Earthquake danger ignored in BHP’s planned Olympic Dam uranium mine expansion
Edward Cranswick, a geophysicist and expert on earthquakes, has warned the South Australian and federal governments of the earthquake danger for the Olympic Dam uranium mine area.
This risk has been ignored in BHP Billiton’s Environmental Impact Statement for its proposed gigantic expansion which would form the world’s biggest mining hole.
The Kalgoorlie Earthquake and the Proposed Olympic Dam Mine Expansion. by Edward Cranswick, 25 May 2010, BHP Billiton has proposed to dig the largest open pit mine on the Earth at Olympic Dam, 4.1 km long, 3.5 km wide, 1 km deep. As a geophysicist who investigated earthquakes for the US Geological Survey for 22 years [1], I strongly criticised BHP’s Olympic Dam Expansion Draft Environmental Impact Statement 2009 (ODXdEIS) [2] because it omitted consideration of seismicity, i.e., rockbursts or earthquakes, caused by open pit mining, despite the fact that seismic hazard is well-known in the Australian mining industry (Hudyma et al. 2003 [3], Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines (KCGM) [4]).
The recent Kalgoorlie Earthquake emphasises the probability and consequences of these seismic events as mines grow larger and deeper – the ODXdEIS needs to be re-evaluated because it does not address this issue at all. I discuss the connection between mining and seismicity and how it is obscured in Australia, particularly the seismic hazard of the Olympic Dam mine, and I make recommendations about these matters. Read on for the complete submission. Continue reading
BHP’s dangerous plan to transport uranium through towns
Greens say uranium too risky to transport through towns ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) May 24, 2010 The Greens say the Western Australian Government should prevent the transport of uranium through all Goldfields towns, as well as Kalgoorlie-Boulder. Mines Minister Norman Moore last week revealed he does not want BHP Billiton to move yellowcake from its planned Yeelirrie mine through Kalgoorlie.The company has indicated it wants to temporarily store yellowcake in the town before it is transported to Adelaide or Darwin. Continue reading
Australia’s proposed nuclear waste dump a target for terrorism
Radioactive incidents at Lucas Heights nuclear reactor
at least one employee had “received a substantial dose of radiation”……The accident was confirmed by a confidential report by the nuclear industry regulator, Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency
Safety breaches at Lucas Heights, Sydney Morning Herald, ELLIE HARVEY, May 6, 2010 New claims of safety breaches have emerged at Australia’s only nuclear facility at Lucas Heights. The allegations were made by an employee of 28 years and backed up by an external safety report by an industry regulator. Continue reading
NASA’s Nuclear Compton Telescope crashes near Alice Springs
VIDEO Nuclear Compton Telescope crashes on launch, Dynamics of Cats NASA loses a balloon in the outback April 29, 2010 The Nuclear Compton Telescope (PI Boggs at UCB’s SSL), a soft γ-ray telescope designed for balloon launch, observations in the stratosphere, and recovery, crashed because of a wind gust during an attempted launch in Australia earlier today
Nuclear Compton Telescope crashes on launch : Dynamics of Cats
Earthquake in Western Australian mining area
Biggest quake in 50 years hits Australia’s goldfields (open pit) Virginia Against Uranium Mining: Biggest quake Perth, Australia (AFP) April 20, 2010 The biggest earthquake in 50 years rattled Western Australia’s Goldfields region on Tuesday, damaging buildings but not causing any injuries, officials said.The 5.2-magnitude quake, at a shallow depth of just 10 kilometres (six miles), struck just outside the Kalgoorlie-Boulder mining towns at about 8:17 am (0017 GMT), geologists said……..A spokesman for the geoscientific agency said the remote mining centre, about 600 kilometres (370 miles) east of Perth, had not seen an earthquake bigger than 4.2 in the previous half-century.”This is quite a large earthquake for Australia and a shallow, potentially damaging, earthquake,” he said. “It’s the largest event in this area in the last 50 years.” Officials at nearby mines were not immediately available for comment.
