Environmental Values in the Finniss River Downstream of the

Former Rum Jungle Mine

Ross SMITH, Andy MARKHAM, Tania LAURENCONTHydrobiology, Australia

NT Govt, Australia

The Rum Jungle MineMined for uranium in the 1950s-1970sOwned by the Commonwealth of AustraliaUranium oxide sales for Defence purposesPoor environmental management – substantial AMDRehabilitated during the 1980sSubstantial AMD inputs to river system remained

National partnership between Commonwealth and NT Govt.Used ANZECC/ARMCANZ (2000) water quality guidelines to:• obtain a clear definition of the environmental values, or uses

of the river system;• obtain a good understanding of links between human activity

(including Indigenous uses) and environmental quality• identify appropriate water quality objectives, or targets

Rehabilitation

Safe for people and wildlifeChemically, radiologically and physically stableSignificantly reduced contaminant load (downstream AMD)Supports sustainable land uses by traditional Aboriginal owners

of the area with minmal limitationsEncourages beneficial post-rehabilitation land uses

Rehabilitation Objectives

Set appropriate EVs and WQOsData review and consultation

Phase 1

ANZECC/ARMCANZ (2000)• Define values or uses which require protection from the

effects of pollution.• Use lowest guideline for agreed EVs• Needs and wants of the community must be identified when

defining EVs

Environmental Values

Aquatic ecosystems Cultural/spiritual Wildlife habitat Human consumer Primary recreation Secondary recreation Visual recreation Industrial use Aquaculture Drinking water Irrigation Stock water Farm supply

Selected EVs

• Monsoonal / Seasonal Climate• Has become wetter since 1900, particularly since 1950s • Climate change – drier but more intense events• Gamba grass & seasonal fires have increased sediment

delivery to watercourses

Current Condition

Current Condition

-6000

-5000

-4000

-3000

-2000

-1000

0

1000

1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020Rai

nfal

l Cum

ulati

ve D

evia

tion

(mm

)

Mine Operational Rehabilitation Notable Cyclones

Water and Sediment Quality after Rehabilitation (Patchy Datasets)

Element Before After ANZECC

Copper load 44-130 t~30 mg/L

2-15 t0.74 mg/L 0.0034 mg/L

Manganese load 46-100t~30 mg/L

3.9-30.5 t1.25 mg/L 0.2 mg/L*(WHO)

Zinc load 16-40 t8 mg/L

1.6-7.5 t0.48 mg/L 0.02 mg/L

Sulphate load 3300-13000 t3000 mg/L

760-4800 t1758 mg/L 770 mg/L

Fishes 1970s & 1990s

East branch inflow

• Cultural and spiritual values are an important component of water quality objective setting under ANZECC/ARMCANZ (2000)

• Difficult to convey these to outsiders in a short series of meetings – we thank those who were able to give us some insight

Indigenous Values Summary

Well-being of people is linked to the health and well-being of ‘country’

• The Finniss is the main arterial river system of the region• For some it is the lifeblood of ‘country’ and source of

spiritual and physical good health for Indigenous people

Indigenous Values Summary

• Ability of the water to ‘flow-freely’• A manifestly healthy waterway is paramount• Ceremonial use of waters conferred spiritual

connections to Country• Current contamination levels restrictive

Indigenous Values Summary

• Abundance and well-being of totem species like redclaw, barramundi, crocodile…

• White Paperbark and other animals/plants• Decline in health of culturally important organisms

could have a negative impact on spiritual values Cultural value has broad ecological link

Indigenous Values Summary

EVs set by River Zone

Reach Aquatic Ecosystems

Wildlife Habitat

Human Consumer

Primary

Recreatio

n

Secondar

y Recreatio

n

Visual Recreation

Cultural/Spiritual

Industrial Use

Aquaculture

Drinking Water

Irrigation

Stock Water

Farm Supply

1) East Branch & tributaries U/S of the Mine SMD ü ü ü ü ü ü     ü ü ü ü

2) East Branch within mine site to Old Tails Ck H <80%           ü            

3) East Branch Old Tails Ck to Hannah Spring H-80%PC ü       ü ü            

4) East Branch below Hannah Spring H-90%PC ü ü ü ü ü ü         ü  

5) Finniss U/S EB SMD ü ü ü ü ü ü     ü ü ü ü6) Finniss EB to Florence Ck SMD ü ü ü ü ü ü     ü ü ü ü7) Finniss Florence Ck to SOCS SMD ü ü ü ü ü ü     ü ü ü ü

8) SOCS upstream limit to FW/SW interface HCV ü ü   ü ü ü     ü ü ü ü

9) Finniss Estuary HCV ü ü   ü ü ü            

EVs by River Zone (Cu)Copper

Concentration (µg/L)

1 10 100 1000

Pro

port

ion

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

95% 80%

70%

Mesocosm ?FrogSnail

CrustaceanBivalve

M icro-crustacean

Insect/OligochaeteDecapod

MacrophyteZooplanktonAlgaNematodeFish

EVs by River Zone (Cu)

ZoneAquatic Ecosyste

msWildlife Habitat

Human Consumer

Primary Recreatio

n

Secondary

Recreation

Visual Recreat

ion

Cultural/

Spiritual

Drinking Water

Irrigatio

nStock Wate

r

Farm

Supply

WQO

1 1.4 / 3.4 400 NA 1000 1000 Lowest Lowest 2000 200 1000 200 3.4

2 3.2 / 8.0 Lowest 8

3 2.5 / 6.25 400 Lowest Lowest 6.25

4 1.8 / 4.5 400 NA 1000 1000 Lowest Lowest 1000 4.5

5 1.4 / 3.4 400 NA 1000 1000 Lowest Lowest 2000 200 1000 200 3.4

6 1.4 / 3.4 400 NA 1000 1000 Lowest Lowest 2000 200 1000 200 3.4

7 1.4 / 3.4 400 NA 1000 1000 Lowest Lowest 2000 200 1000 200 3.4

8 1.0 / 2.5 400 NA 1000 Lowest Lowest 2000 200 1000 200 2.5

9 0.3 NA 1000 Lowest Lowest 0.3

• Draft (National Default) WQOs were taken to the stakeholders in January 2013

• Strong support received• WQOs have been incorporated as preliminary

rehabilitation targets

Stakeholder Consultation

• Use results of comprehensive ecosystem impact assessment (2012-15) to develop LDWQOs

• Updated Targets for rehabilitation design

Work in Progress

• ANZECC/ARMCANZ framework was a useful mechanism for a legacy site with substantial cultural-spiritual values

• Stakeholder consultation that was well founded on knowledge of the existing conditions and causes of them worked effectively

• Environmental values and WQOs for rehabilitation established and agreed to on a reach basis

Conclusions