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Iron Ore Mine, Downstream Processing Direct-reduced and Hot-briquetted Iron and Port, Cape Preston, WA

Project
Proponent: 
Austeel Pty Ltd
Proposal description: 

Austeel Pty Ltd proposes to mine iron ore from the George Palmer Orebody on a pastoral lease about 25km south of Cape Preston. Ore will be fed to a purpose-built process plant to produce up to 13.8 million tonnes per annum of pellet iron and 4.7 million tonnes per annum of direct reduced iron (DRI) and/or hot briquetted iron (HBI). The products will be exported via a new port to be built at Cape Preston and Preston Island. Associated components comprise waste dumps, tailings storage facility, onsite accommodation for 420 (with up to 550 at Karratha), a 25km long transport corridor and a causeway from the mainland to the port off Preston Island.

Assessment Number: 
1114
Region: 
Pilbara
Referred under EP Act: 
s38
Industry sector: 
Iron Ore
Last updated: 
August 31, 2016
Current Status: 
Ministerial Statement published
Ministerial Statement published
2. Decision on whether to assess this proposal
Chair's Determination: 
Assess - Public Environmental Review
Preliminary Environmental Factors: 
People
Coastal Processes
Flora and Vegetation
Terrestrial Fauna
Inland Waters Environmental Quality
Date published: 
Saturday, 17 May, 1997
3. Assessment
Environmental Review
Public submissions: 
Monday, 4 December, 2000 to Monday, 26 February, 2001
Environmental Review documentation: 
PDF icon A1114_R1056_PER_Supplementary Environmental Review.pdf
4. EPA Report on assessment
EPA Report Number: 
1056
EPA Report: 
PDF icon EPA Report 1056
Key Environmental Factors: 
People
Social Surroundings
Human Health
Marine Environmental Quality
Marine Fauna
Flora and Vegetation
Subterranean Fauna
Terrestrial Environmental Quality
Terrestrial Fauna
Inland Waters Environmental Quality
Date published: 
Monday, 29 July, 2002
5. Decision on proposal and implementation of proposal
Ministerial Statement
Date of approval: 
Monday, 20 October, 2003
Ministerial Statement: 
PDF icon Ministerial Statement 0635
Post-assessment changes
Section 46 inquiry: 
Iron ore mine, downstream processing (direct - reduced hot briquetted iron) and port construction, Cape Preston, Pilbara (s46)
s. 45C amendments: 

Attachment 1 to Statement 635 - Increase in mining rate to approximately 67.4 Mtpa, increase in concentrator rate to approximately 19.6 Mtpa, and increase in the production rate of tailings to approximately 47.8 Mtpa - change to proposal approved under s45C on 8 September 2004.

Attachment 2 to Statement 635 - Changes in project layout and certain increases in infrastructure footprint, including relocation of the accommodation village and construction camps, desalination plant, services corridor route, gas pipeline route, waste dumps, tailings dam, port stockpiles, and expansion of the services corridor and use of a buried slurry pipeline in place of conveyor - change to proposal approved under s45C on 13 February 2009.

Attachment 3 to Statement 635 - Relocation of proposed pellet plant from its original location near the project minesite to the project port on Cape Preston - change to proposal approved under s45C on 18 March 2009.

Attachment 4 to Statement 635 - Increases in the footprint of the mine pit, waste dumps, and tailings storage facility, as defined by attached delineation coordinates, and increases in mining and processing rates - change to proposal approved under s45C on 3 July 2009.

Attachment 5 to Statement 635 - Additional clearing for roads (0.33 ha) and infrastructure associated with the Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) (105 ha) and 3 ha for a pipeline; construction of a pipeline from mine to a proposed discharge location near the mouth of the Fortescue River; and discharge dewatered groundwater from the mine site to a location near the mouth of the Fortescue River - change to proposal approved under s45C on 31 August 2016.

Date of approval s. 45C: 
Wednesday, 8 September, 2004
Friday, 13 February, 2009
Wednesday, 18 March, 2009
Friday, 3 July, 2009
Wednesday, 31 August, 2016

Source URL:https://www.epa.wa.gov.au/proposals/iron-ore-mine-downstream-processing-direct-reduced-and-hot-briquetted-iron-and-port-cape