Greens may turn on Carr if charcoal plant goes ahead
Mercury is crap!
Australian Silicon ready to go
Conditions, conditions, conditions

The NSW Government has been warned it faces a united fight by the environmental movement if it approves a charcoal plant on the state's south coast.

Around 1500 people gathered at a rally in central Sydney yesterday to voice their concerns about the proposed Mogo plant.
The plant would burn wood from nearby state forests to create charcoal for a silicon factory near Lithgow.
Conservationists and concerned residents argue the plant would consume 200,000 tonnes of trees from the South Coast Forests a year.

They also objected to plans for three wood-fired power stations in the area, which would increase woodchipping.
NSW Greens MP Ian Cohen, Independent NSW MP Clover Moore and Democrat MLC Arthur Chesterfield-Evans attended the rally at the Domain.

They all stressed that environmental issues would feature heavily in the 2003 election.

Ms Moore said this would present a threat to the Carr Government winning the election.

"It will be very close. The Carr Government is supposed to be green. I think they have a very good reason to worry."

Noel Plumb from the South East Forest Alliance issued a warning to Premier Bob Carr, echoing the politicians.
"We're going to make it very clear to the Labor Party and Premier that there will be enormous electoral damage to the party if they don't a: refuse to approve this charcoal plant and b: go back and honour their promises to protect the forests and stop woodchipping," he said.

Dear Editor (re letter by Keith Dance)

Mercury was used in gold mining operations for the separation of fine gold particles through amalgamation then burning.

Elmer Diaz, University of Idaho, states "during the amalgamation process, a good amount of metallic mercury is also lost to rivers and soils through handling under rough field conditions. Mercury-rich tailings are left in most mining sites. It is expected that soils around mining sites should also be contaminated."

Up to 87% of the mercury used vaporises and is dispersed into the atmosphere, being deposited onto forest soils and rivers, to be absorbed by vegetation.

New Scientist magazine 08/09/2001 reports that according to the National Centre for Atmospheric Research in Colorado,"about 95% of the mercury stored harmlessly in the forest is spewed back into the air when the trees are burned.
The University of British Columbia reports that ALL trees contain some mercury.

According to a Bega Metallogenic Map and Mine Data sheets, 1978, there were 318 registered mines from the Victorian border to Bingi. 227 of these were registered as mining gold. Contrary to what Keith implied, less than 20 of these mines were in an alluvial geological setting, the rest were mainly shaft mines, with a few open-cut and shallow pit operations.
Many of these 227 mines would have used mercury.

Some mercury is present in the trees that will be burned by the charcoal plant. All mercury in these trees will be vaporised then emitted into the atmosphere. There appears to be an oversight in the EIS because there is no mention of mercury emissions in the document.
The Charcoalition has called on the NSW Government to include this issue as part of the assessment process.
In particular,the mercury content of trees destined for the charcoal plant the amount of mercury vapour that would be emitted from the retorts, and the health impacts of such emissions.

Keith is right - mercury is crap, and we don't want any more of it in our environment.
Chris Kowal
Charcoalition

Australian Silicon Limited (ASO) announced the completion of the acquisition of the minority ownership to consolidate 100% holding in the Australian Silicon Project.

The Company paid Doral Mineral Industries Limited $1.4 million for the remaining 10% ownership and other interests in the
Australian Silicon Project. The payment was met through the exercise of 7 million options at 20 cents by Portman Limited which raised $1.4 million for ASO. ASO have put in place a working capital facility of $550,000, with the Company's major shareholder Portman Limited. Funds will be used to fund ongoing development costs for the Australian Silicon Project.

Determination of the final Development Approval for the integrated silicon project is expected from the NSW State Planning Minister in the next few weeks.

The Company has also advanced discussion with suitable off take groups to meet project finance requirements for the production of silicon metal at Lithgow.

Portman Limited increased its relevant interest in Australian Silicon Limited on 28/03/2002, from 37,000,000 ordinary shares (67.4%) to 44,400,000 ordinary shares (71.73%).

It appears that Portmans thinks it is backing a winner It is now poised to either fight an appeal in the Land and Environment Court or begin building the charcoal plant as soon as the approval comes through. The Charcoalition group, one of many opposed to the project, are asking their many supporters to donate to the fighting fund at the IMB Building Society, as they feel as this move by Portmans indicates an approval from the NSW Government is imminent.

The Eurobodalla Shire Council Works and Facilities Committee asked that conditions suggested by the community (to be included as conditions of consent for the proposed charcoal factory) be noted.

The community, anxious that their amenity be retained asked for over 40 inclusions. Council concluded that many of these were already covered in their report but asked that 4 matters be framed into the conditions already before the Minister for Planning NSW.

* That water be supplied to site by Council (at cost of applicant) as backup supply in drought, to be of a size to provide fire-fighting service in emergency events - to ensure the site has enough water on hand to fight any fires that could ensue.

* Water from Council supply shall be via the roadway route from Mogo and not Tomakin or through private properties.

* Properties adjacent and approximate to the plant (in fallout zone) to be connected to that Council water at cost of applicant - to ensure that these residents, who rely on tank water for drinking, are not forced to drink water polluted by air-born toxins in the emissions from the retorts

* Appropriate pollution management and fire/explosion management plans be incorporated into the EMS.

The committee also asked for the right to amend the conditions of consent as necessary. This move is important as council has been asked to supply its conditions to Planning NSW, prior to the development being approved and prior to sighting the amended Environmental Impact Statement.