Vaz says Chemical Leak in Pennants under Control

KINGSTON — Minister with responsibility for Information, Telecommunications and Special Projects, Hon. Daryl Vaz, says that the site of the old AUSJAM gold mine in Pennants, Clarendon, has been secured and relevant agencies assigned to address the chemical leak threat.

Mr. Vaz said that assurance was conveyed to the Prime Minister, the Hon. Bruce Golding, by the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) on Wednesday July 13, 2011. He wasresponding to questions at the weekly Post Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House.

He said that both he and the Prime Minister were presented with briefs on Wednesday morning and that he was satisfied that the matter is under control. He added that directives have been given to ensure that there is no problem relating to the citizens and the area around the closed mine.

“I am sure that NEPA will be in a better position, within a few hours or day, to give a full update, in terms of their findings, and also to make sure that, that whole matter is dealt with once and for all so that there is no recurrence,” he assured.

Earlier this week, reports were made by residents of Pennants near Chapelton, Clarendon that there might be a leak from a tank at the mine containing a toxic substance. There was concern that the chemical might have seeped into a nearby tributary of the Rio Minho River. However preliminary findings by NEPA have stated that: A leak from a container at the site was identified; the container was enclosed on site by berms, required as part of an Environmental Permit; the alleged contaminant appears to be confined to the premises; there is no evidence that the chemical has contaminated the river and tributaries in the area. The team has determined that the site poses no immediate threat to human health at this time.

AUSJAM Limited, the operators of the closed gold mine, received an Environmental Permit in 1997 to operate a mineral and metal processing plant. The operators abandoned the site in 2003 without providing a closure plan in keeping with Environmental Permit requirements.

NEPA took enforcement action against AUSJAM by issuing a Notice of Intent to Suspend the Permit. The notice was published in the print media in July 2010. To date, the Agency has had no compliance from the operators who have relocated to Australia.

By CHRIS PATTERSON, JIS Reporter