We have more than just a ban on mining to get over, the ban may be the easy part, this may be the hardest...
SEE:
brisbane.foe.org.au
Location: 400km N of Mt Isa, extends into Northern Territory
Indigenous locals: Two native title claims by the Gangalidda and Garawa peoples.
U ore load: 0.12%
Estimated load: 21,000 tonnes
Owned by: Laramide Resources Ltd. licensed from Rio Tinto for US$ 150,000 plus some Laramide shares
Address:
Laramide Resources Ltd.
Exchange Tower,
Suite 3680
130 King St. W. Toronto, ON, Canada
T: 416.599.7363
F: 416.599.4959
laramide.com
Marc C. Henderson, President, Toronto, Canada +1 (416) 599 7363
Environmental issues:
Westmoreland is on Lagoon Creek and in the Settlement Creek catchment. Lagoon Creek has a spectacular gorge. It is just north of Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park & Lawn Hill Gorge, a site rich in fossils. The Waanyi people believe that if you tamper with the water, pollute it or take it for granted, the Rainbow Serpent will leave, and take all the water with him.
The main deposits are adjacent to the Redtree Dyke in catchment of Settlement Creek, one of the eight gulf country rivers
being considered for Wild Rivers protection by the QLD state government.
Westmoreland is inundated in the wet season, creating habitat for wetland birds and some grasslands. Of note is the
Yellow Chat “Crocea” race, “Macgillivrayi” race of the Purple-crowned Fairy Wren and the little Corella “Cacatua
normantoni” endemic to a limited area along the NT/QLD border on the Gulf, and the endangered Gouldian Finch.
Sightings of the endangered Carpentarian Grasswren have been made at Westmoreland Station.
The Second Birds Atlas Australia found that 20 species of wetland birds are declining in numbers. Yellow-billed
spoonbills are of concern in the northern wetlands, decreasing 20% from 1998-2002.
In 1988 a rare species of “Livistona” species of palm was identified at Westmoreland Station. The areas flora is relatively unchanged or cleared, so represents vegetation communities vary from Mitchell grass to box and acacia woodlands, saline mud flats and mangrove-lined estuaries.
Social issues:
“Queensland Mines’ interests in uranium at Westmoreland (Northern Queensland) have also attracted the strong
opposition of the Aboriginal custodians of the land: Mick Miller, Joyce Hall and Jacob Wolmby of the North Queensland
Land Council (a completely Aboriginal body) demanded that Queensland’s partners at Westmoreland - Urangesellschaft
should get off their land when the NQLC visited Urangesellschaft’s offices in West Germany in 1978.” seaus.org.au |
