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Xstrata Mount Isa Mines releases 2007 community survey results (PDF)
Mount Isa, 16 June 2008
Xstrata Mount Isa Mines has today released results of the 2007 Community Survey into Environmental and Public Health Issues in Mount Isa.
The research, undertaken by a team from the Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining, Sustainable Minerals Institute, University of Queensland, and The University of Queensland Social Research Centre was commissioned by Xstrata Mount Isa Mines.
Environment Manager Xstrata North Queensland, Ed Turley, said the report showed Xstrata’s commitment to the health and safety of the Mount Isa community had paid off with some good results.
“Key findings of the research show that Xstrata is in touch with the main health concerns of air emissions and their impact on ground level air quality in the community,” said Mr Turley.
“The research reveals that improved air quality controls have had a positive impact on community perceptions of air quality in Mount Isa.
“While many respondents considered there was scope for further improvements, there was recognition from Mount Isa residents that progress had been made over the past few years,” he said.
Mr Turley said that Xstrata is committed to working with regulatory bodies to maintain safe air quality for the Mount Isa community.
“The current Smelter Emissions Project which is assessing the feasibility of additional capture and treatment options from our smelters will result in further significant reductions in air emissions on top of the emissions treated by the Incitec acid plant,” said Mr Turley.
“The Whole of Emissions Study which is assessing and reducing potential pathways for lead and other heavy metals into the community will enable us to determine potential risks to human and ecological health and measure the effectiveness of improvements from the Smelter Emissions Project.
“The health and safety of our employees and the community in which they live is our highest priority,” he said.
“Xstrata will continue to implement a robust and rigorous emissions monitoring and reporting program to ensure that the Mount Isa community’s understanding of air quality control continues to improve in future years,” said Mr Turley.
Conducted in early November 2007, the research included a random telephone survey of 500 residents in the target region.
Data about community perceptions and experiences of air quality in Mount Isa was compared to results of a similar survey conducted in 2000.
The report shows that while air quality remains a significant concern for Mount Isa residents, the community has recognised there have been significant improvements since 2000 when the acid plant was commissioned.
A full copy of the University of Queensland report on community perceptions into Environmental and Health Issues in Mount Isa can be accessed online via www.csrm.uq.edu.au
Ends
Xstrata contact:
Melanie Edgar
Manager Community Relations NQ
Telephone: +61 4744 2832
Mobile: +61 423 820 701
About Xstrata plc
Xstrata is a global diversified mining group, listed on the London and Swiss Stock Exchanges, with its headquarters in Zug, Switzerland. Xstrata’s businesses maintain a meaningful position in seven major international commodity markets: copper, coking coal, thermal coal, ferrochrome, nickel, vanadium and zinc, with additional exposures to platinum group metals, gold, cobalt, lead and silver, recycling facilities and a suite of global technology products, many of which are industry leaders. The Group's operations and projects span 18 countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Germany, New Caledonia, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, South Africa, Spain, Tanzania, the USA and the UK. Xstrata employs approximately 50,000 people, including contractors.
About Xstrata Copper
Headquartered in Brisbane, Xstrata Copper is one of the commodity business units within the major global diversified mining group Xstrata plc. Its operations and projects span eight countries: Australia, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Canada, the USA, the Philippines and Papua New Guinea. Its operations are administered by five separate divisions, based close to the mining operations, namely the North Queensland, Alumbrera, North Chile, Southern Peru and Canada divisions. It also has a recycling business (Xstrata Recycling) with plants in the United States and offices in Canada and Asia.
Xstrata Copper is the fourth largest global copper producer with annual attributable production capacity of over one million tonnes.
About Xstrata Zinc
Headquartered in Madrid, Spain, Xstrata Zinc is one of the world’s largest producers of zinc and one of the commodity business units within the major global diversified mining group Xstrata plc. Xstrata’s zinc and lead operations and exploration projects are located in Australia, Canada, Germany, Peru, Spain and the United Kingdom.
Xstrata Zinc’s operations in Spain comprise the San Juan de Nieva zinc smelter and the Arnao zinc semis plant in Asturias, and the Hinojedo roasting plant in Cantabria.
In Australia, operations comprise the Mount Isa, George Fisher underground and Black Star open cut zinc lead mines, zinc lead concentrator, lead smelter and Bowen Coke Works in north Queensland; 75% of the Lady Loretta zinc lead deposit in north-west Queensland; the McArthur River open pit zinc lead mine, processing and port operations in the Northern Territory; and 50% of the Lennard Shelf underground zinc lead mine and processing operations in Western Australia.
In Canada, operations and exploration projects include the Brunswick zinc-lead mine and lead smelter in New Brunswick; 25% of the CEZ zinc smelter near Montreal; and the Perseverance zinc deposit in Quebec.
Xstrata Zinc also operates the Nordenham zinc smelter in northern Germany; the Northfleet lead refinery in the United Kingdom; and owns 33.75% of the Antamina mine in Peru.