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Mulga Downs Iron Ore Mine

Project
Proponent: 
Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd
Proposal description: 

The Proposal is located 210 km south of Port Hedland and 180 km north west of Newman in the Pilbara Region of Western Australia.

The Proposal includes and is not limited to the following:

  • The development of a series of above and below water table mine pits;
  • Dry ore crushing and screening plant(s);
  • Groundwater abstraction for construction, water supply (for the mine and all associated infrastructure) and for the dewatering to facilitate the recovery of ore below water table in the mine pits;
  • Surplus water management via managed aquifer recharge (MAR) and/or in pit infiltration;
  • Waste rock dumps (WRD);
  • Infrastructure to manage surface water (diversion of creeks and surface water flows);
  • Linear infrastructure (haul roads, powerlines, pipelines and conveyor corridors);
  • Mine associated infrastructure and support facilities (including, but not limited to accommodation camp, energy supply infrastructure, airstrip; wastewater treatment plant (WWTP); landfill, offices, workshops, laydown areas, etc.); and
  • Transport of the ore via the Great Northern Highway to Port Hedland, or via road to a siding along the existing Roy Hill railway and then via that railway to Port Hedland for export. Future transport options (e.g. new rail) will be subject to a separate referral.

The Proposal is located within a 16,848.53 ha Development Envelope and will require the clearing of up to 4,339.16 ha of native vegetation.

