CRISTAL MINING —
CLOSE-OUT REPORT
1221. Hon DIANE EVERS to the minister representing the Minister
for Mines and Petroleum:
I refer to mining leases M70/363
and M70/997.
(1) Has Cristal Mining sought a close-out
request of its environmental obligations?
(2) If yes to (1), when was the
request lodged, and has it been approved?
(3) If yes to
(2), when was it approved, and was the Environmental Protection Authority'
advice sought by the department?
(4) If no to (2), will the
department seek the EPA's advice?
(5) Given that high concentrations of metals and
sulphate were found in groundwater under adjacent farmland, has the
groundwater under either lease been monitored for concentrations of these; and,
if not, why not?
(6) Will the minister please table
Cristal Mining's mine close-out report?
Hon
ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
I thank the member for the
question. The following information has been provided by the Minister for Mines
and Petroleum.
(1) Cristal
Mining has submitted a close-out report that addresses the requirements for
native vegetation rehabilitation. Cristal Mining intends to submit a separate
report for sign off on the hydrological closure criteria, including groundwater
quality.
(2) The
close-out report was received on 24 January 2018. The report has not been
approved and is still under assessment by the Department of Mines, Industry
Regulation and Safety.
(3) Not applicable.
(4) As part of
the assessment of the close-out report, DMIRS will seek advice from all key
stakeholders, including the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation as
the support agency to the EPA.
(5) Groundwater monitoring on the
site is ongoing as required via regulatory requirements.
(6) No. The
close-out report contains data that may be considered commercially sensitive by
Cristal Mining. In this instance, it would be appropriate to apply for the
report via a freedom of information application.