Traditional owners have trespassed on to a mine to visit their own sacred sites and draw attention to ongoing fears mining giant Glencore could avoid financial liability for pollution and cleanup costs.
The McArthur river operation near Borroloola in the Gulf region of the Northern Territory mines one of the world’s largest zinc deposits. Government documents recently revealed elevated lead levels in fish and cattle near the site, as well as inconsistencies in the information given to the public about contamination.
On Thursday morning a group of Aboriginal traditional owners walked on to the mining property to visit their sacred sites and hold a ceremony.
The group staged their protest to demand answers from both Glencore and the NT government about the future of the mine site and its rehabilitation. It was timed to coincide with the passing of a deadline given by the NT government for Glencore to give an increased environmental bond.
The group feared Glencore would close the mine and “leave us here stranded with all this pollution and damage.”
“We just need a fair answer about the damage they’ve left here,” a traditional owner, Asman Rory, told Guardian Australia. “It’s about cleaning up in a right and proper way or giving us some proper answers.”
The Aboriginal communities living near the mine site have relied on the McArthur river and surrounding water systems for food, but because of concerns about pollution they have not fished from the river for about a decade, Rory said.
Senior elder Jack Green said he had been instructed by two clan groups to protest on the land.
“We want [the minister] to be aware that we will always be coming back to this area to look after this country,” said Green.
“No matter what damage they made to this land they should fix it up before they take off, and they should compensate Aboriginal people of this land.”
CLEAR MESSAGE: "Whatever damage they made to this land, they should fix it up. #ntpol @abcnewsNT #shutdownglencore pic.twitter.com/dcitLjTjbx
— Frack Free NT (@FrackFreeNT) September 30, 2015
Glencore had been given until the end of September to post an increased environmental bond, under threat of potential closure by the NT government.
“Deep negotiations” between the company and the NT government are continuing despite the deadline passing, the chief minister of the NT, Adam Giles, said on Wednesday.
Giles said he had no doubt the increased bond could be achieved, but was “mindful” of the global context of Glencore’s share price drop and its potential impact on local operations.
Shares in Glencore reached record lows on Monday after analyst warnings about its future value if commodity prices remained at current levels. The price rebounded on Tuesday, but remains 85% lower than at its 2011 float.
“We’ve been working with them on seeking to increase their environmental bond and they’ve put some suggestions towards the NT government,” said Giles.
“It looks like we can resolve that but obviously the head office concerns put us in a troubling time.”
A spokesman for Glencore told Guardian Australia the company rejected any claim it would walk away.
“Glencore is committed to providing a security bond that is appropriate to meet long-term rehabilitation costs. This is part of the negotiations with government at present,” he said.
“Our focus is on running efficient, environmentally sustainable, low-cost and safe operations that continue to make a significant contribution to the territory and the local community of Borroloola.”
The spokesman said the business remained “operationally and financially robust” despite this week’s shares dive.
Environmental groups and Borroloola residents have protested for many years about the potential environmental impacts of the McArthur river mine, demanding information on the contamination of waterways and a smouldering waste rock pile emitting potentially toxic fumes.
An independent environmental report last year found 90% of fish stock in a nearby creek had shown dangerously high lead levels.
At a minerals summit in Darwin in December, which residents picketed, Giles dismissed their concerns, saying “emotional” people opposed to projects just needed to be better educated about the benefits of mining.
