Regulatory approach and response to community concern over potentially toxic metal(loid) exposure from two gold mines in Australia

Community concern about mining dust and its potential impact on human health remains a significant challenge for environmental regulators. In response to significant concerns raised by communities near two of Australia’s largest active gold mines about the potential health risks from metal-rich dust dispersed from mining operations, state environmental regulators launched investigations into the presence and sources of and health risk from metals present in rainwater tanks, soil, dust, and air using elemental analysis and lead isotopic composition. In New South Wales, mine sources and local soils were low in metal concentrations and similar in lead isotopic composition. The 10% of tank sediments with high lead concentrations were isotopically similar to Broken Hill lead and linked to building materials, rather than local mining activities. In Victoria, elevated arsenic and antimony in soil within 5 km and lead isotopic composition in dust was linked to the mines’ tailings storage facility. Overall, both studies found the risk to human health was negligible, with no evidence of mine impact to rainwater tanks and minimal evidence of impacts to the ambient environment. Together, these examples demonstrate how scientific investigation can elucidate perceived impact from actual risk, inform proportionate regulatory action and provide communities with confidence in outcomes.