Published Monday, 02 June, 2008 at 04:35 PM
Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation
The Honourable Andrew McNamara
Scientists Claims About Mt Isa Shown to be False
Assertions from a Darwin scientist of a State Government cover up about information relating to lead levels at Mt Isa have been proven false by the academic’s own university.
Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation, Andrew McNamara, said the head of the Mineral Program at Charles Darwin University had contacted the Environmental Protection Agency today to confirm that claims by Dr Neils Munksgaard were unfounded.
Dr Munksgaard had claimed that the Mount Isa Mines Panel Assessment Study on sulphur dioxide report published on the EPA website did not include metal concentration and isotope data produced by the university’s laboratory.
“In an email to the EPA today, Professor David Parry, Leader of the Tropical Futures: Mineral Program at Charles Darwin University said there had been “a degree of misunderstanding” surrounding the whole issue,” Mr McNamara said.
“The email supports the EPA’s original response that Dr Munksgaard’s investigation was separate to the one from which he claimed his results were excluded.
“The EPA was involved in conducting a Panel Assessment Study into sulphur dioxide emissions, and the scope of the report did not include lead or other metal levels.
“Professor Parry was the senior author of the separate report referred to by Dr Munksgaard “Metals in soils and surface water in the vicinity of Mt Isa”, which was done for Mt Isa Mines Limited.
“Professor Parry also scotched suggestions of selective editing of the ”Emissions and the Environment Report” prepared by university researchers for the MIM Panel Assessment Study, which has been on the EPA website since 2001.
“Professor Parry said the published version of the Emissions and the Environment Report, which is an appendix to the Panel Study, is a complete and accurate copy of the original report that was submitted to the Panel Assessment Study.
The EPA has now asked Xstrata, the current owner of Mt Isa Mines, for a copy of Dr Parry’s separate report so that it can be assessed.”
“I am committed to ensuring all relevant documents are available in considering the best response for dealing with the issue of lead in Mount Isa.
“I find it regrettable that unfounded allegations were made that the EPA hid a document when my department was never given a copy of it.
The text of Professor Parry’s email to the EPA is:
“It would appear there has been a degree of misunderstanding surrounding this whole issue which has probably been exacerbated by the media interest.
Firstly, I would like to acknowledge that the copy of the Emissions and the Environment Report on the EPA web site is a complete and accurate copy of the original report that was submitted to the Panel Assessment Study.
As for our Metals report, it was commissioned by MIM at the time of the Panel assessment study but I do not know if there was any intent to have it included in the Study.
I provided a Draft copy of the Report to MIM and heard no more about it. As the report was owned by MIM I believe it is now owned by Xstrata.
Xstrata asked Dr Munksgaard for a copy of the report which he has supplied to them. I assume from this that Xstrata did not get the report from MIM.
As EPA does not have a copy on file I suspect it was never submitted to the Panel Assessment Study.
As my understanding is that the report is the property of Xstrata the correct approach should be to get a copy from Xstrata or ask Xstrata if I can provide you with a copy.
I am not trying to prevent you getting a copy of the report but do want to make sure due process is followed. With all our industry contract work we have to obtain industry approval for release/publication of any data.”
Media contact: Peter McCarthy 3336 8004
Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation, Andrew McNamara, said the head of the Mineral Program at Charles Darwin University had contacted the Environmental Protection Agency today to confirm that claims by Dr Neils Munksgaard were unfounded.
Dr Munksgaard had claimed that the Mount Isa Mines Panel Assessment Study on sulphur dioxide report published on the EPA website did not include metal concentration and isotope data produced by the university’s laboratory.
“In an email to the EPA today, Professor David Parry, Leader of the Tropical Futures: Mineral Program at Charles Darwin University said there had been “a degree of misunderstanding” surrounding the whole issue,” Mr McNamara said.
“The email supports the EPA’s original response that Dr Munksgaard’s investigation was separate to the one from which he claimed his results were excluded.
“The EPA was involved in conducting a Panel Assessment Study into sulphur dioxide emissions, and the scope of the report did not include lead or other metal levels.
“Professor Parry was the senior author of the separate report referred to by Dr Munksgaard “Metals in soils and surface water in the vicinity of Mt Isa”, which was done for Mt Isa Mines Limited.
“Professor Parry also scotched suggestions of selective editing of the ”Emissions and the Environment Report” prepared by university researchers for the MIM Panel Assessment Study, which has been on the EPA website since 2001.
“Professor Parry said the published version of the Emissions and the Environment Report, which is an appendix to the Panel Study, is a complete and accurate copy of the original report that was submitted to the Panel Assessment Study.
The EPA has now asked Xstrata, the current owner of Mt Isa Mines, for a copy of Dr Parry’s separate report so that it can be assessed.”
“I am committed to ensuring all relevant documents are available in considering the best response for dealing with the issue of lead in Mount Isa.
“I find it regrettable that unfounded allegations were made that the EPA hid a document when my department was never given a copy of it.
The text of Professor Parry’s email to the EPA is:
“It would appear there has been a degree of misunderstanding surrounding this whole issue which has probably been exacerbated by the media interest.
Firstly, I would like to acknowledge that the copy of the Emissions and the Environment Report on the EPA web site is a complete and accurate copy of the original report that was submitted to the Panel Assessment Study.
As for our Metals report, it was commissioned by MIM at the time of the Panel assessment study but I do not know if there was any intent to have it included in the Study.
I provided a Draft copy of the Report to MIM and heard no more about it. As the report was owned by MIM I believe it is now owned by Xstrata.
Xstrata asked Dr Munksgaard for a copy of the report which he has supplied to them. I assume from this that Xstrata did not get the report from MIM.
As EPA does not have a copy on file I suspect it was never submitted to the Panel Assessment Study.
As my understanding is that the report is the property of Xstrata the correct approach should be to get a copy from Xstrata or ask Xstrata if I can provide you with a copy.
I am not trying to prevent you getting a copy of the report but do want to make sure due process is followed. With all our industry contract work we have to obtain industry approval for release/publication of any data.”
Media contact: Peter McCarthy 3336 8004