TWO PERTH BASED MINING GIANTS IGNORE TRADITIONAL ELDERS

Last week concerned citizens stormed the Australian offices of two Perth based mining companies (Barrick Gold and Iluka Resources) demanding to know why the companies continue mining operations at Lake Cowal, NSW and Yellabinna Regional Reserve, SA, respectively, even though both areas are of Aboriginal and Environmental significance.

On Wednesday 31st May, the group visited Barrick Gold, currently extracting their first gold bullions from Lake Cowal. For over six years the Wiradjuri Traditional Owners of Lake Cowal, have fought against the mine, yet Barrick have ignored their claims and continue to mine the internationally significant wetland.

The group was met by Mr Turney (Vice-President of Capital Projects) who admitted that cyanide is leaching into the soils surrounding the cyanide ponds lined only with clay. He gave no guarantee that endangered birds would not get sick from using the ponds or that the open pit, intended to be 325m deep, will not significantly alter the hydrological system of the lake. He suggested that rather than 'destroying' the lake system, Barrick were merely "changing the environment".

On Friday 2nd June, Iluka Resource Employees were approached about recent statements made public about their interest to mine within Yellabinna. After a short stand off between the group of concerned citizens and Iluka employees who had called security, a number of Iluka Managers (Mr Marshall & Mr Richards) and an Advisor (Mr French) ushered the crowd into a room for discussion.

The men admitted that the Yellabinna and surrounding parks, is generally untouched due to it being unfeasible, in the past, for mining companies and pastoralists to tap into the water supply. However, Iluka Resources are considering supplying water from a desalination plant on the coast to two recently discovered deposits by constructing massive pipelines that could cut straight through undisturbed areas of Yellabinna as well as Yumbarra Conservation Park. They continued on to say that the economic benefits outweighed the environmental ramifications of disturbing
the largest stretch of pristine stunted mallee woodland in the world!

The group then handed the letter that they came to Iluka Resources to deliver from Aunty Sue Coleman-Haseldine (Kokatha Mula Elder) which was a formal 'Notice to Quit' mineral explorations and cease the discussion of future mining operations in all of the parks and reserves in the region, stating that "Our land is sacred and should not be mined".

Contacts
Mia Pepper (Lake Cowal):0415 380 808 Aunty Sue Coleman-Haseldine
(Yellabinna): 0428 872 375 NoAnna (Perth Actions) but may be out of range 0412 068 558