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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2010-06-24 Daily Xml
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BURRA MONSTER MINE RESERVE

The Hon. M. PARNELL (15:02): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Mineral Resources Development about the Monster Mine Reserve at Burra.

Leave granted.

The Hon. M. PARNELL: I have been contacted by a number of residents of Burra and the local Ratepayers Action Group concerned about proposed mineral exploration and mining within the historic Burra Monster Mine Reserve. Residents' concerns include negative impacts on groundwater, heritage, tourism as well as the pollution impacts of mining close to houses, if mining were to be allowed. One resident wrote to me as follows:

The effect on the environment, groundwater and on the town itself will be profound. Burra is a much-loved part of regional South Australia...Allowing mining operations in Burra will be the death knell for any ambience and amenity the town has to offer.

I am informed that, if mining were to go ahead, several listed heritage items would be destroyed and I also understand that the reserve status of the former monster mine will need to be lifted before exploration or mining can proceed. My questions of the minister are:

1. What is the current status of Phoenix Copper's application for a mineral exploration licence?

2. Is it necessary to lift reserve status or delist any state or local heritage places in order to facilitate mining?

3. What is the government doing to engage the local community on important decisions about their historic town's future?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister Assisting the Premier in Public Sector Management) (15:04): My advice is that Phoenix Copper has a number of exploration licences throughout the Burra region, which will surround the monster mine, which was declared on 10 March 1988 to provide further protection to the historic mining heritage. That area which is precluded prevents any access for mineral exploration or mining within the reserve. The company is now proposing a defined program of exploration through the region, and they would like to explore within the Monster Mine Reserve, which covers the Burra mines historic site and the Burra smelter historic site, to further evaluate the copper and gold mineral prospectivity of the Burra district.

Exploration licence 4266 held by Phoenix Copper overlies the monster mine but excludes the land that is reserved under the Mining Act. Since Phoenix Copper began exploration in the region, it has initiated an in-depth study of the geology and possible sources of copper mineralisation in the region including a comprehensive review of all new and historic data on the Burra region.

I also advise that new work by the Geological Survey of South Australia on the geology of the historic Burra copper mine and the geological age of the rock units and the copper mineral system provides scientific support for further drill testing for economic mineral concentrations at depth beneath the Burra Mine Reserve and along strike to the north and south, beyond the historic mine reserve. That is the background to this information.

My advice is that a proposal by Phoenix Copper to publicly consult on varying the proclamation of the Monster Mine Reserve to allow exploration has been released and is out for public consultation. Hence, the issue raised by the honourable member sets out exactly why that is currently a matter of public debate.

Primary Industries and Resources South Australia has advised the district council, the Burra community and other stakeholders on the consultation process, through local newspaper advertisements, and written submissions will be invited on the proposal. That is where the situation lies at the moment. As I have said, Phoenix Copper is exploring around the historic mine, outside the region to both the north and south. Phoenix Copper has requested that consideration be given to its being able to explore within the historic mine site.

Any historic buildings and so on that come under the Heritage Act would be protected. Any suggestion that any activity during an exploration phase would damage existing historical features, such as buildings and the like, is not, in my view, correct. All the company is seeking to do at this stage is to be able to explore so that they can determine the extent of any copper and to see whether it would be viable for mining. In fact, if there were any resources there, they may be able to mine them from that site without necessarily any physical disturbance of the area.

However, that is all really for the future. At this stage, it is simply a question of the company seeking the lifting of the prohibition on exploration within the historic area, which includes the old mine site. However, that will have to go through the public consultation process before any decision is made on it. The sort of considerations outlined by the honourable member would be part of any consideration before a decision is made.

Obviously, Burra is a very important historic town, but its history is because of the mining industry. What we find in a number of historic sites is that they may well still have significant mineral resources. Ultimately, the question is whether one should determine whether there are resources there and then make the decision as to whether or not they can be exploited in the community's interest. At this stage, really, we are going through that consultation process before we make any decision.

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