Virginia Against Uranium Mining: Biggest quake – Flash Player Installation
An Olympic sized earthquake danger
the EIS Study Team is not competent to evaluate seismic risk. The EIS Study Team did not include any geophysicists – it is essential that the EIS be approved by seismologists,
EARTHQUAKE WARNINGS – SOUTH AUSTRALIANS WAITING FOR THE BIG ONE April 18, 2010 by Coober Pedy Regional Times“.……in 2004 Sandra Kanck, Leader of the South Australian Democrats and Member of the Legislative Council warned that the earthquake risk was too high for the proposed nuclear waste dump at Woomera in South Australia’s Far North……
OLYMPIC DAM: Mashers Fault Mashers Fault and the Seismicity Anticipated to be Stimulated by the Proposed Open Pit Mine at Olympic Dam, By: Edward Cranswick, Geophysicist,
Abstract: The proposed excavation at Olympic Dam of one of the largest open pit mines on Earth, 4.1 km long, 3.5 km wide, 1 km deep, at a bend in the steeply dipping, 35-km-long Mashers Fault, and the associated perturbation of the local groundwater pore pressures in a region of horizontal compressive stress would most likely stimulate local seismicity. Continue reading
Olympic Dam uranium mine still only at 25% capacity output
Delays continue at BHP’s Olympic Dam, The
Independent Weekly, KEVIN NAUGHTON 10 Apr, 2010 Work on the full recommissioning of Olympic Dam’s main shaft has been delayed again,….The shaft, which carries 75 per cent of the mine’s output, has been out of action since an accident on October 6, 2009…… Continue reading
W.A. premier rules out Oakajee port for uranium shipments
No uranium through Oakajee: Premier ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) 25 March 2010, The Premier Colin Barnett has ruled out using the proposed Oakajee deepwater port north of Geraldton to ship uranium products. Continue reading
Muckaty nuke waste site – earthquake risk, missing documents
one key document, an anthropological report, is missing.
Lax security at BHP’s Yeelirrie uranium tailings dump
Australia’s one nuclear reactor cited as a terrorist target
possible targets for bombings included the Lucas Heights nuclear facility.
Terrorism tools still missing, says judge Sydney Morning Herald MALCOLM BROWN February 16, 2010 A ”WIDE RANGE” of materials collected by conspirators in a terrorism case has not been recovered by authorities and may be used by others bent on terrorism offences, a Supreme Court judged has warned. Continue reading
What if terrorists targeted Lucas Heights Nuclear Reactor?
Today’s news story on the terrorist plot in Sydney should be a reminder that Sydney’s Lucas Heights Nuclear Reactor is a terrorist target
“the intended target was never revealed”
Hefty jail terms for terrorism plotters – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) By Shane McLeod for PM 16 Feb 2010 It took Justice Anthony Whealy more than three hours to read out his judgement in the case of the five men, who were found guilty by a jury last year of plotting a large scale terrorist attack…. Continue reading
Cyclone flood danger to uranium mines
Australia Issues Red Alert as Tropical Cyclone Approaches Coast By Jason ScottDec. 16 (Bloomberg) — Australia issued its highest storm alert as Tropical Cyclone Laurence’s winds strengthened to as high as 285 kilometers (177 miles) per hour as it approached the northwestern coast, where offshore oil and gas rigs were evacuated earlier………..
Cyclone George in March 2007 caused flooding at Energy Resources of Australia Ltd.’s Ranger uranium mine in the Northern Territory.
Australia Issues Red Alert as Tropical Cyclone Approaches Coast – Bloomberg.com
Australian nuclear terrorist to be released
France may release Brigitte in 2010 Sydney Morning Herald December 2, 2009 -Australia’s most notorious terrorist Willie Brigitte could be released from a French jail in the new year, after having served less than half his sentence for conspiring to blow up the nation’s only nuclear reactor and the power grid……….. Continue reading
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