An Aboriginal corporation, helped by Wesfarmers’ Premier Coal and Curtin University, has launched a pilot project to produce marron at a decommissioned mine near Collie, using about 30 million litres of water collected in the old pit, reports Georgia Loney for The West Australian.
According to the news article, the acidic water is treated using a limestone reactor and pumped into a dam next to the mine to supply up to 100 marron ponds.
Ngalang Boodja Council chairman Phillip Ugle said the project had enormous potential for the local Aboriginal community.
“It will provide the community with a commercial business that they’ve never had before,” he told The West Australian. “Our goal is to build 100 ponds over the next three to five years.”
Work on 22 ponds is set to finish within the next few months for a twoyear pilot program. Scientists from Curtin University’s centre for sustainable mine lakes have worked since 2004 on possible uses for old mine sites and believe they could be used to further develop WA’s aquaculture industry, providing plentiful land and water.
Old Coalmines and Rich Marron Stocks
AUSTRALIA - Marron are to be farmed in old coalmines near Collie in a project aimed at boosting WAs production of the freshwater delicacy by 25 per cent within six years.
