Portuguese 
Antiga cidade mineradora no oeste da Austrália permanece dentro de uma área contaminada de 46.840 hectares, com mais de 3,2 milhões de toneladas de rejeitos ligados ao amianto azul, enquanto proprietários tradicionais Banjima recorrem à Justiça em uma disputa cuja remediação pode superar AU$ 1,5 bilhão.
Former blue asbestos mining area spans 46,840 hectares officially deemed contaminated; in 2026, Banjima traditional owners took the matter to court demanding decontamination and compensation.
The old town of Wittenoom in Western Australia remains surrounded by contamination from blue asbestos mining operations that ceased six decades ago. The area contains over 3.2 million tons of waste associated with the former mines and became the subject of a lawsuit in 2026, potentially involving costs surpassing AU$ 1.5 billion.
Today, the former town is part of the Wittenoom Asbestos Management Area, or WAMA, an officially contaminated area of 46,840 hectares. The Government of Western Australia advises against visiting the site due to the risks posed by asbestos fibers still present in the soil, which can be carried by wind, water, or disturbed by human activities.
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According to the Government of Western Australia, the contamination stems from historical activities at the Wittenoom, Colonial, and Yampire mines. Mining in the region occurred from the 1930s until 1966 and left behind waste containing varying amounts of crocidolite, known as blue asbestos.
Wittenoom permanece dentro de uma área de 46.840 hectares contaminados
The issue extends beyond the former mine entrances. Over the years, waste piles have eroded, spreading material to neighboring areas. Some of this material has also been removed from deposits and historically used in roads, construction, and landfill within the former town.
In 2008, the entire 46,840-hectare area was classified as contaminated by the state environmental agency. It encompasses the former town of Wittenoom, the airport, the cemetery, mining regions, Wittenoom Gorge, Yampire Gorge, and the Joffre Floodplain. Environmental and health authorities consider the territory unsuitable for any form of human occupation or land use.
The government also reports that tiny fibers remain in the ground and air and are not always visually identifiable. The material can become airborne again when disturbed by vehicles, people, wind, or water.
Exposure to asbestos is associated with severe diseases, including mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer. Therefore, permanent barriers have been erected at the entrances to the former town and Wittenoom Gorge, accompanied by warnings for visitors to stay out of the area.
Mais de 3,2 milhões de toneladas de rejeitos aparecem no processo
The physical scale of the environmental liability is detailed in the lawsuit filed in 2026 by Banjima Native Title Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC (BNTAC) against the State of Western Australia.
The document filed in the Federal Court of Australia states that the former Wittenoom Mine and its processing plant produced approximately 600,000 tons of waste, containing up to 5% residual blue asbestos. The mine operated from 1946 to 1958.
The volume is even larger at the Colonial Mine. The operation, which ran from 1953 to 1966, produced approximately 2.6 million tons of waste containing about 5% residual blue asbestos, according to data presented by the plaintiffs.
The Yampire Mine, which was operated between 1943 and 1946, left approximately 15,000 tons of waste, also described in the process as containing about 5% residual blue asbestos.
Together, the three volumes amount to approximately 3.215 million tons of waste. This figure does not mean there are 3.2 million tons of pure asbestos; instead, it refers to mining residual material that contains blue asbestos fibers in varying concentrations.
City was officially removed and structures were demolished
The decline of Wittenoom began long before the current legal dispute. In 1978, the state government initiated a gradual removal of the town due to health concerns caused by asbestos fibers carried by the air.
In June 2007, the former urban core lost its official status. However, the area remained contaminated and subject to access restrictions.
The remaining structures also disappeared. ABC News reports that the town was completely demolished in 2023, while the large waste deposits from previous mining operations remain in the region.
The removal of the buildings, therefore, did not represent the decontamination of the entire affected area. The former mines, waste piles, and sites where contaminated material was used continue to be at the center of the safety measures and the ongoing dispute in 2026.
Banjima took the case to court in February 2026
On February 24, 2026, the Banjima Native Title Aboriginal Corporation filed a class-action lawsuit in the Federal Court of Australia against the State of Western Australia.
The document was assigned the number VID198/2026 and identifies the BNTAC as the plaintiff and the State of Western Australia as the defendant. The organization acts on behalf of members of the Banjima people who have recognized rights over lands and waters affected by the issue.
In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs allege that the presence and ongoing dispersion of asbestos interfere with the exercise of these rights. The document cites former mines, waste deposits, the Wittenoom racetrack, and the former airport as sources of the material, as well as areas where the material may have spread.
Among the requests made is an order for the State to eliminate or control the problem. The lawsuit outlines measures such as removing or containing asbestos material in the mines and waste deposits and making safe other affected locations, including the former racetrack and airport.
The lawsuit also seeks compensation for losses and damages. However, the final amount is not specified in the court document.
Estimation exceeds AU$1.5 billion, but amount is still not defined
According to a report by ABC News, the BNTAC estimates that the amount related to remediation could exceed AU$1.5 billion, depending on the evidence presented by experts. Therefore, this figure is an estimate and not a compensation already determined by the court.
The organization seeks, among other measures, proper closure of three former mines, actions regarding three waste deposit areas, and remediation of ravines, rivers, and waterways that may have been affected.
Johnnell Parker, a member of the Banjima people, stated to ABC that the issue goes beyond financial value and involves the community and the environment. The Premier of Western Australia, Roger Cook, expressed respect for the Banjima’s right to seek legal recourse and stated his preference for a negotiated solution, although the state government should uphold its legal position in the process.
More than six decades after the end of the last blue asbestos mining operations in the area, Wittenoom remains officially isolated. The former town has disappeared, but the waste continues to be spread across a vast area, turning the mining legacy into an environmental and legal dispute that returned to the spotlight in 2026.
