Arrests on Timbarra Road
By Olivier Maxted
NORTHERN NSW — Protesters against the Timbarra goldmine staged the largest action for some time on January 19, with the erection of four tripods on Timbarra Road, 30 kilometres south-east of Tenterfield in northern NSW.
Ross Mining, the corporation at the centre of the controversy, which is hand in glove with the NSW Labor government, has closed the road under the Road Act (1993).
The purpose of the non-violent action was to disrupt Ross Mining's activities. Local police and Ross Mining security guards were aggressive and intimidatory. Anyone who strayed onto Timbarra Road was likely to be arrested.
Female protesters were especially likely to be grabbed. Each time this occurred, other protesters rushed to help free them, but not always successfully. Twelve protesters were charged with offences under the Road Act or with contravening bail regulations.
The local Northern Star newspaper has repeatedly printed articles supporting the Queensland-based mining corporation's operations, calling it an economic bonus for a depressed area. It has also published the names and addresses of anti-mine protesters.
There is overwhelming opposition to the project from five government departments, including the National Parks and Wildlife Service. The NPWS considers the Timbarra plateau "an area of outstanding and unique conservation value".
Ross Mining plans to use 700 tonnes of sodium cyanide to process 30 million tonnes of rock every year of the operation. For every tonne of rock crushed, only one gram of gold will be recovered but 26 grams of naturally occurring arsenic will be released. This, as well as other heavy metals, may enter the water table.
Ross Mining has admitted that the proposed storage facilities for the crushed rock and its toxins will not prevent the toxins from entering the catchment area of the Clarence River.
The Environment Protection Authority recently rated the Clarence River as "the least polluted major waterway in NSW". The river supports a $26.3 million fishing industry which employs 572 people between Yamba and Grafton.
Barry Carson, director of the Clarence River Fisherman's Coop, has expressed fears for the fishing industry's future if the mine goes ahead. Almost every commercial species of fish spends some of their life cycle in the Clarence estuary.
Ross Mining's record in other areas indicates potential problems at Timbarra. In the Solomon Islands, the company is facing 1200 charges by local landholders for assault and intimidation, as well as toxic contamination of their water.
Pollution of surrounding creeks from roadworks, erosion and illegal clearing has been unchecked. Ross Mining has obtained a licence (at a cost of $29!) to pump two-and-a-half million litres of water a day into the creeks. This has led to a moratorium on new licences being granted to downstream users, penalising small farmers and local businesses.
There will be a march in Sydney to protest against Ross Mining's Timbarra operation. See page 19 for details.
Phone Timbarra Direct Action on (02) 6684 7339/6620 3044, fax (02) 6622 2882 or visit .