PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has recommended environmental approval for iron-ore miner Atlas Iron’s Miralga Creek direct shipping ore (DSO) project in the Pilbara.
Atlas is proposing to construct and operate the Miralga Creek operation over four to five years, at three mining areas, situated about 100 km south-east of Port Hedland.
EPA chairperson Dr Tom Hatton said the EPA had recommended that Atlas contribute to the Pilbara Environmental Offsets Fund to counterbalance the impact of clearing 219.8 ha of Chichester IBRA subregion vegetation, which is foraging and denning habitat for the northern quoll, ghost bat and Pilbara leaf-nosed bat.
“The EPA has assessed the proposal and determined it should proceed, subject to conditions including mitigating impacts from noise, dust and vibration on nearby fauna habitat, and taking a staged approach to blasting,” Hatton said.
“Further, the proponent has designed the development envelope to avoid two vegetation types of conservation interest including priority flora and fauna habitat, which the EPA supports.”
The proposal involves the development of mine pits and associated infrastructure, including processing facilities, waste landforms and access roads. The site will include an accommodation camp and use some existing ancillary infrastructure from the nearby Abydos DSO project.
The Minister for Environment will make the final decision on the proposal.