Media Release

Kiln dust spill into Nine Mile Creek reported to West Coast Regional Council1

12 February 2007

Solid Energy has reported a spillage early this morning of cement kiln dust (CKD) alongside Nine Mile Creek on the Strongman Mines access road north of Greymouth.

The powdery material, a by-product of cement manufacturing at Westport, is carried to the mine by road. There, it is mixed with water and this slurry is injected into the ground as part of the measures being taken to control an underground fire at the old mine. CKD is alkaline.

The truck and trailer carrying the material lost traction on a steep section of the access road at about 8am. The driver was unable to move forward or back and to lighten his load about a third (about five tonnes) of the trailer's CKD was tipped onto the roadway. Some of this material went down the bank and into the creek.

A digger was brought to collect spilled material from the road and the bank below it and a regional council officer is due to inspect the area and creek.

Mark Pizey, Solid Energy's National Environmental Manager, says the incident will be fully investigated.