Lightning Ridge environment and safety sweep begins
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The NSW Department of Mineral Resources will this week start up its environment and safety sweep of the Lightning Ridge Opal fields for 2004.
This is the third year the Department has conducted these sweeps, which are aimed at ensuring miners at Lightning Ridge effectively manage the local environment, by rehabilitating mines once mining is complete and keeping impacts to a minimum.
"This is part of an overall Departmental campaign aimed at bringing environmental standards at Lightning Ridge up to community expectations and into line with the rest of the State's mining industry," said Alan Coutts, Director General of the NSW Department Mineral Resources.
"Over the past two years, the Department's environmental staff have inspected 1758 mineral claims, of which 450 were re-inspected".
"There are encouraging signs that miners are becoming more diligent. They are taking more care of the environment and ensuring their claims are safe," he said.
"There is a high level of co-operation among the Lightning Ridge miners and the two miners associations the Lightning Ridge Miners Association and the Glengarry, Grawin, Sheepyards Miners Association - an indication of the effectiveness of our ongoing campaign."
Claimholders found to be in violation are sent a notice by registered mail and must advise the 'Field Sweep' Co-ordinator within 28 days that they have rectified the situation.
Random re-inspections are carried out after around 2 months and a further notice is sent if the leaseholder fails to carry out the appropriate work.
The most common environmental problems centre on rubbish, old car bodies, oil spills, illegal structures and shaft collar erosion. Safety issues centre on unsafe shafts and unsafe auger holes and account for between 60% - 80% of violations.
According to information compiled by the Department 57% of leaseholders comply at first inspection, 89% after the first notice to comply and 96% after the second notice.
"While the positive response to our campaign is pleasing, the Department will consider penalties against claimholders who refuse to correct breaches" Mr Coutts added.