NT: Companies fail to report metal spills to NT government

AAP General News (Australia)
04-22-2010
NT: Companies fail to report metal spills to NT government

By Larine Statham

DARWIN, April 22 AAP - The Northern Territory government is investigating
an alleged spill at Gove Harbour of material from Alcan's aluminium refinery complex on
the east Arnhem Land coast.

It is believed the spill involved alumina, commonly known as aluminium oxide, from
Alcan's alumina mine and refinery at Nhulunbuy, about 600 kilometres east of Darwin.

A spokeswoman for the Primary Industries and Resources Minister Kon Vatskalis told
AAP a member of the public had reported the spill.

She said the government would conduct a full investigation and Alcan had been given
24 hours to submit a report and explain why they did not immediately inform the department
of the incident.

A spokesman for the NT resources department would not confirm how much alumina, if
any, had spilled into Gove Harbour.

He said the department would release a statement after receiving a report from Alcan.

The latest incident, believed to have occurred in recent days, comes on the heels of
news that copper concentrate has contaminated Darwin Harbour.

NT environmental officers were alerted to the contamination only last week, when a
local newspaper described a "hazardous substance" being blown off an open-sided conveyor
belt, across the wharf and into the water.

The NT News said this was happening every time a shipment of copper concentrate was
loaded between cargo carriers.

As a result, a pollution abatement notice was issued on Thursday to Oz Minerals Limited
in relation to two incidents of copper concentrate pollution that allegedly occurred in
November 2009 and January this year.

A spokeswoman from the NT department of resources and environment said the notice was
issued under the Waste Management and Pollution Control Act.

Darwin Port Corporation, which owns the conveyor belt, allegedly broke the law by not
reporting the spills and now faces fines of up to $1.25 million.

The abatement notice means Oz Minerals will not be able to load copper concentrate
onto ships in Darwin Harbour until the port corporation ensures the powder cannot escape.

It is understood the port corporation told the department it had spent about $1.5 million
modifying the conveyor and discharge chute since the January incident.

Oz Minerals will send a shipment of copper concentrate to the port in coming days.

NT environmental officers will be on hand monitor the transfer as part of their ongoing
investigation.

AAP lcs/jl

KEYWORD: SPILL

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