Thursday, 8 February, 2007

ABC NT Local News

Territory cattlemen are concerned about the implications of a cyanide spill on the Stuart Highway, near Tennant Creek.

A road train carrying 20 tonnes of cyanide pellets for gold mining overturned around 130 kilometres north of the town yesterday afternoon.

Nearby pastoralist Geoff Murrell of Helen Springs Station says the handling of this incident will test the authorities' preparedness.

"As a cattle producer, what are the long-term effects of something like this going to be, it exposes the dangers of waste material," he said.

"If the Government [is] talking about putting a nuclear waste dump in the NT, these are the sorts of things that are going to happen."

It is the second time cyanide has been spilled in the Territory outback in the last five years.

Meanwhile Tennant Creek police say the cyanide pellets have started to emit fumes.

Police say some of the pellets spilled into water and have now started to react with the environment.

Officers who are at the scene are complaining of headaches and dry throats and will now be decontaminated.

Police say it is too dangerous to let the public pass the scene and the road will remain closed for another 24 to 48 hours.

A team of experts from Gladstone has also arrived at the scene.

An Orica spokeswoman says three people have been sent from the company's Gladstone plant to provide advice on clean up and handling of the chemical.

Commuters have been banking up at Renner Springs and at Three Ways near Banka Banka Station on either side of the closure.

There are also reports there has been another truck rollover on the Barkly Highway east of Tennant Creek.