[Greens-Media] Deadly cyanide on Blue Mountain trains

[Lee Rhiannon]

Lee Rhiannon MLC   - NSW Parliament - Media Alert 9 April 2008

Deadly cyanide on Blue Mountain trains

Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon is challenging the NSW Government to inform residents of the Blue Mountains about how much and how often cyanide is being transported by rail through their community for the purposes of gold mining in Western NSW.

Blue Mountains Friends of the Earth are hosting an information night on the use of cyanide in gold mining at the Carrington Hotel in Katoomba from 6.30pm this Friday 11 April 2008.

Cyanide is now being transported from Gladstone, where it is produced, to gold mines in Western NSW through the Blue Mountains. 

"The Blue Mountains is the source of most of Sydney's water supply and a cyanide spill would have significant consequences," Ms Rhiannon said.

"In 2007 I asked the Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Water, about the amount of cyanide being transported by rail and the frequency of its transportation. The answer was, 'we don't know'.

"It seems either the NSW government doesn't know, or the information is part of a secret deal with Orica, the maker of cyanide, and Pacific National, its rail carrier. 

"It's estimated that more than 60,000 tonnes of cyanide a year are freighted down the East Coast from Gladstone where Orica makes it, across Sydney and over the Blue Mountains to gold mines in Western NSW.

"The government is currently considering whether to grant approval to expand the controversial Lake Cowal gold mine. 

"This will almost double the size of the pit and extend mine's life from 13 to 20 years.

"This means, for just this one mine alone, at least an additional 6,000 tonnes a year of cyanide will pass through the Blue Mountains for an extra seven years," Ms Rhiannon said.

For more information:  9230 3551, 0427 861 568


--------------------------------------------------
Lee Rhiannon, MLC
The Greens
Parliament of New South Wales
Macquarie St 
Sydney 2000
Tel: +61-2-9230 3551 Fax: +61-2-9230 3550
Email lee.rhiannon at parliament.nsw.gov.au
Web http://www.lee.greens.org.au/

If you wish to receive The Greens Parliamentary Ebrief please send a return email with the word SUBSCRIBE in the subject line. (This ebrief comes out approximately every fortnight.)

To get Greens media releases emailed, sign up at <http://lists.greens.org.au/mailman/listinfo/media>

-------------- next part --------------
BEGIN:VCARD
VERSION:2.1
X-GWTYPE:USER
FN:Lee Rhiannon
ORG:;LC - Rhiannon
EMAIL;WORK;PREF;NGW:Lee.Rhiannon at parliament.nsw.gov.au
N:Rhiannon;Lee
TITLE:MLC
END:VCARD