NSW North Coast Nationals MPs need to explain to their electorates why they continue to tolerate this ongoing threat to water security and, why they are considering a proposal to establish another antimony mine in the Nymboida River system:
ABC Mid North Coast News Macleay River spill sparks contamination fears
There has been another heavy metal spill into the Macleay River from a gold and antimony mine in the upper catchment.
Heavy rain over the weekend caused an overflow from a stormwater dam at the Hillgrove mine near Armidale.
The Kempsey council's infrastructure manager, Robert Scott, says the contamination sounds worse than it actually is.
He says the rain caused the spill but it also helped dilute it.
"At the moment the dams in the Hillgrove mine, because they've received around about 290mm of rainfall for the month of November alone, are full, they are discharging," he said.
"We are seeing a massive dilution factor as a result of the overall flow that's coming off the New England Tablelands at the moment, which has resulted in relatively low levels of discharge directly from the mine."
However, conservationists are worried about the latest spill into the Upper Macleay.
Coffs Harbour Greens' councillor Mark Graham says the spill in the region's drinking water catchment should be grounds for concern.
"I think that all the evidence is that the river is contaminated by mining practices and it's not just the historic mining practices," he said.
"The owners of the Hillgrove mine, Straits Mining, were recently fined $50,000 in the Land and Environment Court for ongoing contamination to the headwaters of the Macleay.
"These mines are creating ongoing contamination for the catchment.
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