Save the Tarkine have today filed an application for Judicial Review in the Supreme Court challenging the amendments made to the Shree Minerals’ Nelson Bay River mine environmental permit.
The original permit required that acid producing waste rock be stored inside the open cut pit, but following disclosure that the Shree Minerals’ mine would produce twenty times as much acid producing waste as disclosed in the assessment documents, an amendment was issued allowing acid producing waste to be stored above ground. The Environment Protection Authority’s original assessment had deemed above ground storage to be neither safe or secure.
“Save the Tarkine believes the Director of the EPA acted unlawfully in approving the permit amendment, and has done so in contradiction of the EPA’s assessment and the EPA Board’s original permit”, said Save the Tarkine Campaign Coordinator, Scott Jordan.
“The above ground storage of acid producing waste exacerbates the risks to the Nelson Bay River catchment, soils and groundwater, and threatened species within the vicinity of the mine”.
“While we remain of the view that this mine should not have been approved at all, this Judicial Review seeks to overturn the amendments and restore the original conditions for the storage of acid producing waste rock of the original permit.”
Shree Minerals has sought and been granted three permit amendments since November 2013.
The Nelson Bay River Mine is currently not operating.
Scott Jordan, Campaign Coordinator, Save the Tarkine
