CADIA Valley Operations (CVO) may get a visit from the Resources Regulator this week as the state’s mining watchdog conducts a statewide compliance blitz.
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Resources Regulator’s Deputy Secretary Lee Shearer revealed the high-visibility operation, which commences on Monday, will involve more than 80 safety, environment and compliance inspectors.
“The Resources Regulator will inspect over 100 mines, quarries and petroleum sites across NSW to see if health, safety, rehabilitation requirements and compliance standards are being met,” Ms Shearer said.
“They’ll be speaking with workers about this too.”
In addition to examining general compliance with mining regulations and site safety management systems, the five-day operation will also focus on roads and vehicle operating areas at large surface mines, and underground and dam monitoring.
On March 9 this year the wall of CVO’s northern tailings dam collapsed, forcing the suspension of production at the site.
On April 23, Newcrest Mining Limited – which owns and operates CVO – announced it had received approval from the NSW Department of Planning and Environment to use the old Cadia Hill open pit as a tailings storage facility.
On the weekend of May 5 and 6 CVO began depositing tailings into the open pit following the completion of the construction and commissioning work for the pit’s pipeline infrastructure.
According to a statement on its website “Newcrest continues to review and determine the cause of the Northern Tailings Facility (NTF) embankment slump” and “a prohibition notice issued by the NSW Resources Regulator on depositing tailings in the NTF remains in place”.
