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Sorby Hills Silver Lead Zinc Project

Project
Proponent: 
Sorby Management Pty Ltd
Proposal description: 

The proposal is to develop a silver, lead and zinc mine, associated infrastructure and processing facilities approximately 50 kilometres north of Kununurra, with the concentrate produced transported by road and shipped through Wyndham Port.

Proposal Content Document: 
PDF icon Proposal Content Document.pdf
Assessment Number: 
1920
Region: 
Kimberley
Referred under EP Act: 
s38
Industry sector: 
Lead
Last updated: 
December 18, 2024
Current Status: 
Ministerial Statement published
Ministerial Statement published
1. Referral
Referral documentation: 
PDF icon Referral Document - Sorby Hills Silver Lead Zinc Project (Part 1)
PDF icon Referral Document - Sorby Hills Silver Lead Zinc Project (Part 2)
PDF icon Referral Document - Sorby Hills Silver Lead Zinc Project (Part 3)
PDF icon Mining Proposal - Sorby Hills Silver Lead Zinc Project (Part 1)
PDF icon Mining Proposal - Sorby Hills Silver Lead Zinc Project (Part 2)
PDF icon Mining Proposal - Sorby Hills Silver Lead Zinc Project (Part 3)
PDF icon Mining Proposal - Sorby Hills Silver Lead Zinc Project (Part 4)
PDF icon Mining Proposal - Sorby Hills Silver Lead Zinc Project (Part 5)
PDF icon Mining Proposal - Sorby Hills Silver Lead Zinc Project (Part 6)
PDF icon Bird Species Richness and Diversity in SMPL Sorby Hills Project
2. Decision on whether to assess this proposal
Chair's Determination: 
Assess - Public Environmental Review
Extract of determination: 
PDF icon Chairman's Determination - Sorby Hills Silver Lead Zinc Project
Preliminary Environmental Factors: 
Social Surroundings
Flora and Vegetation
Hydrological Processes
Inland Waters Environmental Quality
Date published: 
Monday, 13 February, 2012
3. Assessment
Scoping
Environmental scoping document: 
PDF icon Environmental Scoping Document - Sorby Hills Silver Lead Zinc Project
Approved: 
Wednesday, 19 September, 2012
Environmental Review
Public submissions: 
Monday, 11 March, 2013 to Monday, 8 April, 2013
Make a submission: 
Public Environmental Review - Sorby Hills Silver Lead Zinc Project
Environmental Review documentation: 
PDF icon 1920-Volume1_RER Sept_2013.pdf
Package icon 1920-Volume 3 Appendices 1-10.zip
Package icon 1920-Volume 3 Appendices 11-20.zip
Package icon 1920-Volume 3 Appendices 21-30.zip
Package icon 1920-Volume 3 Appendices 31-39.zip
Proponent response to submissions: 
Package icon Response to Submissions - Sorby Hills Silver Lead Zinc Project
4. EPA Report on assessment
EPA Report Number: 
1491
EPA Report: 
PDF icon Report 1491 - Sorby Hills Silver Lead Zinc Project
Key Environmental Factors: 
Social Surroundings
Marine Environmental Quality
Flora and Vegetation
Date published: 
Monday, 21 October, 2013
Appeals close: 
Monday, 4 November, 2013
5. Decision on proposal and implementation of proposal
Ministerial Statement
Date of approval: 
Wednesday, 2 April, 2014
Ministerial Statement: 
PDF icon Statement 964.pdf
Post-assessment changes
Section 46 inquiry: 
Sorby Hills Silver Lead Zinc Project (s46) [2170]
s. 45C amendments: 

Attachment 1 to Ministerial Statement 964 - Access road extension to the realigned Moonamang Rd. Inclusion of accommodation village. Revision of Figures 1-3. Changes approved under s45C on 20 June 2022.

Attachment 2 to Ministerial Statement 964 - An increase to the development envelope, and realignment of an access road.
• Addition of three new pits, expansion of pits, and increase the maximum pit depth.
• Removal of maximum excavation rate of ore, increase the construction timeframe, removal of maximum mineralised waste materials limit, increase to the storage volume of tailings, and change the tailings storage facility to an integrated waste landform.
• Increase to the dewatering limit.
• Increase to the maximum discharge limit and change the method of excess water disposal.
• Remove the minimum moisture content of ore concentrate.
• Amendment of the introduction of Ministerial Statement 964.
• Amendment of condition 6-1 of Ministerial Statement 964.
• Addition of condition 8 (Aboriginal Cultural Heritage) and condition 9 (Rehabilitation) to Ministerial Statement 964. Changes approved under s45C on 18 December 2024.

Attachments: 
PDF icon Attachment 2 - Notice and Summary of Reasons.pdf
Date of approval s. 45C: 
Monday, 20 June, 2022
Wednesday, 18 December, 2024

Source URL:https://www.epa.wa.gov.au/proposals/sorby-hills-silver-lead-zinc-project