Australian minerals sector contests 'water trigger'
JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) - Australian mining's water use, as a share of national consumption, has fallen from 3.9% to 3.7% between 2014/15 and 2015/16, a submission to the Senate Inquiry into water use by the extractives industry has shown.
The submission, lodged by the Minerals Council of Australia, New South Wales Minerals Council, Queensland Resources Council, South Australia Chamber of Mines and Energy and Chamber of Mines and Energy Western Australia, shows that between A$111-million and A$127-million of gross value-add was generated for every gigalitre of water that the mining industry used in 2015/16.
The submission also highlights that - almost five years after its "hasty" introduction - the case for a sector-specific 'water trigger' in the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act remains weak.
"Water use by Australia's minerals industry is comprehensively regulated, represents a comparatively small share of national water consumption and generates high economic value," the group states, adding that the minerals industry is supporting prosperity through efficient and responsible use of the country's water resources.
In addition to confirming that the 'water trigger' duplicated other laws, a 2017 independent review could not establish whether the legislation, which applies only to large coal mine and coal seam gas development, has improved environmental outcomes or enhanced community confidence.
The miners points out that the Senate Select Committee on Red Tape has recently concluded it should be repealed.
The Senate inquiry is one of a number of Parliamentary and independent inquiries to examine the issue of water use by the minerals industry in recent years.
Comments
Research Reports
Projects
Latest Multimedia
Latest News
Showroom
John Thompson, the leader in energy and environmental solutions through value engineering and innovation, provides the following: design, engineer,...
VISIT SHOWROOM
In 1958 John Deere Construction made its first introduction to the industry with their model 64 bulldozer.
VISIT SHOWROOM
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation
