By Jeremy Sollars
THE State Government will shortly begin releasing treated water from the former Texas Silver Mine as part of its actions to fix contaminated storage ponds on the site.
In an online update posted in the last week of September the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (EHP) says it will siphon off treated water from the ponds to increase storage capacity ahead of further spring and summer rainfall.
The EHP became lumbered with the former mine after the most recent operators Texas Silver Mines Pty Ltd went bust in July 2015.
Surrounding landowners and those downstream from the mine on the nearby Dumaresq River have raised repeated calls about the risk of water contamination should any of the mine site’s massive storage ponds overflow after heavy rain.
The ponds contain tailings from silver extraction and processing operations and could have devastating effects on water quality and useability in the Dumaresq catchment.
The department says imminent releases of treated storage pond water are needed “to maintain sufficient water storage on the mine site”.
“Before releasing any treated water, EHP will work with Queensland Health and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries to ensure the treated water is of a standard that has minimal environmental impacts, and is fit for domestic and livestock consumption,” the update states.
“EHP will also work with the Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation to monitor the downstream water environment during and immediately following any controlled treated water release.
“The Texas community will continue to be kept informed of actions on the site, including when the controlled release of treated water will occur.”
The EHP statement also says its actions so far have included “containing the contaminated water and reducing water volumes through evaporation, carrying out a range of earthworks, managing pumping systems, and checking and monitoring clean water diversion drains”.
Resources company MRV Metals earlier this year announced plans to revive the Texas Silver Mine but was awaiting the completion of the EHP remedial works.
MRV Metals also wants to drill for copper and zinc at the site, which has had a long and troubled history under previous owners and mixed impacts on the Texas community as a whole.
Chief executive officer Jason Elks told media in February the firm believed there were “significant” copper, zinc and silver deposits in the area, identified in prior drilling programs “which have not been followed up”.
Mr Elks at that time said the company had acquired tenements for the land around the silver mine site and it wanted to restart the mine, after the government had remedied it.
The Free Times has contacted MRV Metals for comment on their interest in the mine.
