THREE OF the Republic’s historic mine sites, Tynagh in Co Galway, Silvermines in Co Tipperary and Avoca in Co Wicklow, have been identified as a potential risk to health, according to a major new survey.
More than 100 sites in 32 mining districts were assessed as part of the Historic Mine Sites Inventory and Risk Classification.
The study concluded that of the 32 mining districts assessed, 22 districts will not require any intervention, seven will require further monitoring while three, Tynagh, Silvermines and Avoca, will require additional site-specific risk assessment by the landowners.
The study was commissioned jointly by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI) and the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.
According to the EPA, the objectives of the report were “to identify any significant risks to the environment and human and animal health at these historic mine sites so that these risks can be managed and the sites made safe”.
Dr Mary Kelly, director general of the EPA, said the report classifies the sites which present the greatest threat.
The EPA also said the report would help “to plan ahead for the forthcoming EU directive on the management of wastes from the extractive industries”. The directive will require member states to prepare an inventory of closed waste facilities within their jurisdictions by May 1st, 2012.
A comprehensive remediation project is currently under way at the Silvermines site and is being overseen by the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.
A full assessment of the Avoca site, where the State is the landowner, has recently been completed. Proposals for Tynagh are under consideration.
The full report is available to download free of charge from epa.ie/downloads or from gsi.ie, where a map of the mines can also be found.
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