Cadia Gold Mine Ordered to Fix Dust Pollution After Heavy Metals Found in Locals’ Blood, Water

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Cadia Gold Mine in central western New South Wales has been given a series of deadlines to show it is complying with its obligations to prevent air pollution.

The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has issued a final prevention notice, outlining the steps that must be taken to reduce emissions from the site and reassure the community.

The action was prompted by blood and water testing that was ordered by local residents and returned high levels of heavy metals like lead, nickel and selenium.

Cadia has just over a week to provide an interim report on emissions from an air vent which has been a cause of concern for residents.

It must then present a final report on sampling of this vent shaft two weeks later.

"The sampling within the vent has to be undertaken by highly trained skilled operators," EPA executive director Carmen Dwyer said.

"That data will be provided to the EPA and we will draw our own conclusions from that data."

The details of the final pollution prevention notice have heartened the local community but residents say they are concerned about the sampling methods being used.

"There are still a few muddy areas of who's collecting what and how that will be processed and how that will be reported on.

"We'll be keeping in close touch with the EPA to get a more definitive interpretation of how that will be done."

Courtesy: www.abc.net.au