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Fimiston Gold Mine Operations Extension (Stage 3) and Mine Closure Planning

Project
Proponent: 
Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines Pty Ltd
Proposal description: 

The proposal is for the continuation of mining operations at the Fimiston site, and expansion and deepening of the Superpit to 600 metres via the Golden Pike Cutback. Additional waste dumps will be created to the north of the pit to contain 140 million tonnes of waste rock. The Fimiston I and II tailings storage facilities and/or the Kaltails tailings storage facility will be expanded to contain the additional tailings.

This is a reassessment, pursuant to the Minister's decision to remit the proposal under s43 (see the original assessment and Report 1270 here).

Assessment Number: 
1581
Region: 
Mid West
Referred under EP Act: 
s38
Industry sector: 
Gold
Last updated: 
September 30, 2020
Current Status: 
Ministerial Statement published
Ministerial Statement published
2. Decision on whether to assess this proposal
Chair's Determination: 
Formal under Section 43 (Not appealable)
Preliminary Environmental Factors: 
Social Surroundings
Flora and Vegetation
Date published: 
Monday, 25 July, 2005
3. Assessment
Environmental Review
Proponent response to submissions: 
PDF icon Response to submissions
4. EPA Report on assessment
EPA Report Number: 
1273
EPA Report: 
PDF icon Fimiston Gold Mine Operations Extension Stage 3 and Mine Closure Planning - Revised Report
Key Environmental Factors: 
Social Surroundings
Coastal Processes
Date published: 
Monday, 3 December, 2007
Appeals close: 
Monday, 17 December, 2007
5. Decision on proposal and implementation of proposal
Ministerial Statement
Date of approval: 
Thursday, 29 January, 2009
Ministerial Statement: 
PDF icon Ministerial Statement 782.pdf
Post-assessment changes
S46C changes to conditions: 

Attachment 1 to Statement 782 – Clearing for Kaltails tailings storage facility, contingency clearing for infrastructure post Kaltails recommissioning, and inclusion of hydrogen peroxide dosing facility – change to proposal approved under s45C on 6 September 2010.

Attachment 2 to Statement 782 – Replacement of condition 11-3 – change to proposal approved under section 46C on 23 July 2013.

Date S46C: 
Monday, 6 September, 2010
Tuesday, 23 July, 2013
s. 45C amendments: 

Attachment 3 to Statement 782 – Removal of different options for management of tailings in the description of the proposal; updated description of the proposal including the ‘Proposal footprint’ and ‘Mine Development Envelope’; and removal of elements that are not key proposal characteristics relevant to the environment or managed under other legislation – change to proposal approved under section 45C on 17 June 2015.

Attachment 4 to Statement 782 – Addition to pit area to enable pit remediation and removal of 2 ha from the Environmental Noise Bund area– change to proposal approved under section 45C on 12 June 2017.

Attachment 5 to Statement 782:

  • Clearing of 200 hectares within the development envelope to mine two areas within the existing Fimiston open pit, referred to as Morrison and Brownhill, and develop additional supporting infrastructure;
  • Addition of 4 hectares to pit area to enable mining within the Firmiston open pit; and
  • Removal of 4 hectares from the Environmental Noise Bund area including updated coordinates

Change to proposal approved under section 45C on 26 June 2018

Attachment 6 to Statement 782:

  • Revision of the proposal’s Development Envelope to include the Kaltails Supply Borefield
    utilised as a water supply borefield in a defined development envelope (borefield formerly
    approved under a previous ministerial statement);
  • Establishment of a Managed Aquifer Recharge system (the Kaltails Managed Aquifer
    Recharge Project) utilising the existing Kaltails Supply Borefield; and
  • Inclusion of 73 hectares of clearing within the revised Development Envelope to support the
    Kaltails Managed Aquifer Recharge Project (clearing formerly approved for the borefield
    under a previous ministerial statement).

Change to proposal approved under section 45C on 10 October 2018.

Attachment 7 to Statement 782 - • Changes:

  • Expansion of the proposal’s Development Envelope by 272 hectares to includea two-cell paddock expansion of the Fimiston II TSF and associated infrastructure.
  • Increase in the authorised extent of clearing by 295 hectares to allow the construction of the two-cell paddock expansion of the Fimiston II TSF and associated infrastructure.
  • Extension of the Fimiston Open Pit to include Fimiston South.
  • Change to Figure 1 and Figure 2 to detail expansion of the Fimiston II TSF, expansion of Fimiston Open Pit, change to noise bund location and Development Envelope.

Change to proposal approved under section 45C on 30 September 2020

Date of approval s. 45C: 
Wednesday, 17 June, 2015
Monday, 12 June, 2017
Tuesday, 26 June, 2018
Monday, 8 October, 2018
Wednesday, 30 September, 2020

Source URL:https://www.epa.wa.gov.au/proposals/fimiston-gold-mine-operations-extension-stage-3-and-mine-closure-planning