By Jeremy Sollars
THE State Government will shortly begin releasing treated water from the former Texas Silver Mine as part of its actions to fix contaminated storage ponds on the site.
In an online update posted in the last week of September, the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (EHP) says it will siphon off treated water from the ponds to increase storage capacity ahead of further spring and summer rainfall.
The EHP became lumbered with the former mine after the most recent operators Texas Silver Mines Pty Ltd went bust in July 2015.
Surrounding landowners and those downstream from the mine on the nearby Dumaresq River have raised repeated calls about the risk of water contamination should any of the mine site’s massive storage ponds overflow after heavy rain.
The ponds contain tailings from silver extraction and processing operations and could have devastating effects on water quality and useability in the Dumaresq catchment.
The department says imminent releases of treated storage pond water are needed to “maintain sufficient water storage on the mine site”.
“Before releasing any treated water, EHP will work with Queensland Health and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries to ensure the treated water is of a standard that has minimal environmental impacts, and is fit for domestic and livestock consumption,” the update states.
“EHP will also work with the Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation to monitor the downstream water environment during and immediately following any controlled treated water release.
“The Texas community will continue to be kept informed of actions on the site, including when the controlled release of treated water will occur.”
The EHP statement also says its actions so far have included “containing the contaminated water and reducing water volumes through evaporation, carrying out a range of earthworks, managing pumping systems, and checking and monitoring clean water diversion drains”.
EHP also says it has engaged with nearby landholders, representatives of the Kambuwal people, the New South Wales Environmental Protection Authority and the Goondiwindi Regional Council in relation to the management of the site.
Resources company MRV Metals earlier this year announced plans to revive the Texas Silver Mine but was awaiting the completion of the EHP remedial works.
MRV Metals also wants to drill for copper and zinc at the site, which has had a long and troubled history under previous owners and mixed impacts on the Texas community as a whole.
Chief executive officer Jason Elks said MRV Metals had the “legal tenure” over the exploration permit covering the mine and had also applied for a mining licence.
“That application process is currently going through the due process, and by late 2017 there will be some clarity around if those approvals have been forthcoming,” Mr Elks said.
“Therefore, MRV Metals believes that there is potential for a highly productive mining precinct in that area covering copper, silver, gold and other base metals.”
The EHP has not put any firm timeframe on when its remediation process will be completed.
