To whom it may concern,

I write on behalf of Broken Hill RACE (Residents Against Contaminated Environments) we have become aware that the Rasp Mine at Broken Hill has applied to the NSW Department of Planing and the NSW Environmental protection Authority for approval to operate its mine in the centre of Broken Hill.

The RACE committee represent a large number of residents in Broken Hill and was recently established to help educate the residents of Broken Hill about the adverse health effects of heavy metal contamination and identify poor mining practices that may have a negative impact on the health of Broken Hill Residents. RACE gives the residents of Broken Hill a voice to speak up against any mining activities that may impact upon their lifestyle and in particular their health. RACE has a website that can be found at www.brokenhillrace.com

As you may be aware Broken Hill has a long history of health problems associated with air born dust caused by mining activities, evidence of that problem would be the establishment of the broken hill lead centre and the local office of the dust diseases board, and the many documented cases of heavy metal poisoning in the general community. Many of these heavy metal associated health issues can be directly linked to the open cut mining activities at the RASP mine site over a number of years and in the hands of different mining companies.

As per the details from the consolidated mining lease 7 (act1973) which was granted on the 8 th of October 1987 the Rasp site contains the following heavy metals Manganise, Selenium, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, mercury, Nickel and the lead seracite. These heavy metals are carcinogenic and are known to cause cancer and other major health issues. (Copy of the consolidated mining lease 7 attached)

RASP management claim that they can manage the dust problem caused by daily activities such as the use of haulage roads and mobile crushing plants by simply using water sprays. We do not agree with this as we the residents of Broken Hill have witnessed the excessive amounts of dust caused by these same activities recently, during the removal of remnant ore from the mine site during what RASP calls Stage One of Operations.

During this period water sprays were used on site and did not appear to be very successful at reducing the dust to an acceptable level. Ore was transported off site by trucks and taken out of the main gates then along Eyre Street to be processed at Cobar in NSW. The trucks were washed on site to remove any contamination, however this did not appear to be very successful, as observed by Eyre Street residents and Eyre Street started to look more like an unsealed road than a bitumen road.

History has demonstrated that the various methods employed to contain the air born dust caused by mining activities in the centre of broken hill were unsuccessful at best and the only successful method was during the non operational period of the now RASP mine. During this period a lot of time and money was spent on rehabilitation of this site and the success of this was demonstrated through the improvement of the lead levels among the children in Broken Hill.

RACE is completely opposed to any form of open cut mining at the RASP site. RACE believe that no matter what strategies or dust control methods are put in place, RASP has no control of the weather and therefore little control of dust contamination throughout Broken Hill as a result of their mining activities.

Race believe that the building of a new mill on site will have an adverse effect on the health of the residents close by due to the chemicals used in this process and the noise and dust generated by its operations. A Mill in the middle of a residential area is just not acceptable.

It would be extremely irresponsible of the Department of Planning and the Environmental Protection Authority to approve any form of mining at the RASP site that could affect the health of both children and adults in Broken Hill. History has proven that it is not a matter of “IF “the residents of Broken Hill become sick due to heavy metal associated illnesses but rather a matter of “WHEN” they become sick.

RACE has access to a large pool of information pertaining to the history of operations at RASP site including details of heavy metal compositions and carcinogenic chemicals which were previously used in the milling process and reused and relocated on site.

RASP employees may choose to work in an environment that is proven to cause health problems, however the residents of Broken Hill should not have to endure the same contaminated environment just for the sake of a small number of jobs.

RACE is not completely opposed to mining activities at this site however there has to be a balance of community health verses the small number of jobs created by RASP’S operations.

RASP has failed to adequately notify the public of Broken Hill of their plans to step up its operations. They did inform the residents of Eyre Street (Many of these homes join the boundary of the Rasp mine and are less than 150 metres from a large tailings dump) of their intention to step up operations by letter. RASP did place a very small advert in the Barrier Daily Truth, however not all residents of Broken Hill get the BDT and the majority or residents have little knowledge of RASP’S intentions or their rights to oppose its application to operate a mine in the middle of the city.

RACE is opposed to the following methods of operations as described in the RASP Ancillary Surface Mining Activities Crushing Stockpiling and Transport of Ore. Statement of Environmental effects.

STAGE 1

• We are opposed to the mining of remnant ore and the dust caused by on and off site transport. eg: transport of ore along Eyre St
• We are opposed to the dust caused by upgrading of haulage roads and general operations that cause dust.(this dust is contaminated with dust and other heavy metals)

STAGE 2

• We are opposed to the stockpiling of ore in open areas which will be dispersed around the city by the wind.
• We are opposed to the construction of the milling and floatation plant in an elevated area that is exposed to general winds.
• We are opposed to the additional lift to the current tailing storage facility due to its location close to residents and its elevation.
• We are opposed to mobile crushing plants located in elevated areas exposed to general winds.

STAGE 3

• We are completely opposed to any form of open cut mining due to the mine being located in the centre of the city. This leaves every resident of Broken Hill exposed to dust and heavy metals, depending on the direction of the wind.
• We do not believe that the Rasp mine can contain the dust contamination due to the overall size of the lease.

Our Questions

• This raises the question as to how the Rasp mine can contain the contaminants on their lease when Pasminco failed to contain theirs.
• This also raises the question can Rasp the EPA or Department of planning and infrastructure guarantee the health of the residents of Broken Hill?
• Has Rasp been given any approvals to commence stages 1, 2 or 3 of their operations? And if so who was the approval given by?
• Has an environmental impact study been completed and if so is it available for viewing by the general public? If you have a copy could you please forward it to us at the above address?