Cross Vein Mine site was closed to motorcyclists in 2020
Banning motorbikes from riding in the area of Cross Vein Mine has lead to a significant drop in the metal content in the water heading into Peel Marina.
The site on the outskirts of Foxdale, commonly known as "Snuff the Wind", was closed off to the public five years ago.
Since then, the infrastructure minister says the amount of lead and zinc heading down river into the marina has dropped by 70 percent.
Planning consent is currently being sought to transport the sediment from the Peel silt lagoon to the mine site for treatment.
Read more HERE.
"What we'll see, over a period of time, is what ends up in Peel Marina has less metal in it, and the hope is that at some point it will be safe enough for us to take [the silt] out to sea." - Dr Michelle Haywood
Infrastructure Minister Dr. Michelle Haywood explains why this option is being considered and why there are no plans to ever lift the ban on motorbikes:
Clarification from the DOI Minister:
The reduction in metals coming from the site is measurable in the river, so it means less metal is heading to Peel harbour.
The silt that’s currently in Peel harbour still has a high metal content as it’s been accumulating since before the ban on bikes at Cross Vein was put in.
The rationale is that stopping the bikes constantly disturbing the surface (used to be lots of dust which was very high in lead) means less pollution into the top end of the water course, and less metal in the river further down.
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