desalination

BHP gets approval for world's largest open pit mine at Olympic Dam

takver — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:36:17 +0000

BHP Billiton Olympic Dam mine expansion in South Australia has received a go ahead from Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke on 10th October 2011. This will create the world's largest open pit mine, over 1km deep, 4.5km long and 3km wide. The export of uranium is expected to increase from an average of 4,000 tonnes per year to 19,000 tonnes per year, and the production of copper, gold and silver also expected to increase. Olympic Dam already consumes an inordinate amount of ground water extracted from the Great Artesian Basin every day - for free. The mine expansion will entail BHP Billiton expanding groundwater extraction and building a 280 megalitres-a-day desalination plant at Point Lowly, northeast of Whyalla on Spencer's Gulf which will impact the only known breeding ground of the giant Australian cuttlefish, prawn fisheries and the sensitive marine environment.

Save Point Lowly | Save the Great Artesian Basin |
Events: National Day of Action against BHP Billiton - Thursday, October 20 - Melbourne Facebook page or Adelaide Facebook page | BHP Billitons Annual General Meeting at the Melbourne convention centre on November the 17th at 10:30am.

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Arrests at Wonthaggi desalination blockade

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 07:13:47 +0000

Seven protestors have been arrested after blocking an access road to the Wonthaggi Desalination Plant construction site with a caravan. The protesters were demanding that secret files on demonstrators gathered by police and given to Aquasure, the private consortium who owns the site. The protestors also demanded the Brumby Government release a full costing of the desalination plant and how it will affect the price of water. It has been estimated the desal plant, the largest private public partnership in the world, will cost Victorian taxpayers twenty-four billion dollars!

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Police files on desalination protestors given to private corporations

takver — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 00:43:19 +0000

Victoria Police have handed over information on Desalination protesters to AquaSure, made up of international and local companies Degremont, Suez Environment, Thiess and Macquarie Capital Group. The 20 page Memorandum of Understanding was signed on August 28 by the Department of Sustainability and Environment, Victoria Police and AquaSure. Victoria Police have said it was routine for police to sign such deals with organisations building big public projects where there were potential security risks.

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Desalination protest trespass action

Flowerpower — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 10:45:29 +0000

On August 2nd, 10 protesters expressed their dissent against the proposed 3 billion dollar desalination plant to be built at Wonthaggi by entering the site. Two protesters chained themselves to the fence of the site for two hours whilst a protest caravan was parked over the site entrance.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/protesters-to-renew-campaign-against-d...

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Victoria

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desalination

Wonthaggi protest highlights desalination issue for Melbourne

takver — Sun, 17 May 2009 11:25:24 +0000

One person was arrested when protesters carrying two banners walked onto the Desalination Plant proposed site near Wonthaggi on May 9. The occasion was a rally at the gates of the proposed site organised by Watershed Victoria and Melbourne supporters.

Photos on Flickr | Action: Get Real on Climate Change | FoE

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Desalinization plant not needed, government told

Flowerpower — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 05:09:25 +0000

The Sunday Age has revealed that the State Government was told that with more investment in water saving the desalination plant would not be needed. However if they followed that advice how they could privitize our water and make money for multi-nationals.

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