Abandoned Mines Unit puts spotlight on Gemfields

The Gemfields area of central Queensland will be the next region targeted by the Newman Government’s Abandoned Mines Unit.

Natural Resources and Mines Assistant Minister Lisa France today toured the Gemfields area, and said officers from the Department of Natural Resources and Mines’ Abandoned Mine Lands Program (AMLP) were planning to conduct inspections on state-owned land within the central Highlands and Isaac Regional Council areas.

“The AMLP is charged with identifying and rehabilitating historic abandoned mines across Queensland,” Ms France said.

“The area surrounding Emerald has a long history of mining dating back to the mid-late 1800’s.

“The nearby towns of Rubyvale, Sapphire and Clermont continue to host operating mine sites, claims and prospect areas, along with some historic abandoned mines.

“With such a rich mining history, it is important these inspections are carried out for the safety of land users and visitors.

“Historic mine workings can include single shafts and land disturbances resulting from old mining ventures that were abandoned before mining lease and mining claim holders were required to remediate their sites.”

Known abandoned sites on state land in the Central Highlands and Isaac Regional Council areas will be inspected and assessed for remediation works as required on a prioritised risk basis.

Ms France said the work was part of the government’s ongoing program to remediate abandoned mine workings on state-owned land throughout Queensland.

“Similar inspection and remediation works at Opalton, Quilpie, Calliope and in the Passchendaele State Forest has already been completed. Those works involved backfilling shafts, stabilising earth and in some cases fencing sites that present heritage value,” she said.

“We also have ongoing remediation projects at large abandoned mine sites including the former Mount Morgan, Mount Oxide, Federation, Horn Island and Herberton mines.

“The department also remediates old mine shaft subsidence that occurs in areas like Gympie and Charters Towers through our shaft repair teams.”

More information about abandoned mine lands is available under Mine Safety and Health at: www.dnrm.qld.gov.au

[ENDS] 21 October 2013

Media contact:            Jane Paterson 0417 281 754 or Eleisha Rogers 0413 375 088