Mining and Petroleum

Greens Member for the Mining and Pastoral Region Robin Chapple MLC has today criticized the Barnett-Grylls Government State Agreement with Energy Companies Buru and Mitsubishi Corporation saying the move would commit the State to continuing the destructive practice of fracking and the release of huge amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere through burning fossil fuels.

“By the Premier’s own admission, the main beneficiaries of the Agreement will be the mining companies exporting iron ore, alumina, base metals and gold,” Mr Chapple said.

“I am deeply disturbed at his constant deal-making with mining companies and his scant regard for the natural environment and Indigenous heritage, which have already been compromised as a result of the careless actions of Buru and Mitsubishi.”

“It seems the Premier is especially keen to give a hand to magnetite production in the Pilbara and Mid-West.

“Mr Barnett likes to refer to the Canning Basin fossil fuel as ‘natural’ gas but nothing could be further from the truth.

“There is nothing natural about fracking deep below the earth’s surface to release the unconventional gas trapped below.

Mr Chapple did however welcome the Premier’s statement that the Canning Basin gas would be piped to the Pilbara, rather than the Kimberley, for processing before being sent further afield.

“I remain concerned at the Premier’s cavalier attitude when it comes to doing deals on the State’s resources, which are finite.

For more information please contact Robin Chapple on 0409 379 263 or 9486 8255

Robin Chapple calls on Norman Moore, Minister for Mines to instigate a full-scale public enquiry into BHP Billiton’s Perseverance Underground Mine after yet another major mine safety incident yesterday.

On late Sunday morning a seismic event at the Perseverance Underground Mine resulted in a rock fall. All 79 employees were safely evacuated, despite a power outage disrupting the evacuation process.

The Nickel West Leinster Perseverance Underground Mine has been plagued with safety issues over the past four years, and while several attempts have been made by the Government to address the issues the safety record of BHP remains questionable.

When another rock fall occurred yesterday, Robin Chapple, Greens WA spokesperson for the Mining and Pastoral Electorate expressed his disgust at BHP’s alarming mine safety record.

“BHP were only lucky this time that no-one was killed in this alarming incident”, said a livid Chapple.

“One person has already died in this mine in April 2010 and two previous rock falls have occurred. This is on top of BHP’s already dubious safety record. I can detail a number of deaths occurring on BHP’s watch over the past six years. If this government is willing to let yet another incident like this be swept under the carpet it will not be long before another tragedy occurs and next time it could be of greater magnitude. No deaths should be tolerated in this industry. None.”

The WA government had considered closing the mine in 2009 over safety concerns relating to the previous two rock falls. This was prior to the death of 45 year old Wayne Ross in 2010.

“It is patently obvious that BHP Billiton prioritises profits over people, or this unsafe mine would have been closed after the first rock fall occurred, not still operating after the third. Western Australia has one of the most stable economies in the world, and yet we are seemingly unable to regulate our mining industry to prevent deaths. When will mine safety become a priority of this government, or does it value profits over people too?”

For more information please contact Robin Chapple on 0409 379 263 or 9486 8255

Lynas has now submitted an application to the regulator, the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), to import radioactive waste from Malaysia,” an Australian High Commission spokesman told The Malaysian Insider today.

This revelation beggars belief as just a few days ago a two-year temporary licence to operate was granted to Lynas, who intend to ship radioactive ores through Fremantle Port to export them to their plant in Malaysia, now seem to be asserting that they should be able to import the wastes of those ores back onto Australian soil.

Malaysia’s nuclear regulator Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) had said that the Australian miner was legally bound to remove radioactive waste from its Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP) and return the residue to Australia under conditions of the temporary operating licence. However this news flies in the face of Australian government policy, and indeed Western Australian legislation, which asserts that Australia does not accept or import radioactive waste from other countries.

Robin Chapple MLC, Greens spokesperson for Mining Issues commented on Lynas’ recent move:

“It seems that again Lynas thinks it is outside the law as it is operating in Malaysia, and may be subject to less rigorous legal scrutiny. Well it isn’t, and if it thinks that Western Australia will take this radioactive waste, it can think again.

