Even though the west pants for steady supplies of fresh water, enormous aquifers, like the Officer Basin, have been considered too remote and costly to tap as a source for cities or businesses. But Australian mining company Anaconda Nickel Ltd., which has operations near the edge of the basin, is now carrying out extensive tests. Early analysis shows that the water is suitable for industrial use, such as nickel processing at Anaconda's Murrin mine. Anaconda's current supply, from bores into ancient river beds that tap water, may not suffice for its expansion plans. The basin's promise isn't golden.
Samples show that, unless treated, the water is too salty for residential use.
The sedimentary layers trapping the water predate the dinosaurs, and the water may, too, if the aquifer is sluggish. Anaconda is investigating whether the basin can replenish quickly. Already, Anaconda has plans for a pipeline from the basin to its projects and potentially beyond to small mining towns within several hundred kilometers. The largest one, Kalgoorlie, siphons water from Perth. Developing a pipeline to Anaconda's mines and through a few small towns is one thing.