Mineral Resources Tasmania Review Reveals Alarming Effects from Mine Discharge on Aquatic Fauna Communities

The following two paragraphs are from the Review of Mineral Sector Operations, Base Metals, Minerals and Metals Group (MMG) Rosebery Mine, Annual Review 2008-2009, at 

'Biological monitoring of aquatic fauna communities has been carried out for seven years at the operation’s three discharge receiving environments. At the main discharge point, Bobadil Outflow, monitoring indicates that there is a localised influence at the mixing zone on Lake Pieman, with faunal diversity reducing 20% since 2005 and abundance reducing 30–50% since 2006. These trends appear to be ongoing, and are related to the presence of the effluent. Monitoring at the Stitt River receiving environment suggests moderate to significant impairment, with a decline in macro-invertebrate diversity by 40% compared to reference streams. The Ring River remains in a severely degraded state with reduced levels of diversity and abundance due to the impacts of historical mining operations in the region. Biological monitoring of the three sites will be continued in 2009/10.

   An increased focus has been placed on dust monitoring for the mine site and Rosebery township. A detailed dust characterisation survey involving 31 passive sampling sites was completed over twelve months in 2008. Results from the survey indicated that two of the 31 sites experienced fugitive dust levels beyond recommended guidelines. These sites are located at the main ore stockpiling area within the operational footprint of the mine. Dust management strategies specific to these sites have been implemented and dust deposition is continuing to be monitored.

See this link for limited background information on environmental monitoring at the Rosebery mine, the Stitt, Ring and Pieman Rivers:www.mrt.tas.gov.au/portal/page?_pageid=35,830861&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL