Water Quality Monitoring for Beaconsfield Gold Mine

Summary

Tasmanian Gold Pty Ltd has managed legacy environmental issues at the Beaconsfield Gold Mine since acquiring the site in 2022, including resuming the periodic water quality monitoring around the site and receiving water bodies.

pitt&sherry reviewed historical water monitoring data for both surface and groundwater sampling locations around the Beaconsfield Gold Mine and developed the scope of a new water monitoring program to account for historical changes in sampling locations and ensure compliance with Environmental Protection Notice (EPN) requirements, completing two monitoring events in early 2025.

The results of these monitoring events have been submitted to the EPA to provide an update of the current water quality conditions (surface and groundwater) for the Beaconsfield Gold Mine and support further communications in relation to the continuation of water quality monitoring activities for the site.

Project aim

The objectives of the water quality monitoring were to: 

• Review historic water quality data (surface water and groundwater), assessing historical locations sampled and analytes tested and comparing with EPN and management plans requirements to develop the new monitoring program, compatible with the current status of the mine site and sampling locations and to allow historical water quality trend analysis. 
• Complete 2 water quality sampling events in accordance with the new monitoring program to provide an update to the EPA regarding current water quality conditions for the Beaconsfield Gold Mine.

What we did

The scope of works for the water quality monitoring included:

• Completion of 2 water quality sampling events across ground water wells and surface water locations around the mining lease area, including downgradient receiving water bodies.
• Ensure compliance with EPN requirements for field screening and laboratory testing of samples by developing a new water quality monitoring program that reflects the current status of the mine operations and sampling locations.
• Management and maintenance of water quality monitoring database.

Outcomes

pitt&sherry undertook monitoring on behalf of Tasmanian Gold Pty Ltd to support them to achieve environmental compliance with the water quality monitoring requirements of the Beaconsfield Gold Mine EPNs.

This was delivered by the water quality sampling events, management of the water quality database, submission of field results and laboratory results to EPA.