The head of the environmental regulator has slammed the operators of Australia’s largest goldmine for “completely unacceptable” levels of air pollution after testing revealed it was emitting more than 11 times the legal limit of dust containing heavy metals.
The New South Wales Environment Protection Authority on Wednesday ordered the operators of the Newcrest Cadia Hill goldmine, near Orange, to take immediate action to reduce air pollution to within legal limits or face the consequences – which could include the suspension of its mining licence.