Greens concerned about pollution from Tomingley mine after testing reveal lead in water tanks near other Central West site

Greens candidate for the Dubbo electorate, Robyn Thomas, said residents were worried their children, crops and livestock were being exposed to accumulated lead deposits.

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Last week, a number of households within 18 kilometres of Newcrest mining company's Cadia gold mine, found elevated levels of heavy metals in their water after independent testing.

Samples from their rainwater harvest tanks showed high levels of lead, nickel, zinc, and in some cases arsenic as well as copper.

The results were sent to the Environmental Protection Authority especially since Newcrest had previously been fined $15,000 in August 2022 after dust from the mining site had polluted water tanks.

In this instance, the EPA told the residents there was not enough evidence to undertake an investigation. A spokesperson from Newcrest also said the independent test results did not match their findings.

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Ms Thomas has said mining in Tomingley would disturb surrounding lead deposits causing dust to pollute water tanks.

"Communities throughout the Central West are heavily reliant on our water tanks and groundwater for drinking and household uses," she said.

"Tomingley is just one of many mineral extraction projects that are in the planning pipeline throughout the Central West and many of them will be disturbing lead deposits, if mining companies are unable to control how the lead is dealt with, including wrongly dispersed through the air and water - the projects should not be given consent."

Ms Thomas said such health hazards remained in the environment long past the operation of the mines cease and called for the Department of Planning and the Independent Planning Commission to pay attention.

In 2015, Alkane Resources pleaded guilty in Dubbo Local Court to polluting water on two separate occasions and was fined $95,000 by the EPA. The charges related to sediment from mine's activities entering clean water drainage channel during rainfall which ran on to public and private property.

A spokesperson for Alkane Resources, the company that runs Tomingley Gold Operations (TGO), refuted the claims of possible lead contamination from its mine.

"Tomingley is a gold mine. There is no lead in the Tomingley or Tomingley Gold Extension deposit," they said. "Approval for extension of its mine life has already been granted by the government after extensive review."

The spokesperson said the mine site currently had an Air Quality Management Plan which monitored and reported to the EPA on deposited dust, PM10, and pollutants 100 micrometres in diameter.

"These limits are detailed in the Environmental Protection Licence issued by the NSW EPA. TGO has been successfully operating for nine years within its air quality licence conditions," the spokesperson said.

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Greens MP Sue Higginson and spokesperson for mining said The Greens understood that the renewable economy relied on minerals but many projects were driven by a "profit at all costs" motivation.

"That is a dangerous attitude for the nearby communities," she said.

Ms Higginson said "a large number" of residents from the Central West had contacted The Greens about the matter, including a few from the Dubbo area.

"From Orange to Dubbo to Mudgee, communities are ringing the alarm bells about lead being stored in open tailings ponds near private homes, towns and schools," she said.

"The Greens will be looking very closely at these projects and supporting communities that face permanent risks of lead poisoning because the planning system is failing to protect people."

She has also expressed grave concerns over the proposed silver mine near Mudgee since the Lue Primary School housing 20 students was just two kilometres away from the mining site.

Ms Higginson said mining projects must guarantee that pollution can be controlled and should be assessed with human health and environment as central concerns.

"The rapid increase in mineral extraction throughout NSW is of huge concern because mining companies are getting slaps on the wrist for not controlling the toxic byproducts of their operations," she said.

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