Mount Isa Mines Limited (MIM) Panel Assessment Study
Introduction
Mt Isa Mines smelting operations
Mount Isa is a town of about 20,000 people in the remote north-west of Queensland. The town is located alongside the copper and lead mining and smelting operations of Mount Isa Mines Limited (MIM). The smelting operations produce sulfur dioxide emissions that may impact on the residents of Mount Isa and on the flora and fauna of surrounding areas.
Under recent amendments to the Mount Isa Mines Limited Agreement between the Queensland Government and MIM, a Panel Assessment Study was commissioned to investigate and report on the sulfur dioxide emissions from the smelters.
Specifically, the MIM Panel Assessment Study was to provide advice on:
- the impact that sulfur dioxide emissions from MIM's smelters at Mount Isa may have on community health and the natural environment; and
- feasible and practicable emission control technologies that would enable MIM to meet relevant ambient air quality standards for sulfur dioxide in community areas of Mount Isa.
The panel included representatives from the community and industry, and professionals with relevant technical expertise. The study was conducted over a four year period.
Final report
The Final Report of Mount Isa Mines Limited Panel Assessment Study (PDF, 1.8M)*, completed in February 2001, makes 24 conclusions regarding the above issues, and includes a series of recommendations for future action.
Supporting documents
The following supporting documents were used by the panel in development of the final report:
Site history and available emission controls for sulfur dioxide
- Behaviour of the Mount Isa smelter plumes (PDF, 200K)*
- Management of sulfur dioxide at Mount Isa (PDF, 357K)*
- Options for control of sulfur dioxide emissions at Mount Isa (PDF, 198K)*
Impact of emissions on the natural environment
- Impact of sulfur dioxide emissions on savanna biodiversity at Mt Isa, Queensland—Final report to Mt Isa Mines Ltd (PDF, 1.4M)*
Community health impacts and perceptions
- Final report: indoor/outdoor SO2 levels in Mt Isa (PDF, 307K)*
- Literature survey of the effects of sulfur dioxide on human skin (PDF, 282K)*
- PM10 aerosol sulfate at Mt Isa (PDF, 175K)*
Economic assessments
- Assessing the economic value of health impacts of sulfur dioxide emissions in Mount Isa (PDF, 324K)*
- Economic assessment of the health impact of sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions in Mt Isa (PDF, 379K)*
- Mt Isa Mines: Some comments from an economist's perspective on the assessment of the health effects (PDF, 174K)*
- Economic analysis of the operations of the smelters at Mount Isa (PDF, 338K)*
Emissions and the environment
- Table of contents and executive summary (PDF, 198K)*
- Section 1—Introduction and workplan summary (PDF, 87K)*
- Section 2—Review activities (PDF, 196K)*
- Section 3—Methodology (PDF, 322K)*
- Section 4—Results (PDF, 641K)*
- Section 5—Discussion and acid deposition assessment (PDF, 235K)*
- Section 6—Summary and conclusions, deliverables, references, project participants and acknowledgments (PDF, 103K)*
* Requires Adobe Reader
Last updated 17 November 2011