Nick McKim MP| Greens Environment spokesperson: Groom must intervene in Tarkine

Greens Environment spokesperson Nick McKim MP today called on the Environment Minister, Matthew Groom, to intervene following revelations that Shree Minerals’ Tarkine mine operations will produce acid waste twenty times higher than its permit approvals.

“Mr Groom must immediately suspend Shree Minerals’ Nelson Bay River mining operations in light of these revelations, and re-consider the permit granted for the mine,” Mr McKim said.

“Despite telling the EPA during the approvals process that it would produce 11, 700 BCM (bank cubic metres), RTI information obtained by Save the Tarkine shows that Shree Minerals now believe it will produce 230, 000 BCM.”

“How can there be no ramifications for underestimating during the formal permit assessment process the predicted quantity of acid producing waste by a factor of twenty?”

“The West Coast is still having to deal with the environmental impacts and costs of acid mine drainage pollution of the King and Queen Rivers, and the Environment Minister must act as a matter of urgency to protect the north west from similar problems.”

“It is also unacceptable that despite Shree Minerals notifying the EPA of this huge factual error in October, this information was not disclosed to the public at the time.”
Greens Environment spokesperson Nick McKim