BHP Billiton may have to conduct an environmental assessment for dredging work near one of its former Newcastle sites, after under-estimating the amount of toxic sludge.
The miner announced they would spend an extra $780 million on toxic waste dredging in the Hunter River and other work at the steelwork site in the New South Wales Hunter region.
There has been a major push for development on the former Newcastle steelworks site since it was closed a decade ago.
The New South Wales Government forced BHP Billiton to remediate the land once it shut down and the company has already spent millions of dollars on a range of projects.
In its results for the six months to December, BHP yesterday said it had set aside an extra $US508 million for work at the site.
According to the company, after under-estimating the volume of toxic sediment in the Hunter River the cost of treating toxic waste has also risen.