PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The New South Wales Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has ordered the Cadia gold mine to immediately comply with clean-air laws or risk having its licence suspended.

The EPA previously issued gold miner Newcrest Mining a final pollution prevention notice regarding the management of emissions of dust and other air pollutants from its Cadia mine, after fining the miner a maximum of A$15 000 for dust pollution, less than a year ago.

EPA CEO Tony Chappel said Newcrest’s Cadia mine continues to fall well short of its legal obligations to meet clean air standards.

The EPA has now told the miner it had to comply immediately with the Protection of the Environment Regulation, the Protection of the Environment Operations Act and its Environment Protection Licence after tests found that the mine’s main vent was releasing an "unacceptable" level of dust.

“If Cadia does not take all necessary steps to ensure dust emissions are significantly reduced, the EPA will take appropriate action which could include suspension of the licence, seeking court orders or issuing further directions,” the EPA said in a statement.

Several new conditions have been added to the licence to address community and environmental concerns, including regular vent emission monitoring, additional reports on lead dust fingerprinting research, analysis of dust impacts and sources, an independent health risk analysis and an updated air quality impact assessment.

Newcrest will also need to undertake works to manage dust generation underground, in addition to conditions issued in April to manage the risk from the tailings dam, and to provide monthly reports on works undertaken in relation to the dust suppression plan for the tailing dam.

“We require the mine to take all necessary steps to ensure dust emissions are significantly reduced and this may include a reduction in production,” Chappel said.

“If Newcrest cannot show its subsidiary is taking immediate action to comply, the EPA will take appropriate action which could include suspension of the licence, seeking court orders or, issuing further directions.

“We know this is strong action, but we will not shy away from doing what we must to prioritise human health and the environment.”

Meanwhile, underground operations at the Cadia have reportedly been suspended following a serious injury at the mine site.

The ABC this week reported that a miner was “seriously injured” at the mine during an unspecified incident and that underground operations had been temporarily suspended.

Newcrest was unavailable for comment at the time of writing.

The miner in May entered into a deed of arrangement with US major Newmont under which Newcrest shareholders would receive 0.4 Newmont shares for each Newcrest share held, with Newcrest additionally permitted to pay a fully franked special pre-completion dividend of up to $1.10 a share.

The offer values Newcrest shares at A$29.27 each and implies an equity value of A$26.2-billion and an enterprise value of A$28.8-billion to Newcrest.