The Tasmanian Greens today used Budget Estimates to highlight the economic potential of mining and rehabilitating of legacy mine sites in the Tarkine, and elsewhere around the state.
Greens Member for Braddon Paul O’Halloran MP today welcomed reports that King Island Scheelite had launched a new capital raising bid, off the back of an engineering study identifying improved feasibility for the project.
“The scheelite mine on King Island is another great example of mine that has the potential to deliver significant economic return, by revitalising an existing mining legacy site,” Mr O’Halloran said.
“The mining and remediation of legacy sites in the Tarkine and elsewhere in Tasmania has the potential to not only deliver good economic returns, but in some cases to improve environmental outcomes.”
“The Bright Phase Resources proposal to reprocess the tailings dam at Luina is another example of an environmental disaster site with great economic potential.”
“Acid mine drainage into the Whyte River at Luina has created a massive dead zone, and by using the right mining and processing technology it is possible to clean up the mess and deliver an economic return.”
”Under questioning from the Tasmanian Greens today in Budget Estimates, the Resources Minister confirmed that forty rivers are contaminated due to mining.”
“This is why the Greens have been pushing for the creation of a Mine Remediation Centre of Excellence, to partner with the industry to find solutions to the environmental legacy of bad mining practices.”
“As more and more mines around the world are depleted, we will see mine remediation emerge as a major economic growth industry requiring very a specific set of skills and expertise.”
Paul O’Halloran MP Greens Mining Spokesperson Monday, 3 June 2013
