A well-known resources mogul could revive the southern hemisphere’s most contaminated settlement for new development.
Hancock Prospecting is not giving up on the abandoned Pilbara mining town of Wittenoom, 294km southwest of Port Hedland.
The proponent chaired by magnate Gina Rinehart earlier explored the feasibility of rehabilitating the area for an iron ore project.
Freedom of information documents obtained by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation show the mineral producer informed the Western Australian Government back in 2008 about different ways carcinogens from the former blue asbestos mine could be managed.
The plan submitted the State Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety “identifies and mitigates risk of human exposure” for drilling, construction and driving. It specifically flags one mining tenement about 8km south of the town and north of the Karijini National Park.
The whole local government area was degazetted back in 2007 and permanently closed after the State Government reached final settlement with the last few residents 12 years later. AMR can reveal the deals were worth a total of between $2 million and $3M.
The town was built in 1947 and became the Pilbara’s largest town in the 1950s. It was the nation’s only supplier of blue asbestos until the mine closed in 1966 after it became unprofitable and there were growing health concerns about asbestos mining in the area.
Buildings containing asbestos had between 30 and 600 fibres per cubic metre while acceptable levels in urban and rural areas are 100 and 10 fibres per cubic metre respectively. More than 2000 workers and residents have died from asbestos-linked diseases.
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Do not open Wittenoom or any site near, my father was diagnosed with Asbestos an only lived some 9 months. We visited on a regular basis as my aunty lived there most of her life.
DO NOT OPEN