law to be observed in connection with the making of the decision were not observed,” the application said.

The grounds of the NLC challenge against the Territory Government include a failure to follow relevant procedures under the Mines Management Act, a failure to provide local Aboriginals with natural justice and a failure to consider the impacts on the environment.

MRM first applied to expand the mine in March, but the NT Government sent it back to the drawing board to deal with environmental concerns.

The company made a number of concessions, including funding an independent environmental monitoring process and providing $32 million for a Community Benefits Package. It also has to pay a $55.5 million security bond for the first year of development. The bond will be increased to reflect the higher potential environmental impact when the river is finally diverted in 2008.

The McArthur River mine was first approved in 1993 and was the first major mining development following the the High Court’s 1992 Mabo decision recognising native title.

A hearing for the matter against Senator Campbell has been set down for March 13 in the Federal Court. A spokesman for Senator Campbell said he was unable to comment on the matter while it was before the courts.

By Tara Ravens

 http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21275438-1702,00.html