Cadia Holdings Pty Ltd has been fined $15,000 by the NSW Environment Authority for failing to conduct continuous air quality monitoring in 2020 and again in 2021 at its mine site near Orange.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The company's licence requires continuous air monitoring while the company mines for minerals or carries out mineral processing at the Cadia Valley Operations site.
EPA Acting Executive Director Regulatory Operations Greg Sheehy said that while dust deposition monitoring was conducted appropriately at the site, the need for continual air monitoring should not be ignored.
"Continual air monitoring of dust allows the operator to understand and reduce any potential negative impacts related to air quality," Mr Sheehy said.
"A constant measurement of air quality is not only a licence requirement, it also helps keep the community and surrounding environment safe."
Cadia says dust monitoring had been interrupted by electrical power supply issues and mechanical instrument faults.
"Cadia is in the final stages of upgrading its existing air quality monitors with new instruments that have built-in battery backup power supplies, which can operate the instruments for up to five days in the event of a power supply interruption," Cadia General Manager, Aaron Brannigan said.
"Cadia advised the EPA of the instrumentation upgrade project in November 2021 and has provided regular updates. Cadia has also, and continues to, provide regular and consistent communication to the local community regarding the upgrading of the air monitoring equipment.
"Cadia is confident that the new monitoring equipment will play an important role in allowing Cadia to meet its environment and social licence to operate into the future."
The EPA says it will continue to assess air quality in the area around the mine and monitor the progress of improvements to the company's air quality monitoring network.
The fine of $15,000 is the largest that the EPA can issue under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997.
To read more stories, download the Central Western Daily news app in the Apple Store or Google Play.
WANT TO HAVE YOUR SAY?
Send a letter to the editor using the form below:
