PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Western Australia Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has given its blessing to Rio Tinto subsidiary Mount Bruce Mining to develop the Koodaideri iron-ore mine and related infrastructure.

The Koodaideri project was expected to deliver about 70-million tonnes of iron-ore per year, over a mine life of more than 30 years.

The development includes mine pits, ore processing areas, waste dumps and a storage facility, as well as railway and infrastructure corridors, which will require up to 12 171 ha of clearing within a development envelope of 65 888 ha.

EPA chairperson Paul Vogel said on Tuesday that after extensive investigation, the EPA concluded the project could meet the independent board’s objectives across several environmental factors if multiple conditions were implemented.

“The EPA concluded the proposal could be implemented in an environmentally acceptable manner but only if 14 conditions were implemented. These conditions include a management plan and creation of buffers and an exclusion zone to ensure the proposal does not affect a colony of Pilbara Leaf-nosed Bats.”

The management plan and exclusion zones will also protect the Koodaideri Spring and the associated creek and pools that provide a near permanent source of water, which in turn would safeguard vegetation as well as habitat for the Pilbara Leaf-nosed Bat, Northern Quoll and the Pilbara Olive Python.

It is also recommended that Mount Bruce would be required to rehabilitate the mine in an ecologically sustainable manner once the mine closes, as well as contribute offsets to a government conservation fund for the Pilbara.

The EPA’s report to the Minister for Environment was now open for a two-week public appeal period, with appeals to close December 2.

This proposal is also being assessed under a bilateral agreement with the commonwealth, and both state and federal Ministers for the Environment will make a decision under their respective legislation.