East Kalgoorlie Primary School closed for the rest of term after mercury scare

East Kalgoorlie Primary School will remain closed for the rest of term one. (ABC Goldfields: Jarrod Lucas)

An outback primary school in Western Australia hit by a mercury scare will remain closed for the rest of term, though no unsafe contamination has been detected.

East Kalgoorlie Primary School has been closed since February 14, after elevated levels of mercury were detected at a nearby property, and alerted the education and health departments.

The property, owned by Super Pit co-owner Northern Star Resources, was understood to have been caught up in raids against backyard gold-smelting operations allegedly operated by bikie gangs in the mining city.

Principal Sally Fowler said that clinical and environmental tests had been completed.

She said the full test results, which were conducted as a precautionary measure, would be released to the school community later in the week but there was no cause for concern.

Ms Fowler said safety precautions and the need to demolish the adjacent property thought to be the source of the contamination meant the school would not be open until term two.

“The school community can be reassured that there is no unsafe mercury contamination at the school,” she told parents in a video message posted to Facebook.

“The demolition process includes planning to make sure that the demolition does not impact the school.”

The 150 students impacted by the closure will continue to be educated at a pop-up school within South Kalgoorlie Primary.

Free mercury testing remains available for staff and students.

‘Selfish and idiotic’

Last month’s police operation, spearheaded by Kalgoorlie Detectives and the Gang Crime Squad, saw 17 properties raided.

Police alleged bikie gangs were smelting stolen ore to bankroll the region’s illicit drug trade.

The East Kalgoorlie property was the most high-profile contamination case, but authorities said the amateur processing posed significant risks across the city.

Police Minister Paul Papalia described the actions as “selfish and idiotic”.

Speaking in Kalgoorlie, he said the mercury used in backyard gold refining operation had the potential to contaminate water supplies.

“Amateur refining of gold involving dangerous chemicals in suburban areas could have had catastrophic consequences,” Mr Papalia said.

“Incredibly dangerous, easily contaminating the environment around them, potentially vaporising and becoming more dangerous and easily consumed by people in proximity to it.

“It’s just all manner of stupid that this did this.”

Twenty people have been charged in connection with the operation.

They are due to face court in coming months.