Document Actions
Cape York critters warn Cape Alumina investors of impacts of bauxite mine - 14/11/08
Outside a Cape Alumina meeting held in Cairns last night, critters from Cape York warned potential investors of the serious environmental threat that the company’s large bauxite mine proposal poses to the Wenlock River and its surrounding environment.
Participants of the Cape Alumina meeting were greeted by a colourful display of native Cape York wildlife handing out information detailing the likely environmental impacts of the proposed mine. Critters present included a palm cockatoo, a cuscus and a northern quoll. All of these animals call the Wenlock River region home.
Cape Alumina are planning to develop a large new bauxite mine to be located adjacent to the Wenlock River, north of Weipa, and partly covering the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve. Subscriptions to buy shares for Cape Alumina opened on Monday, with the aim of floating the company on the Australian Stock Exchange in early December.
Di Horsburgh, Cairns Community Campaigner for The Wilderness Society (Queensland) Inc. said, “The Wenlock is one of the last great wild rivers on Earth, with Australia’s richest diversity of freshwater fish, critical crocodile habitat, and unique river rainforest on its banks acting as a giant wildlife corridor across the Cape. The proposed Cape Alumina mine seriously threatens this great Australian icon, the surrounding environment and the wildlife it supports.”
“Removal of the bauxite for the mine poses a significant threat to health of the Wenlock River, and plans to extract millions of litres of water from the river will reduce river flows in dry times to potentially critical levels.”
“On top of this, endangered species such as the Freshwater Sawfish and Speartooth Shark will be seriously threatened by construction of a loading facility and dredging of Port Musgrave near the mouth of the Wenlock.”
“We want to ensure that potential investors are informed of the massive environmental impact this mine will have.”
The Wilderness Society vowed to continue their campaign for the long-term protection of the wild Wenlock River from threats such as bauxite mining.
