Major work is planned to address the long term environmental legacies at the former Rum Jungle mine site.
The uranium and copper mine near Batchelor closed in 1971, with significant environmental damage caused mostly by acid and metaliferous drainage polluting the East Branch of the Finniss River. In the 1980s, a $18.6 million remediation project resulted in major improvements to the site.
“We’ve completed plans for the next round of remediation, which will be supported by $10 million in federal funding,” said Tania Laurencont, Principal Mining Scientist and Project Manager with the Rum Jungle Rehabilitation Project Team of the NT Department of Primary Industry and Resources.
“Much of the remediation done in the ‘80s involved significant earthworks to consolidate contaminated waste material, and that resulted in a dramatic improvement in the quality of the water coming off the site.
“This latest round of works included developing the rehabilitation plan from concept to detailed design as well as ongoing maintenance, environmental monitoring and stakeholder engagement. The rehabilitation plan is based on comprehensive scientific data and modelling and aims to provide a long term sustainable solution for the site.
“We’re excited by the prospect of this important work, which will restore cultural values, improve water quality, vegetation and aesthetics.
“We worked closely with the joint traditional Aboriginal owners of the site, the Kungarakan and Warai peoples. It’s been incredibly important to us to ensure their views are respected and prominent in our plans.
“We visited the site with traditional Aboriginal owners who shared their long-term aspirations for the area. They asked us to restore the original course of the East Branch of the Finniss River, for example, and that we revegetate with specific native food plants and other plants to provide habitat for reptiles, birds and other animals.
“Future phases of the project will offer significant economic and capacity building opportunities for Traditional Owners and for businesses in the Bachelor region,” added Tania.
The department has developed a leading practice long-term sustainable solution to rehabilitate Rum Jungle. Comprehensive engagement with traditional Aboriginal owners and other stakeholders has and will continue to be an essential part of the rehabilitation planning to provide open and transparent information. https://minerals.nt.gov.au/rum-jungle-mine.
Media contact: Darrel Trueman, darrel.trueman@nt.gov.au, 08 8999 2044, 0438 455 536 mobile
Photos attached:
Rum Jungle legacy mine from the air
Rum Jungle legacy mine revegetation