“It didn’t consult with community on shipping its radioactive ores through Fremantle port, and it certainly hasn’t consulted on shipping back the radioactive waste. The WA Nuclear Waste Storage (Prohibition) Act 1999 prohibits it here. Period!

But really, you have to laugh. Lynas has now been tripped up by its own lack of willingness to take heed of Australia’s expectations with respect to sustainable mining and environmental, social and legal standards, and hasn’t it got it’s come-uppance. Talk about being left holding the baby!

To quote the great Michael Franks, ‘And i'm blamin' you 'Cause now I'm all dressed up and I got Nowhere to go’”.

Western Australian Green MLCs have joined a massive public outcry from Malaysians to oppose the imminent first shipment of radioactive ore as Sydney-based mining company Lynas moves to ship 22,000 tonnes of radioactive ore through Fremantle Port each year.

The ores from Mt Weld are processed to a concentrate suitable for shipment to the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP) in Gebeng, about 25km from Kuantan in the state of Pahang, Malaysia. Over 700,000 residents live within a 30km radius of the plant.

The history of the plant has been fraught with difficulty, with significant opposition from the Malaysian community, who are unwilling to be the recipient of Australia’s contaminated wastes and have consistently protested the plant in gatherings of up to 15,000 people.

Despite the widespread concerns over the plant and the disposal of its radioactive wastes, a two-year temporary licence for the company has been issued.

Robin Chapple MLC, Greens WA spokesperson for the Mining and Pastoral region had this to say about the announcement of Lynas’ licence:

“For all intents and purposes, this approval looks like the sanctioning of an Australian mining company making use of lax environmental controls and governance arrangements in a developing country. To my mind it has not gone through a rigorous environmental process and should not have been issued. This is a poor representation of Australian notions of ‘fair play’ and good corporate citizenship and one that it seems our State Government is paying little mind to.”

To add an additional layer to this story the ores are to be shipped through Fremantle Port within a matter of weeks, and has had no consultation with community. The City of Fremantle has one of the most environmentally proactive Councils in the state, and its ability to represent its constituents, many of whom would be opposed to having these ores come through their City, has been severely hampered by the deficient governance processes of Lynas.

Fremantle based Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren said: “Just as the Fremantle community resoundingly rejected the risk of exposure to lead carbonate, we oppose shipping this material through our city. We don’t want to be a cog in the wheel of subjecting innocent men, women and children in Malaysia to exposure of toxic waste.

“It is unacceptable for the Australian Government to wash its hands of responsibility for the effects of unsustainable mining, whether they are in our own backyard or that of our neighbours,” she concluded.

A new round of grants to boost Western Australia’s mining exploration investment was announced today by Mines and Petroleum Minister Norman Moore during the opening of the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies’ (AMEC) Convention 2012.

This was announced in a media release today which also stated that more than $27 million in grants for exploration drilling projects had been allocated since 2009 and that by 2016 this State Government will have provided more than $138 million to explorers as part of the program.

Robin Chapple MLC, Greens WA spokesperson for the Mining and Pastoral region had this to say about today’s announcement.

“I am truly incredulous at the constant allocations of funds being funneled into the pockets of those already at the very top of the super-rich pyramid. It’s an inequity of the highest order.

The Royalties for Regions Scheme should be taking from the exploitative, extractive industries and supporting true regional development. We should be funding future industries, affordable housing and community infrastructure that will ensure sustainability beyond this limited mining boom economy. Why are we using these precious funds to further facilitate unsustainable mining practices?

This Government is simply funding a future sustainability crisis for Western Australia. In basic terms these industries survive on the premise that you can steal energy from the past and ecological capacity from the future. It’s obvious that we are already struggling as a state to provide affordable housing, energy infrastructure, good public transport options, community and health services, let alone take care of our fragile environment in the regions, so how on earth can we justify this expenditure?”

For more information please contact Robin Chapple on 0409 379 263 or 9486 8255