The rehabilitation of Legacy Mine sites in the Territory has taken another step forward with the successful installation of remote monitoring equipment at the former Goodall gold mine 100km south-east of Darwin.

The mine is located 30km east of Adelaide River on Bridge Creek Station. The mine was operated by Western Mining Corporation between 1988 and 1992. At the cessation of mining the processing plant was removed from the site and the pit allowed to flood over time and is now at capacity.

Mike Fawcett the Department of Mines and Energy’s Director Mining Remediation says that access to the site is generally impossible during the wet season.  Remote telemetry equipment has been installed to allow the DME to monitor the conditions at the site during  this season.

“The water in the pit has been impacted by acid metalliferous drainage and is characterised by low pH and elevated heavy metals, so it is important with the onset of the wet season that we can monitor if the site is impacting the surrounding waterways such as Ryan’s Creek.

“To enable the Legacy Mines Unit to monitor the site remotely we have installed a weather station, pit monitoring station, two surface monitoring stations and associated telemetry at a cost of around $116,000. These works have been funded by the  annual 1% levy on mining securities that was introduced 2013.

 “This data will be monitored in real time from the DME offices in Darwin, and will be used to assess off-site impacts, if any, from the former mine,” he said.

#ENDS

For further information please contact Media and Communications , Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries, 0419106309