3.1.3. Past Reprocessing Endeavours
While managing the site as a decommissioned mine under the AMLP, the State preserved the mining
tenements with a view to encouraging private investment in reprocessing opportunities, which would in
turn assist the State's remediation efforts.
In late 1992, with the State's consent, MML issued a public tender for the sale of MML, resulting in
transfer of MMLs interests to Aumin Technologies Pty Ltd and Perilya Mines NL (Aumin Perilya JV). A
memorandum of understanding executed between the State and the Aumin Perilya JV contained
indemnities exempting Aumin Perilya JV from liability for the site's legacy environmental issues.
In 2000, the Aumin Perilya JV notified the State it wished to withdraw from the agreement following the
completion of its exploration and research activities and the site was handed back by the State, via the
then Department of Mines and Energy, in late 2000.
Following a public tender, Moonraker Pty Ltd (Moonraker) and the State entered into a 'Phase 1
Agreement' which contemplated the following:
• Moonraker's objective was 'to define a commercially viable resource while providing for a
comprehensive environmental management strategy that addressed the impact of their
proposed project'.
• The State's objective was that 'the project complements and is consistent with the State's
rehabilitation strategy for the Mount Morgan mine site which aims to mitigate existing
environmental problems'.
• Indemnities in the agreement meant Moonraker would not be held liable for 'existing
environmental problems or ongoing impact that past activities on the mining leases may have
upon the environment whether the result of pollution to the environment or otherwise'.
• Moonraker's responsibilities were limited to managing environmental impacts from its own
activities and to meet statutory and policy requirements regarding environmental management
of the site, and did not extend to rehabilitating historical impacts (to the extent Moonraker's
activities did not interfere with these areas).
• Ownership of the mining leases was transferred to Moonraker.
Moonraker advised the State that it was willing to progress the feasibility of a tailings re-treatment
operation to utilise modern technology to extract additional gold from the tailings. On 12 December
2005, the State and Moonraker then entered into the Phase 2 Agreement, which defined the obligations
and responsibilities of each party for the operation of the tailings project, again stating that
environmental rehabilitation obligations were limited to only those areas of the site in which Moonraker
operated. From there:
• In 2003, the State developed a Rehabilitation Plan (Unger et al, 2003) for the Mine which
emphasised private investment for reprocessing of tailings and waste rock dumps to improve
overall environmental outcomes;
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Wulguru Technical Services Pty Ltd – Supporting Information Report
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