Proposal Content Document: 
PDF icon Proposal Content Document - September 2025.pdf
Assessment Number: 
2326
Region: 
Pilbara
Referred under EP Act: 
s38
Industry sector: 
Iron Ore
Last updated: 
September 30, 2025
Current Status: 
Public Environmental Review period closed
Public Environmental Review period closed
1. Referral
Comment on this referral: 
Mulga Downs Iron Ore Mine
Comment period: 
Friday, 14 January, 2022 to Thursday, 20 January, 2022
Referral documentation: 
PDF icon Referral Form
PDF icon Supporting Document
PDF icon Proposal Definition
PDF icon Flora and Vegetation Desk Top Study.pdf
PDF icon Mulga Downs Ecohydrology Study.pdf
PDF icon Mine Study Area Detailed Flora and Vegetation Assessment.pdf
PDF icon Mulga Downs West Flora and Vegetation Desktop Study.pdf
PDF icon Baseline Soil and Landform Assessment.pdf
PDF icon Mulga East Subterranean Fauna Baseline Survey.pdf
PDF icon Mulga East Terrestrial Fauna Basline Survey.pdf
PDF icon Mulga East Pilbara Lead nosed Bat Addendum.pdf
PDF icon Mulga East Pilbara Leaf nosed Bat Assessment.pdf
PDF icon Mulga East SRE Invertebrate Fauna Assessment.pdf
PDF icon Mulga East Baseline Water Studies.pdf
PDF icon Mulga East Preliminary Groundwater Management Assessment.PDF
PDF icon Mulga Downs Iron Ore Project Air Quality Management Program.pdf
PDF icon Mulga Downs Iron Ore Project Noise Monitoring Program.pdf
2. Decision on whether to assess this proposal
Chair's Determination: 
Assess - Public Environmental Review
Extract of determination: 
PDF icon Mulga Downs Iron Ore Mine
Preliminary Environmental Factors: 
Air Quality
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Social Surroundings
Flora and Vegetation
Subterranean Fauna
Terrestrial Environmental Quality
Terrestrial Fauna
Inland Waters
Date published: 
Monday, 28 February, 2022
3. Assessment
Scoping
Environmental scoping document: 
PDF icon ESD - Approved - 240822
Approved: 
Wednesday, 24 August, 2022
Environmental Review
Public submissions: 
Thursday, 17 April, 2025 to Monday, 2 June, 2025
Make a submission: 
Mulga Downs Iron Ore Mine - Public Environmental Review
Environmental Review documentation: 
PDF icon 2326 Mulga Downs Iron Ore Mine Environmental Review Document PART_1.pdf
PDF icon 2326 Mulga Downs Iron Ore Mine Environmental Review Document PART_2.pdf
PDF icon 2326 Mulga Downs Iron Ore Mine Environmental Review Document PART_3_Redacted.pdf
PDF icon 2326 Mulga Downs Iron Ore Mine Environmental Review Document PART_4.pdf
PDF icon 2326 Mulga Downs Iron Ore Mine Environmental Review Document PART_5.pdf
PDF icon A02_HanRoy Pty Ltd Environmental Policy.pdf
PDF icon A03_PreliminaryMineClosurePlan.pdf
PDF icon A04_WaterBaselineAssessment_PART 1.pdf
PDF icon A04_WaterBaselineAssessment_PART 2.pdf
PDF icon A04_WaterBaselineAssessment_PART 3.pdf
PDF icon A05_WaterImpactAssessment_Part1.pdf
PDF icon A05_WaterImpactAssessment_Part2.pdf
PDF icon A05_WaterImpactAssessment_Part3.pdf
PDF icon A05_WaterImpactAssessment_Part4.pdf
PDF icon A05_WaterImpactAssessment_Part5.pdf
PDF icon A06_WaterManagementPlan_20250410.pdf
PDF icon A07a_WaterImpactAssessment_GHD_PeerReview.pdf
PDF icon A07b_WaterImpactAssessment_Middlemis_PeerReview.pdf
PDF icon A08a_SubFaunaDesktopStudy.pdf
PDF icon A08b_SubFaunaBaselineSurvey.pdf
PDF icon A09_TroglofaunaHabitatAssessment.pdf
PDF icon A10a.1_DetailedFloraVegAssessment.pdf
PDF icon A10a.2_DataReconciliationMemo.pdf
PDF icon A10b_AdditionalAreasFloraVegAssessment.pdf
PDF icon A10c_FloraVegSurveysSupplementaryMemo.pdf
PDF icon A10d_TargetedFloraVegSurvey.pdf
PDF icon A11a.1_BaselineTerrestrialFaunaSurvey.pdf
PDF icon A11a.2_PLNB_GapAnalysisLetter.pdf
PDF icon A11b.1_SouthernBorefieldTerrestrialFaunaSurvey.pdf
PDF icon A11b.2_TransportCorridorTerrestrialFaunaSurvey.pdf
PDF icon A11c_ConsolidatedTerrestrialFaunaReport.pdf
PDF icon A11d_SRE_FaunaAssessment.pdf
PDF icon A11e_TargetedBilbyNightParrotSurvey.pdf
PDF icon A11f_SupplementaryTargetedFaunaSurvey.pdf
PDF icon A11g_Vertebrate&SREFaunaAssessment.pdf
PDF icon A11h.1_DesktopAssessmentPLNB.pdf
PDF icon A11h.2_PLNBAssessment.pdf
PDF icon A11i.1_DesktopAssessmentGreyFalcon.pdf
PDF icon A11i.2_TargetedGreyFalconSurvey.pdf
PDF icon A12_Conservation Significant Fauna Management Plan_V4.pdf
PDF icon A13_AsbestiformMineralsPrelimEnviroSiteAssessment.pdf
PDF icon A14_VoluntaryAuditorsReport.pdf
PDF icon A15_BaselineSoilLandformAssessment.pdf
PDF icon A16a_WasteCharacterisation.pdf
PDF icon A16b_GeochemicalAssessment.pdf
PDF icon A16c_GroundBreakingInvestigationGeotechnicalReport.pdf
PDF icon A17_AsbestosManagementPlan.pdf
PDF icon A18_AmbientAirQualityMonitoringProgram.pdf
PDF icon A19_AmbientNoiseMonitoringProgram.pdf
PDF icon A20_NoiseVibrationDesktopAssessment.pdf
PDF icon A21_VisualImpactAssessment.pdf
PDF icon A22_SalinityToleranceStygofauna.pdf
PDF icon A23_ImpactReconciliationProcedure_Rev5.pdf
PDF icon A24_ClaypansDesktopAssessment.pdf
PDF icon A26_SubFaunaSurvey2019-2024.pdf
PDF icon A27_EnvironmentalNoiseAssessment_redacted.pdf
PDF icon A28_GeotechnicalAssessmentBatCaves.pdf
PDF icon A29_SubFaunaMonitoringManagementPlan.pdf
Date Published (Environmental Review documentation): 
April 17, 2025
Change to proposal during assessment under s. 43A
s. 43A notice: 
PDF icon S43A Notice - 260523.pdf
PDF icon s. 43A Notice - 230224.pdf
PDF icon s. 43A Notice - 041024.pdf
PDF icon s. 43A Notice - 300925.pdf
Date of approval s. 43A: 
Tue, 30/09/2025

Source URL:https://www.epa.wa.gov.au/proposals/mulga-downs-iron-ore-mine