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Proposed Rare Earths Mining and Beneficiation at Mt Weld, Laverton and Secondary Processing at Meenaar, near Northam (s46)

Project
Proponent: 
Ashton Rare Earths Pty Ltd
Proposal description: 

Ashton Rare Earths Pty Ltd wishes to extend the time limit of environmental approval for the proposed Rare Earths Mining and Beneficiation at Mt Weld and Secondary Processing at Meenaar project for a further three years.

Assessment Number: 
1194
Region: 
Goldfields Esperance
Referred under EP Act: 
s46
Industry sector: 
Rare earth elements
Last updated: 
September 16, 2020
Current Status: 
Ministerial Statement published
Ministerial Statement published
2. Decision on whether to assess this proposal
Chairman's Determination: 
s46 request for a change to environmental conditions (not subject to appeal): Public Notification
Date published: 
Friday, 27 February, 1998
4. EPA Report on assessment
EPA Report Number: 
884
EPA Report: 
847_B884.pdf (PDF, 1.59 MB)
Date published: 
Friday, 27 March, 1998
5. Decision on proposal and implementation of proposal
Ministerial Statement
Date of approval: 
Tuesday, 26 May, 1998
Ministerial Statement: 
Ministerial Statement 476.pdf (PDF, 9.9 MB)
Post-assessment changes
S45C changes to proposal: 

Attachment 1 to Statement 476 – Removal of secondary processing at Meenaar; increased rate of mining and beneficiation, change in transport routes, and return of residues to Mt Weld for disposal – change to proposal approved under s45C on 14 May 2003.

Attachment 2 to Statement 476 – Change to transport route to allow transport of concentrate through Fremantle or Esperance – change to proposal approved under s45C on 8 February 2005.

Attachment 3 to Statement 476 – Construction of an access road requiring vegetation clearance between Mt Weld Mine Site and Mt Weld – Elora Road – change to proposal approved under s45C on 31 July 2006.

Attachment 4 to Statement 476 – Mt Weld Rare Earths Project Stage 2 Expansion of Operations - increase in production and associated additional infrastructure – change to proposal approved under s45C on 11 January 2012.

Attachment 5 to Statement 476 – Increase “life of project”; increase in the “area of disturbance” from approximately <270 hectares (ha) to <370 ha (55 ha for Mining Campaign 2, and 45 ha for the increase in Tailings Dam Area footprint from 27.3 to 67.3 ha) and Process Water Pond Facility (5 ha); remove “size of ore body”; remove “maximum carbon dioxide output”; and remove “development stages” – change to proposal approved under section 45C on 10 December 2013.

Attachment 7 to Statement 476 – Increase in the area of disturbance from 370 ha to 429 ha – an increase of 59 ha; and • An increase in the development envelope from 455 ha to 505 ha – an increase of 50 ha. – changes to proposal approved under section 45C on 16 September 2020.

Date S45C: 
Wednesday, 14 May, 2003
Tuesday, 8 February, 2005
Monday, 31 July, 2006
Wednesday, 11 January, 2012
Tuesday, 10 December, 2013
Wednesday, 16 September, 2020

Source URL: https://www.epa.wa.gov.au/proposals/proposed-rare-earths-mining-and-beneficiation-mt-weld-laverton-and-secondary-processing