The mother of a 16-year-old Queensland girl with an intellectual disability is suing mining company Mount Isa Mines for $5 million in damages, alleging her daughter's brain damage is the result of lead poisoning caused by emissions from the mine site.
Bethany Sanders was 13 months old when her family moved to Mt Isa in April 2007, and lived in the suburb Soldiers Hill, less than three kilometres from the mine.
A civil case that began at Brisbane's Supreme Court on Monday, heard at that time Bethany's mother, Sharnelle Seeto, knew nothing about the dangers of lead absorption in children and had not seen or heard any warning about the risk of children inhaling or ingesting dust or particle fallout from emissions.
Ms Seeto's barrister, Gerard Mullins, told the court the mining city of Mt Isa in Queensland's Gulf Country was very dusty and, despite Ms Seeto's cleaning, dust regularly coated windows, floors and other surfaces in the family's home.
At the time, Bethany was a crawling infant who would often play on the floor or in the yard, putting toys and her hands into her mouth.
She was also prone to eating dirt – a sign of the eating disorder known as pica, which Bethany was later diagnosed with.
Free blood tests uncover climbing lead levels
The court heard that after five months of living in Mt Isa, the family discovered free blood tests were being offered to test lead levels in young children.
Ms Seeto booked Bethany to be tested in September 2007.
At 15.3 mcg/dL (micrograms of lead per decilitre of blood), Bethany's results were above the recommended limit of 10 mcg/dL.
A second test in December 2007 saw her lead levels jump even higher to 27.4 mcg/dL.
The court heard Ms Seeto then decided to leave Mt Isa with her children and returned to live in her parents' home at Kippa Ring in south-east Queensland.
Cognitive impairment, developmental delays
A 1993 document to Mt Isa Mine employees relating to lead exposure and its impact on children was revealed to the court.
Mr Mullins pointed out that lead poisoning can have an "intellectual and behavioural impact on the development of children".
The court was told Bethany had experienced severe developmental delays, lethargy and learning difficulties throughout her life and still lived with a cognitive impairment.
Other documents shown to the court revealed that in the 1990s, concerns over lead exposure led to the formation of a community health committee in Mt Isa, which urged a public health campaign after a sample of blood tests found a number of young children with elevated lead levels.
Ms Seeto and her daughter Bethany Sanders are due to give evidence on Tuesday.
Damian Clothier QC is representing the defendant, Mt Isa Mines, which is owned by global mining giant Glencore.
