Mount Carbine, a small township, will soon find relief from dust originating from a nearby tungsten mine, thanks to the construction of a substantial high-bund wall around the mine perimeter.
Ryan MacNeill, the operations manager of the Mount Carbine Tungsten Mine, noted that although there had been few complaints regarding excessive dust or noise, the wall’s construction would alleviate most concerns from nearby residences.
To build the wall, over 600,000 tonnes of earth fill have been transported from other parts of the site.
MacNeill emphasized that constructing the wall was a proactive measure to maintain a strong relationship between the mine and the Mount Carbine community.
He explained, “Once the wall is completed in two months, we will regularly water down the area inside the bund, which we believe will significantly reduce dust reaching nearby houses. Moreover, the prevailing wind from the south-east typically carries dust away from residences.”
Efforts to mitigate truck movements and dust have been ongoing.
Mitch Newman, the publican of Mount Carbine, expressed no concerns about dust or noise from the mine. He anticipated that the completed wall would effectively address any potential complaints.
The EQ Resources Mount Carbine Project has been ramping up, with tungsten concentrate production from existing stockpiles. There are plans to transition to underground mining to access richer deposits of the valuable steel-hardening mineral in the near future.
Since acquiring the mine and quarry site in 2019, the company has expanded capacity to 300,000 tonnes per year.
