6 October 2009

1 minute read

Oceania

The zinc leaked from a failed pipeline at Century mine onto a paddock on the 94,000-hectare Floraville Station reports ABC Rural.

Owner Ernie Camp says about 500 of his 8000-head cattle herd were in the paddock, but it's still too early to tell how the livestock will be affected.

"They're enjoying themselves. Actually, when it maybe comes to the clean-up, they may have already cleaned it up," he told ABC Rural.

"We are hoping for the best, but bracing for the worst, I suppose."

MMG, the company responsible for the spill, issued a statement saying while pumping was stopped as soon as it found out about the leak in the pipe, 300 tonnes of zinc slurry escaped.

The statement says the spill consists of approximately 160 tonnes of zinc metal.

"At this point MMG does not know the exact circumstances surrounding the failure of the pipeline and the survey team will be conducting a review of the pipe itself to ascertain the reasons why it failed," says the statement.

"This is the first time in thirteen years of operation that the mine has experienced a discharge from the pipeline. Transport of concentrate will not re-commence until we are absolutely certain that we have resolved the situation."

TheCattleSite News Desk