Xstrata’s Mount Isa Mines has restated its commitment to the health of the residents of Mount Isa, including its employees and their families. Mr Steve de Kruijff COO of Xstrata Copper North Queensland said that the company takes the issue of lead management in the community very seriously and we are working closely with key community stakeholders, especially the Mount Isa City Council and the Queensland State Government, to manage lead levels in Mount Isa.”

He said that “Naturally we are very concerned to hear about individual cases of high lead levels in local children however it is not appropriate for us to comment on specific cases which are being managed through Queensland Health and we are also not aware of any legal action pertaining to individuals who have elevated blood lead levels.”

He added that “It is important for us to obtain the full results and analysis of the Queensland Health testing program of 400 children aged 1 to 4 years which concluded last December. Queensland Health expects this report to be released within the next six weeks and the full report will identify the priorities Queensland Health, the Environmental Protection Agency Mount Isa City Council, Xstrata Mount Isa Mines and other community stakeholders need to act on in order to sustainably manage lead levels in Mount Isa.”

He added that “The reality is that lead is literally part of the foundations of our community and we all have a responsibility to ensure we manage our exposure to this naturally occurring mineral in our homes, gardens, workplaces and environment.”

He said that “Xstrata is committed to environmental management and improving its environmental performance in Mount Isa. We have comprehensive community monitoring through 15 monitoring stations operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We have already substantially improved our environmental performance including reducing emissions from our Mount Isa operations since 2000. We are also conducting more detailed studies into air, land and water emissions through the University of Queensland’s Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation by world renowned toxicologist Associate Professor, Barry Noller.