Children that had lead in their blood were far more likely to get it from eating traces in soil and surface dust, which was fallout from the mines. 

The much awaited third study into Lead Pathways was released on Thursday. The previous studies released in 2009 and 2012 examined land and water while this report focused on air.

The 427 page air study said breathing lead in the air contributed to the total blood lead level of up to 2.1 per cent.

There was a median average of 74 per cent of getting it from swallowing lead in soil, and less than 24 per cent of eating it in food.

The lead on the ground was caused from fallout but not from the copper smelter. It comes from the Urquhart Shale. 

Glencore’s Australian copper assets’ chief operating officer Mike Westerman said the shale is a rock formation in which Mount Isa’s lead and copper minerals are mined. The report notes outcrops of the shale in residential areas close to the mine. 

“There’s just not enough lead in that emission and not enough lead to absorb or elevate the issue of lead,” Mr Westerman said. 

He said the report emphasised what the company already knew and had taken measures on. Glencore has spent $500 million on improving environmental concerns since 2013 once it controlled Mount Isa Mines operations. MIM first commissioned the studies in 2006. 

He said that emissions from the mine had decreased in the last 10 years. Zinc, copper and lead emissions had decreased by 96 per cent since 2005-06. Arsenic decreased 86 per cent and cadmium decreased 60 per cent. 

The new report makes further recommendations to improve the lead risk and these are directed at both the mining company and to the community, which the chief operating officer said was “entirely appropriate”. 

The company would look at reducing dust coming from the mining areas and the processing areas, which could be done by sealing more roads and upgrading facilities to ensure no leaks. 

Other recommendations directed at the community includes the advice that all Mount Isa residents, especially children, have their blood levels monitored.

They should wash all home grown fruit and vegetables, and consider replacing carpets with timber or hard floor coverings. 

The report said the decrease in surveyed children’s blood lead levels and the measures taken to improve them should be highlighted.

“These results show that measures being taken are helping to minimise children’s blood lead levels and demonstrate that a diligent approach to reducing lead exposures does work,” the study said.  

Mr Westerman is not just a mining executive. Through his role he’s a prominent member of the Mount Isa community, but he’s also a husband and father.

He said he was happy with his children living in the company’s residential section of the mining lease. 

“There are simple precautions to take. For me, I have as much information as anyone,” Mr Westerman said. 

He did not believe in “burying our heads in the sand” regarding lead concerns but he did believe debate on the subject needed to be factual. 

“And informed debate and reports demonstrates we can live safely in this community without lead,” Mr Westerman said. 

He used the phrase “wet, wipe, wash and eat well.” It’s a slogan of the Living with Lead Alliance and repeated by its chairman, State MP Rob Katter. 

Mr Katter said; “we could tear down the mine tomorrow and we would still have lead issues. It’s naturally reoccurring here to start with.”

“Almost all the recommendations from the land and water reports have been followed from previous years and we need to ensure the mines follow through recommendations from this report,” Mr Katter said. 

“There’s no question about (MIM’s) amount of money that’s been invested and the mine’s ‘clean in and clean out’ changes of practices they have employed. That’s indisputable and that would have come at a significant cost.”  

The study’s findings endorsed existing efforts from the alliance, he said.  

He said those most at risk were prenatal mothers and children aged up to five-years. 

“No one knows at what level it starts to do damage, just the higher the level the more risk it is. 

“This was all a huge media issue in 2006 and I don’t think the media hype it attracted around Australia matched concerns before and then of locals of the health risks. 

“We (the Lead Alliance) acknowledge where the at risk sectors of the community are to the point we’re putting in free transport and free food to entice people to take blood tests. We couldn’t make more of an effort to capture that data.” 

And he said data results showed that lead levels had decreased.

The Lead Pathways Study – Air has been released online.