East Kalgoorlie Primary School remains closed until mid-April due to demolition of nearby Bikie property

A Kalgoorlie-Boulder primary school will remain closed for months due to the demolition of a nearby property allegedly involved in an illegal Bikie gold-extracting operation using mercury. East Kalgoorlie Primary School was forced to close two weeks ago after potentially elevated levels of mercury were found in some parts of the school. The testing was done in response to police shutting down a suspected bikie-run backyard refinery at a nearby property, which had used mercury to extract gold from ore. Initially, the school was expected to be closed for at least two weeks. But principal Sally Fowler told parents via Facebook on Monday the school would remain closed until the start of term two in mid-April while the nearby property was demolished. She said while full test results would be released later this week, she wanted to reassure the community they revealed “no unsafe mercury contamination at the school”. “The next step is the demolition of the adjoining Plumer Street residence,” she said. “The demolition process includes planning to ensure dust and demolition does not impact the school. “Following the demolition, outdoor areas, work areas, and classrooms at East Kalgoorlie Primary School will be cleaned.” Ms Fowler said the school would be closed for the remainder of term one “to ensure they (students) are not impacted by the demolition process”. The school’s 150 enrolled students will continue to be taught at South Kalgoorlie Primary School in the meantime. A spokesman for the Department of Health said environmental and clinical testing had been conducted at East Kalgoorlie Primary School, including air, water and soil sampling. No mercury contamination was found. The department, in partnership with Bega Garnbirringu Health Service, also offered clinical testing for mercury exposure to staff, students and visitors to the school, who had to provide a voluntary urine sample. Just 32 members of the school community took up the option, with all returning results within the normal expected range. It is understood the Plumer Street residence had already been scheduled for demolition before mercury was found at the address. The process was delayed by the subsequent investigation into possible mercury contamination at the home and at East Kalgoorlie Primary School. Detectives arrested nearly two dozen people and shut down a clandestine backyard gold-refining operation in Kalgoorlie-Boulder last month. Police alleged Kalgoorlie-Boulder bikies stole 30 tonnes of gold-bearing ore from mine sites before using mercury to extract the precious metal in backyard refineries.