Tomingley Gold Operations (TGO) was regularly hit by dust storms in December, according to its latest community newsletter. 

TGO monitors air quality to ensure its activities “don’t negatively impact the community”.

But worsening drought conditions resulted in a spike in its dust readings during “dusty December”.

“Unfortunately, we can’t do much about the natural environment,” the wholly-owned subsidiary of Alkane Resources reports in its newsletter.

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“Our monitors record particulate matter <10 micron, averaged over a 24-hour period.

“Anything over 50 micrograms per cubic metre in 24 hours exceeds the EPA’s short-term criterion.

“In December, we recorded 10 instances of this.

On December 31, a reading of 211.4 micrograms per cubic metre over 24 hours was recorded at our ‘Woodlands’ monitor in Tomingley.”