Chariah remediation project

Chariah is a former gold tailings reprocessing site consisting of a capped tailings storage facility, process water dam and residual infrastructure.

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The former operator of the site, Chariah Holdings, went into liquidation after the operation was closed due to compliance issues. The site was abandoned in 1992 without formal rehabilitation.

In late 1994, we capped the tailings storage facility (approximately 8 hectares) to permanently encapsulate the tailings and minimise contaminated runoff from the facility. The work included a 200mm thick clay cap over a 200mm sand capillary break layer on the tailings surface and works to drain surface waters. The clay cap was seeded with pasture grasses and legumes.

Approximately 14 hectares of the site remain to be remediated. This includes areas of exposed tailings in the process pond that contain contaminants such as lead, zinc, copper, cadmium and mercury.

Photo gallery

Key risks

Health and safety risks associated with exposed uncapped tailings.

Environmental risks associated with:

• poor-quality water and groundwater contamination from acid metalliferous drainage
• deterioration of the tailings storage facility cap and increased infiltration of rain as a result of large woody vegetation growing on the cap
• cap damage from unauthorised grazing on site.

Completed works

• Capping of the tailings storage facility
• Fencing to restrict public access
• Vegetation management and fire management activities
• Establishment of an ongoing environmental monitoring program

Planned works

• Ongoing monitoring and maintenance
• Development of long-term management options, including potential remediation of site contamination including the process pond and exposed tailings