EPA recommends lead, zinc, silver mine be approved
The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) says it is confident the impacts of a new lead, zinc and silver mine near Kununurra can be managed.
Sorby Management wants to build a mine and processing facility 50 kilometres north of Kununurra.
Concentrate would be trucked to the Wyndham Port for export.
The EPA has recommended the Environment Minister approve the project, as long as the area of vegetation cleared is limited to 570 hectares.
EPA chairman Paul Vogel says it has also recommended ongoing monitoring to ensure the lead, silver or zinc concentrates are being handled correctly.
Mr Vogel says it has also recommended the company do regular air sampling along the transport routes and test sediment at the port.
“These concentrates can have potentially significant health effects if not handled correctly and that’s why the EPA has paid particular attention to the human health aspects of the handling and transports and storage of these materials, so that the conditions are quite stringent,” he said.
The proposal is open for public comment for two weeks, before being referred to the Environment Minister for a final decision.