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“NO risk is acceptable” when it comes to the potential contamination of the Eurobodalla’s water supply, was the clear message sent to Unity Mining representatives in Moruya on Wednesday.
The company hosted what was to be a casual drop-in session with four industry experts and managing director And-rew McIllwain on Wed-nesday for residents to have their questions answered about the proposed changes to the Dargues gold mine at Majors Creek, which lies at the headwaters of the Eurobodalla’s water supply.
The session quickly became a community meeting when about 55 people, including farmers and food growers, SAGE representatives and Deua River Valley residents, streamed into the room after 5pm.
Rather than the planned one-on-one chats, experts fielded questions from the room crowd for more than two hours.
Resident Jenny Reid received a round of applause when she told Mr McIllwain that everyone understood that Unity was planning to build the best mine it possibly could to mitigate the risk of any danger to the community.
However, she explained that the room was filled with love – love for the river and for the local environment – “and to us, no risk is acceptable”.
Speaking to the Bay Post/Moruya Examiner, Guerilla Bay resident Magella Blinkson said she held concerns about water quality and the possible contamination of the environment, particularly given the toxicity of cyanide.
She was also concerned with the wider social and economic effects that could arise from the perception of visitors and residents who buy locally grown food that the water was contaminated.
Nerrigundah resident Chris Kowal said it was important to remember that it was not just Eurobodalla’s 40,000-strong population downstream from the mine, but the 120,000 people in peak tourist seasons.
“The perception is this is a clean, green place,” he said.
“The greatest threats are those that are unseen.”
The meeting heard that the major risk of contamination of the Eurobo-dalla’s water supply was from an unforeseen problem with the tailings storage facility, a large dam where waste water and ground rock and minerals are stored following gold processing.
Mr McIllwain said the tailings facility was built to cope with 1.5 metres of rainfall in 72 hours, and that risk assessments had been performed for every possible rain “event”.
Mr McIllwain told the Bay Post/Moruya Examiner he was pleased with the turnout to the session.
“We ran the same thing in Braidwood (on Tuesday) and it has been fantastic,” he said.
“I don’t expect people to go away here thinking ‘gee, I’m really for this now’. My objective in bringing all these people was to make sure people went away with a better level of knowledge, that’s all.”
He said he wanted the community to know that the company was “more than willing” to engage with the residents and answer any questions they may have.
For more information, phone Unity Mining’s information line on 1800 732 002.