Introduction
The Olympic Dam is an underground mine that is far inland and has marked a large investment of more than $350 million dollars. The Olympic Dam mine is also Australia’s largest mine.
How was it discovered and when did it open?
The Olympic Dam is located in South Australia, it officially opened in 1988. It was discovered by a western mining exploration crew. In 2007 BHP Billiton announced that it would start an expansion of the Olympic Dam mine. The plan was then put aside in August 2012 due to harsh economic conditions.
What ores are produced there?
The ore body remained hidden approximately 300 meters below surface level for 16 hundred million years. The Olympic dam is one of the world’s most significant deposits of copper, …show more content…
Job assessment centres were held in Port Augusta and Adelaide, in which another 30 spots were filled. The BHP is one of Australia’s largest employers.
How much money and investment has been spent on the Olympic Dam?
In addition to the A$350 million investment on the Olympic dam, the BHP also used the opportunity to carry out major upgrade works on the refinery, concentrator, other key infrastructure and site technology.
Should it be shut down?
Many people would like the mine to close, due to nuclear waste and potentially hazardous uranium. The BHP Billiton would also like to increase the amount of radioactive waste stored in ponds at Olympic Dam, without seepage rates rising. This change would increase the amount of radioactive liquids that are able to be held in the dam with the work expected to be complete by September 2023. The storage liquids include radioactive materials and acids, this has been controversial since the Olympic Dam's former owner Western Mining Corporation. The Western Mining Corporation confirmed that in 1994 5 billion cubic metres of fluid had leaked out of the storages and into an aquifer (the body of a rock which can contain or transmit groundwater). I believe that the Olympic dam shouldn’t shut down. Reason 1 many people work there so for it to shut down would cause massive amounts of job losses. The Olympic Dam Mine is a major source of valuable ores such as uranium coper, gold and silver, so shutting it down would also cause a huge hole on the economical side of South Australia. Reason 2 why even shut it down so much money has been spent on maintaining, employment, upgrading, machinery, resources, and opening it, it would be a huge loss to close it all
The Olympic Dam is an underground mine that is far inland and has marked a large investment of more than $350 million dollars. The Olympic Dam mine is also Australia’s largest mine.
How was it discovered and when did it open?
The Olympic Dam is located in South Australia, it officially opened in 1988. It was discovered by a western mining exploration crew. In 2007 BHP Billiton announced that it would start an expansion of the Olympic Dam mine. The plan was then put aside in August 2012 due to harsh economic conditions.
What ores are produced there?
The ore body remained hidden approximately 300 meters below surface level for 16 hundred million years. The Olympic dam is one of the world’s most significant deposits of copper, …show more content…
Job assessment centres were held in Port Augusta and Adelaide, in which another 30 spots were filled. The BHP is one of Australia’s largest employers.
How much money and investment has been spent on the Olympic Dam?
In addition to the A$350 million investment on the Olympic dam, the BHP also used the opportunity to carry out major upgrade works on the refinery, concentrator, other key infrastructure and site technology.
Should it be shut down?
Many people would like the mine to close, due to nuclear waste and potentially hazardous uranium. The BHP Billiton would also like to increase the amount of radioactive waste stored in ponds at Olympic Dam, without seepage rates rising. This change would increase the amount of radioactive liquids that are able to be held in the dam with the work expected to be complete by September 2023. The storage liquids include radioactive materials and acids, this has been controversial since the Olympic Dam's former owner Western Mining Corporation. The Western Mining Corporation confirmed that in 1994 5 billion cubic metres of fluid had leaked out of the storages and into an aquifer (the body of a rock which can contain or transmit groundwater). I believe that the Olympic dam shouldn’t shut down. Reason 1 many people work there so for it to shut down would cause massive amounts of job losses. The Olympic Dam Mine is a major source of valuable ores such as uranium coper, gold and silver, so shutting it down would also cause a huge hole on the economical side of South Australia. Reason 2 why even shut it down so much money has been spent on maintaining, employment, upgrading, machinery, resources, and opening it, it would be a huge loss to close it all