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Wiradjuri Elder exposes mine pit collapse at Lake Cowal
Wiradjuri Traditional Owner, Neville 'Chappy' Williams, has exposed a massive collapse at Barrick’s Cowal Gold Project in Lake Cowal, 45 km north-west of West Wyalong, central western NSW... See media release here
From the beginning of the Lake Cowal Gold Mine Project, there has been a lack of consulation with the Wiradjuri Traditional Owners. Barrick Gold does not uphold Aboriginal peoples rights to Free, Prior and Informed Consent under which no significant interventions can go ahead without consent of local communities and indigenous peoples. The Lake Cowal Gold Project is wreaking destruction on the Sacred Heartland of the Wiradjuri Nation.
Barrick Gold has not provided Wiradjuri Traditional Owners with details/inventory of Aboriginal cultural heritage materials recorded at Lake Cowal. Barrick Gold has not provided information to Wiradjuri Traditional Owners on what has happened to scarred trees and thousands of artefacts collected in the Mining Lease Area and surrounding region. Barrick has not advised Traditional Owners of the results of sub-surface work carried out on the former Game Reserve, which is now covered by mine infrastructure.
This lack of transparency and responsible dissemination of information extends further to the so-called Community Consultation Committee, which only permits representation from local landholders and a designated group that receives funds from Barrick Gold called the Lake Cowal Foundation. While there is a "community complaints" phoneline, the public are not invited to be part of the Committee meetings. Some members of the "community" from West Wyalong and Condobolin have toured the mine in specially arranged bus tours arranged by Barrick, but generally it is highly secured and the public cannot enter.
There is a now plan to extend the life of the Lake Cowal Goldmine by seven years in a bid to extract a million more ounces of gold. This will take the life of the mine to 20 years.
Environmental risks for the project have been under-evaluated and glossed over in many instances. For example, the worst drought in 100 years is not taken into account. Nor the subsequent lack of water available for agriculture and the mine. The project uses precious water from the Bland Paleochannel (Wiradjuri Dreaming place and underground water source), which is the best water and used for domestic purposes as well as stock. So far 20 to 30 farmers who use the channel are affected by the serious drop in groundwater levels (30 metres in two and a half years), but this deficiency and its affects could extend to up to 80 farmers along the channel and the town of Quandialla if the groundwater levels drop much further.
There have been a number of incidents with mine workers, e.g. food at Barrick's accommodation for miners at West Wyalong was infested. At the end of last year, sub-contractors were sacked and flown out of the area without even being allowed to pick up their tools. The recent pit collapse has created further concerns for the safety of mine workers.
Notably the collapse of a 50-metre stretch of wall at the super pit in Kalgoorlie, jointly owned by Barrick and Newmont, has also raised concerns. A pit extension at the super pit has also been recommended for approval by the EPA despite concerns by the Ninga Mia that the levels of noise and dust from mining operations are making them sick.
[The Mineral Policy Institute is a member of the Coalition to Protect Lake Cowal]
For more info on the Save Lake Cowal campaign:
Save Lake Cowal
Rainforest Infomation Centre
Protest Barrick
Cyanide Watch
Natalie Lowrey
0421 226 200
For more information, please contact:
Techa Beaumont
Workphone: +61 2 9557 9019
Mobile: +61 409 318 406
Created: 30 Mar 2008 | Last updated: 30 Mar 2008
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