00:02A dust that doesn't wash off easily and returns within hours.
00:06It's costing me money, it's costing my clients money, it's costing the fishermen money.
00:11Frustrated and feeling ignored, Geraldton locals say they've had enough of the dust covering
00:17their homes, businesses and boats.
00:20We're a small user of the port, the fishing industry is insignificant compared to mining.
00:25So who wields the biggest stick?
00:28It's definitely not us.
00:29Iron ore is Geraldton's largest export, but community tension is growing about the effect
00:35of the industry.
00:36In response, two investigations by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation will examine
00:43red and black dust, including where it's coming from.
00:48Phoenix Resources hauls red haematite ore to port in covered trucks.
00:53It's about to spend $8 million upgrading infrastructure to reduce red dust from truck unloading.
01:00In and around Geraldton, where there's red dust, that's our responsibility and it's not hard
01:06to see.
01:07And so wherever we see that, we're trying to control it and or improve it.
01:13Geraldton's mayor wants Carrara Mining to cover the trains it uses to haul black haematite ore.
01:19On the roads, if you're not covered, you'll be pinged for an unsecured load.
01:24You can ride along this rail line and you can emit any sort of dust you like and it doesn't
01:29seem to be any quality control over it.
01:32Carrara Mining did not respond to the ABC's request for an interview.
01:37D-Ware investigators have begun visiting Geraldton to meet with residents and business owners
01:42about the dust issue.
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