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Cloudbreak Life of Mine Expansion

Project
Proponent: 
Fortescue Metals Group Limited
Proposal description: 

The proposal includes the existing Cloudbreak iron ore mine and proposed expansion. The existing mine includes open pit strip mining, backfilling of pits, progressive rehabilitation and ore processing. The expansion includes increasing ore production, development of new pits and permanent waste landforms, the development of new infrastructure, additional dewatering and water disposal activities, an upgrade of the ore processing facility.

Proposal Content Document: 
PDF icon Cloudbreak - West Adele Proposal Content Document_Rev 1 (1) (1).pdf
Assessment Number: 
1848
Region: 
Pilbara
Referred under EP Act: 
s38
Industry sector: 
Infrastructure
Iron Ore
Last updated: 
April 28, 2026
Current Status: 
Ministerial Statement published
Ministerial Statement published
2. Decision on whether to assess this proposal
Chair's Determination: 
Assess - Public Environmental Review
Extract of determination: 
PDF icon 1848-ChairDets-041010.pdf
Preliminary Environmental Factors: 
Social Surroundings
Flora and Vegetation
Terrestrial Fauna
Hydrological Processes
Inland Waters Environmental Quality
Date published: 
Monday, 4 October, 2010
3. Assessment
Environmental Review
Public submissions: 
Monday, 11 April, 2011 to Monday, 23 May, 2011
Environmental Review documentation: 
PDF icon Public Environmental Review - Cloudbreak Life of Mine Project
Proponent response to submissions: 
PDF icon Proponent Response to Submissions
PDF icon Additional information requested by the EPA
4. EPA Report on assessment
EPA Report Number: 
1429
EPA Report: 
PDF icon Report 1429 - Cloudbreak Life of Mine Project
Key Environmental Factors: 
Flora and Vegetation
Terrestrial Fauna
Hydrological Processes
Inland Waters Environmental Quality
Date published: 
Wednesday, 8 February, 2012
Appeals close: 
Wednesday, 22 February, 2012
5. Decision on proposal and implementation of proposal
Ministerial Statement
Comments: 

The conditions of this Statement supersede the conditions of Ministerial Statement 721 (published on 24 April 2006, changed on 25 September 2009, 12 July 2010 and 10 June 2011).

Date of approval: 
Tuesday, 5 June, 2012
Ministerial Statement: 
PDF icon Ministerial Statement 899.pdf
Post-assessment changes
Section 46 inquiry: 
Cloudbreak Life of Mine Project - Section 46 [1980]
s. 45C amendments: 

Attachment 7 to Ministerial Statement 899
Changes: 
• Increase in the current development envelope from 37,688 ha to 38,399 ha.  
• Increase in the indicative disturbance footprint from 13,633 ha to 13,882.19 ha.
Change to proposal approved under s. 45c on 28 April 2026

Date of approval s. 45C: 
Monday, 24 November, 2014
Friday, 20 March, 2015
Friday, 9 June, 2017
Thursday, 24 May, 2018
Thursday, 6 June, 2019
Friday, 9 February, 2024
Tuesday, 28 April, 2026

Source URL:https://www.epa.wa.gov.au/proposals/cloudbreak-life-mine-expansion