Neighbour says no to mining waste dam

A PERMIT application by Ballarat Gold Mine to the City of Ballarat has raised concerns of nearby residents.

Miners are proposing to create a second large tailings storage facility, or dam for mining waste with a tall wall around it, at their Mount Clear site, beside Whitehorse Road.

Local resident Joan Brick received a letter from the City in October outlining the application for a permit to build the dam and an access area, and she has objected due to the potential impact on the surrounding neighbourhood.

“When I received the letter, I decided to look into tailings storage facilities, and I just thought, no,” she said.

“This proposed dam will extend almost all the way to Whitehorse Road, and not far away are homes, Mount Clear aged care facility, Rosebank Village, the Yarrowee River, the sewerage farm, and schools including Ballarat Christian College and Sebastopol Primary School.

“Sometimes dams fail and the walls crack, soil erodes, and waste seeps into soil over time. These things shouldn’t be built amongst urban developments… where people live, play sport, run, walk their dogs, and should feel safe.

“Toxic waste can also impact people’s health over time, and it means you can’t rehabilitate the land. The miners of the 19th century didn’t know this, but we do, and shame on us if we keep wrecking our land.”

Ballarat Gold Mine was approached regarding these concerns and issued a short statement.

“The mining industry in Victoria is one of the most heavily regulated in the state,” the statement said.

“Our planning application is sitting with Ballarat city council and will require that we meet all applicable [Environment Protection Authority], council, and [earth resources] regulations to ensure the safety of the community living in proximity of the proposed facility.

“Any facility approved by Ballarat city council will be required to be constructed to the highest standards by appropriately qualified engineers and will adhere to [Australian National Committee on Large Dams] and WorkSafe guidelines.

“Information regarding the project is available under [Freedom of Information] from the City of Ballarat.”

Ballarat Gold Mine already has a tailings storage dam on the site.

“That’s fairly sheltered, so people didn’t know about it, but you can see it from Tinworth Avenue,” Ms Brick said.

“Why are we going to agree to a second dam that encroaches Whitehorse Road and surrounds? When that fills up, where will they want to go?

“I’ve objected because these sorts of projects will impact the next generations, including my grandchildren.”

Having spoken to neighbours about the permit application, Ms Brick said many of them had not received the letter from the municipality in their mailbox.