Is the dust in Mount Isa really making our kids sick?

Why We Do This

At ORIEMS FIT, we believe everyone deserves straight answers about health and environment — not just complicated science hidden in universities. That’s why we created the Research Digest: to read global and local studies, break them down into plain words, and always give you the original link at the bottom.

We’re not here to scare you. We’re here to give you facts — so you can make up your own mind.

The Study We Looked At

A team of scientists from Macquarie University, Charles Darwin University and others studied Mount Isa soil, dust and air between 2005 and 2008. They wanted to answer a simple question:
👉 Where is the lead in our town really coming from?

What They Found (in Plain Language)

• Soil in Mount Isa is loaded with lead.
  The average soil around town had 1,560 mg of lead per kilo of dirt. For comparison, the official safety level is 300 mg/kg. That means many backyards, parks and verges were 5 times over the limit.

• Household dust was shocking.
  In some homes, scientists found 18,300 milligrams of lead per square metre on window sills. The US safety cut-off is 2,690 mg/m². That’s nearly 7 times over the danger line — right where kids put their fingers.

• Children’s blood tests prove the risk is real.
  Queensland Health tested 400 kids in Mount Isa. 11.3% had blood lead levels above 10 µg/dL — the old “danger line.” But here’s the scary part: modern science says even half that level can harm IQ, learning and behaviour.

• It’s not “natural.”
  The mine company has sometimes claimed the lead comes from natural rocks. The study proved otherwise: by measuring lead isotopes, scientists showed that the lead in our air, soil, and dust matches the smelter emissions — not natural surface rocks.

What It Means for Locals

This isn’t about history books — it’s about today’s homes, playgrounds, and backyards.

• Kids are the most at risk. Small bodies absorb more lead.

• Dust is the main pathway — from smelter stacks to your doorstep to your child’s hands.

• The problem won’t go away until emissions are cut and old dust is cleaned up.

Why We Share This

Because many people quietly wonder: “Is it really that bad here, or is it just talk?”
The numbers say it plainly. It’s not just talk.

That’s why ORIEMS FIT will keep reading research, simplifying it, and putting it here for you — with the link at the bottom so you can check it yourself.

📖 Original Study:
Mackay AK, Taylor MP, et al. (2013). Identification of environmental lead sources and pathways in a mining and smelting town: Mount Isa, Australia. Environmental Pollution, 180, 304–311.
Read the full paper here

Related posts

⚠️ Disclaimer

This blog post is part of the ORIEMS FIT Research Digest series. It is for educational purposes only. We do not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you are concerned about lead exposure, please consult a qualified health professional.