About Tailings Dams

EXTRACTS FROM BALLARAT GOLD MINE WEBSITE:
Source: “ABOUT TAILINGS FACT SHEET” Golden Point Group Pty Ltd (GPG)

TSF are built structures used to confine tailings. A TSF includes the dam or other structure and associated tailings delivery infrastructure. The term refers to the overall facility. It may include one or more tailings dam.

What are Tailings?

Put simply, tailings are ground up rock minus the gold. Rocks mined from underground which contain gold are called ore. Processing involves crushing the ore into sand to liberate and recover the gold. What’s left over is called tailings.

What is in Tailings?

Aside from gold whatever minerals were present in the rock when it was underground, remain with the tailings in the Tailings Storage Facility. At Ballarat Gold Mine the predominant minerals are quartz, shale and sandstone with a smattering of sulphide minerals containing iron, sulphur, arsenic, zinc, copper and antimony.

Although the concentration of these secondary metals is low and of no economic value their existence prevents the tailings sands from being reused off site as a building material. The tailings may also contain traces of chemicals that are used in the gold recovery process, the most notable being cyanide. (Cyanide is one of the few chemicals that can dissolve gold).

What is Arsenic?

Unlike cyanide, which is a chemical reagent purposely added to extract gold, arsenic is a naturally occurring element within the rock mined underground. Unlike cyanide, it cannot be destroyed or detoxified and so remains within the tailings, and arsenic is toxic. The prevention of dust is an important aspect of TSF management.

EXTRACT FROM THE BETTER HEALTH CHANNEL:
Source: Better Health Channel. Arsenic mine tailings and health

Arsenic Mine Tailings and Health

Dust and soil from mine tailings often contain arsenic, so keep exposure to a minimum. Health effects depend on the amount of arsenic taken in by the body overtime and the amount of arsenic swallowed. Children are more at risk as they can swallow more soil or dust than adults.

Arsenic is a substance found in the environment. It occurs naturally in crushed rock. It is often found near gold deposits and is extracted as part of gold and other mining activities. The waste left over after mining processes is called mine tailings. Mine tailings often look like fine clay or sand and commonly contain raised levels of arsenic.

Many towns and cities in Victoria have been built in areas with a history of gold mining. Mine tailings that contain arsenic are spread over large areas of land, including land now used for housing.

Health Effects of Arsenic

Arsenic is a well-known poison, but its effects on health depend on its form and the total amount taken in by the body over time.

For instance:

Large amounts of arsenic -taken over a short time, can cause severe health effects including stomach ache, nausea, vomiting, damage to blood cells and nerves, or even death.
Medium amounts of arsenic -taken in over a longer time, may cause skin changes, damage to major body organs and some types of cancers.
Small amounts of arsenic can be taken in over long periods of time without any obvious health effects.

Ballarat Gold Mine is ignoring the health risks to locals in Mount Clear

Young children are more at risk than adults from exposure to arsenic in mine tailings. This is because young children can swallow more dust and soil from crawling and putting their fingers or toys in their mouths.

PREVENTING EXPOSURE TO ARSENIC IN MINE TAILINGS

Children and adults who live near mine tailings are at a higher risk of exposure to arsenic. The risk can be reduced if you:

Reduce your exposure to mine tailing soil and dust (for example, reduce dust in homes near mine tailings by cleaning frequently),
Do not allow young children to play in or eat soil from mine tailings.
Wash young children's hands and toys frequently.
Bring in clean soil for vegetable garden beds and ensure all fruit and vegetables are washed thoroughly before eating.
Do not swim in dams with walls made from mine tailings.

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