Community health
Century understands that living close to a mining operation and associated facilities can pose many questions for community members.
We are committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for our employees, contractors and local community members.
Programs are in place to mitigate possible impacts or emissions caused by our operations to proactively manage the health and environment of the local community.
Community members at Mornington Island.
Karumba Community Sulphur Dioxide Monitoring Program
The Karumba Community Sulphur Dioxide Monitoring Program is in place to monitor sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions that may occur during the storage of our metal concentrates at the Karumba Port. Century proactively manages SO2 emissions to prevent elevated levels from being generated.
Should elevated SO2 emissions be detected by monitoring stations outside the Karumba Port storage shed, the community monitoring program will be initiated. The monitoring will continue on a daily basis until emissions subside and are no longer detected.
Community notices will be distributed via our email network and displayed on the Yappar Street and Ash’s Café notice boards on a regular basis to keep community members informed.
Karumba Community Blood Testing Program
It is well documented that exposure to lead can pose health risks and Century takes all the necessary steps to ensure that employees and community members are not placed at risk.
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) stipulates that 10 micrograms per decilitre (µg/dL) is the maximum safe level for blood lead levels.
Century offers free blood lead level testing to employees, contractors and community members to ensure that these levels are monitored. The blood testing program is offered through the Karumba Health Centre on an annual basis.
Century has procedures in place to minimise exposure including use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for employees, appropriate cleaning procedures to minimise any spread of lead in dust and hygiene awareness training.
Karumba Water Tank Testing Program
Century offers Karumba residents bi-annual rainwater tank testing following the wet and dry seasons.
Century has commissioned NRA Environmental Consultants (NRA) to undertake the testing program in Karumba. NRA collect water samples from water tanks of community residents that have opted to participate in the program.
Samples are collected in accordance with methods prescribed in Department of Environment and Resource Management’s (DERM) Monitoring and Sampling Manual 2009 (DERM 2009).
The water tank samples are submitted for laboratory analysis of total concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, lead and zinc limits of reporting suitable for comparison against Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG) guideline values.
Information is also gathered on the size of rainwater tanks, tank age, volume of water held in the tanks at the time of sampling, use of collected rainwater, history of cleaning of tanks, presence of first flush diversion, and construction material of the tank and roof collecting rainfall.
Results of the water tank samples are provided to participating residents.
Local water monitoring
Century conducts regular monitoring of the Norman River and surrounding marine environment as part of our commitment to minimising the impact of our operations on local communities.
This program involves the routine monitoring of water discharges to the river, bi-annual seawater, seagrass and sediment sampling and regular monitoring of commercial fisheries (barramundi, grunter and mud crabs) to ensure we are looking after the surrounding marine environment and ecosystem.
Monitoring of commercial fisheries involves the regular sampling of fish and crabs from the Norman River. The monitoring program has been in operation since 1998 and monitors for arsenic and metal concentrations. Lead isotope ratios are also investigated to determine the source of lead in the Karumba environment. Samples are frozen and transported to Charles Darwin University for analysis.
The monitoring involves comparing metal and arsenic concentration and lead isotope ratios to current Food Safety Australia New Zealand Standards (FSANZ; 2009).
Safe levels of arsenic and metal concentrations are being maintained.