While talking with communities around the proposed Dargues Gold Mine site, protecting water resources has understandably been a top priority for most people. So we thought it was worth specific attention for your readers.
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As you would expect, and rigorous regulations demand, water monitoring and management is already a critical part of the development and operations of the proposed mine.
For three years our monitoring systems have been checking surface water and groundwater. Every month we measure a range of properties, providing an accurate gauge of the water’s health and purity, which would flag any issues to us and the regulatory authorities, including the EPA.
Aquatic ecology also provides a measure of water health. There are two comprehensive independent surveys a year, at eight locations along Spring and Majors Creeks. These studies look at fish life, sample tiny animals like invertebrates and assess the general health of these water ways.
On site, managing sediment and preventing erosion is important to maintaining the quality of water downstream. We use hardened surfaces and a drainage network to safely divert fresh water runoff from our operational areas. Also, any muddy surface water is captured in basins, before we reduce sediment levels.
The EPA has very strong oversight of the project, holding us to account no matter how big the impact. Early in its development, the project was subject to EPA breach notices related to erosion (photos on our Facebook page). The system rightfully holds us to the highest of standards. Unity has taken aggressive steps to avoid any similar breeches in the future.
In essence, water management and monitoring is already just as essential to the mine’s design and operations as the future gold extraction.
For more information on water management please visit www.unitymining.com.au/monitoring.
