Environmental approval granted for Hope Downs expansion
PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) this week approved the expansion plan for the Hope Downs iron-ore mine.
Mining giant Rio Tinto and its joint venture partner, Hope Downs Iron Ore, had sought approval to develop the Baby Hope deposit as an amendment to the existing Hope Downs mine.
The Baby Hope proposal included three above water table openpits, associated waste rock dumps, stockpiles and haul roads.
Based on the current mine plan, mining at Baby Hope would start in 2016 and would finish in 2026.
EPA chairperson Dr Tom Hatton said that the proposal could be managed to meet the EPA’s environmental objectives.
“The EPA has recommended that this proposal be approved, subject to a further set of conditions,” Hatton said.
“In addition to the existing conditions in the Ministerial statement, the EPA has recommended the proponent ensure all areas within the development envelope are rehabilitated and decommissioned to restore ecological sustainability.”
Hatton said this would be achieved with the implementation of a mine closure plan, which would be regularly revised.
“The EPA has also recommended the proponent contribute funds to a government-established conservation fund to mitigate the significant residual impact of clearing up to 800 ha of native vegetation in ‘good to excellent’ condition,” Hatton said.
The EPA’s report to the Environment Minister is open for a two-week public appeal period, closing November 30.
The existing Hope Downs mine produced at a nominal rate of 32-million tonnes a year from two orebodies.
Comments
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation