On Edge Of Toughest Drought Rules, Aussie Town Votes To Send Drinking Water To Gold Mine Operations

[hatrack]

ORANGE City Council voted last night to supply 450 million litres of water to Cadia goldmine from its own drinking supply after a heated council meeting in front of a packed gallery. In what one councillor described as a "test case of how communities respond to climate change", concerns for the future of hundreds of miners overwhelmed fears over dwindling water supplies. "Which child do you feed?" asked Cr Jeremy Buckingham.

The city is on the cusp of moving into unprecedented level four water restrictions. Despite the decision, the mine may yet close if long-term supplies are not found and it does not rain. On April 30 Newcrest mining, which owns the Cadia Valley Operations, made an emergency request to the council for up to 600 million litres of town water, after warning the sharemarket about a potential slowdown in production because of the drought. Without the water Cadia mine could have closed within six weeks, costing 450 jobs.

The lack of notice was heavily criticised by many of the city's councillors last night. Cr Reg Kidd asked why the mine had to remain in full production. "This is purely a business decision of the shareholders of Cadia mine because of where the price of gold is at the moment." Cr Dave Hackett angrily told the Mayor, John Davis: "Shove it back on them, mate. Why has this been shoved on us within a couple of weeks?"

EDIT

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/crucial-water-given-to-goldmine/2007/05/14/1178995079824.html

[Nihil]

1. Well, it looks like Orange City Council value gold very highly indeed ...

... if they think that 450 million litres of drinking water is better
deployed in a goldmine than in the stomachs of their townspeople.

If the mine is so wonderful (for *someone's* profits) that it must be
kept going at all costs, why the hell aren't they using more grey water
(or even filtered black water) for the industrial operations?
Why use clean drinking water?

Ah, I see ... it probably costs money ...

(Edit to insert the word "more" as they are currently using 8Ml per day.)

[lynnertic]

2. I didn't read that the water was for operations, I assumed it was for operators.

so yeah, they should be using more greywater if it's for operations...

[Kolesar]

3. The affluent can have our effluent...eom

[Javaman]

4. Hope they have fun drinking all that gold.

the logic is blinding.

What really gets me is that recently it was reported that australia was going to limit water to the farmers so there was enough drinking water for the population. Yet now they will give the water to the gold mines.

call me kooky but I don't recall ever when it was possible to drink or eat gold.

[Delphinus]

5. What's that saying ...

"Only after the last tree on earth is gone, and the rivers are dried up, will you realize you can't eat money"? (Or something to that effect.)

[Nihil]

7. Found it as this version ...

"Only when the last tree is dead, the last river has been poisoned, and the last fish has been caught will you realize that you can't eat money."
–- Cree Indian Saying

[The2ndWheel]

6. The logic is economics

"potential slowdown in production"

See.

Production is more important than people. It always has been. People are in the way. We're inefficient, we need sleep, we can't drink gold, among various other life traits.

As long as you keep in mind that production is paramount, everything will then make sense.