Lead leak "no risk" to community

The Canadian owner of Magellan Metals insists test results show no public risk of lead contamination, despite the State Government suspending lead shipments through the port of Fremantle over the weekend.

Acting Environment Minister Peter Collier advised the company on Friday to cease lead shipments after Magellan told the Office of Environmental Protection Authority that lead had been identified within the containers used to transport bags of lead from Wiluna to the port.

"The requirement is that no lead be present outside the bag, within the sealed containers, and the State's environmental watchdog is now investigating whether this condition has been breached," Mr Collier said.

"The OEPA advises there is extensive monitoring of lead contamination along the transport route from the mine to the port, and to date no Magellan lead has been detected through that monitoring program.

"However, given the environmental conditions concerning lead levels inside the containers may have been breached, it is in the public interest for shipments to cease."

Responding to the cease order the Canadian sole owner-operator of Magellan, Ivernia, said there was no evidence sealed bags have been damaged during loading or tranposrt, and that no evidence of contamination outside the sealed containers had been found.

Ivernia chief executive Alan De'ath, President said that both Ivernia and Magellan Metals were taking the issue very seriously and had immediately complied with the government's orders.

"Magellan Metals would like to meet with the Western Australia's Office of Environmental Protection Authority ("OEPA") as soon as possible to resolve the issues involved in order to be able to recommence transportation," Mr De'ath said.

Ivernia said Magellan met with OEPA officials in mid-December to advise them that lead had been found in the containers.

It has now been served with an order replacing the weekend's stop order that details the steps the company needs to take to have the matter resolved, include conducting an investigation into the source and extend of the contamination.