Our plans for the Huntly Bauxite Mine and Pinjarra Alumina Refinery are being assessed under the State Environmental Protection Act 1986 and the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

State

1. Pinjarra Alumina Refinery Revised Proposal

The EPA will assess each of the three components under a Public Environmental Review which is the highest level possible.

To inform EPA’s environmental assessment, we have undertaken a range of detailed studies:

1. Flora and Vegetation: Surveys for new mine areas including conservation-significant flora.
2. Terrestrial Fauna: Surveys for new mine areas including threatened species.
3. Terrestrial Environment: Assessment of potential landscape and soil quality impacts associated with clearing and mining.
4. Air Quality: Emissions assessments for mining and refining including dust and an updated refinery health risk assessment.
5. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Assessment of potential impacts from mining and refining operations along with reduction opportunities.
6. Surface and Groundwater: Hydrological and water quality assessments for proposed new mine areas and future refinery needs.
7. Social Surroundings: Assessment of a range of potential impacts including visual amenity, noise, heritage, and recreation (tracks and trails).

Commonwealth

1. Huntly Bauxite Mine Transition - Myara North and Holyoake

2. Pinjarra Alumina Refinery - Development of water storage ponds and associated borrow pits

At a Commonwealth level the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) will assess each project as a controlled action and under an accredited assessment process. This will run in parallel with the State under one process led by the WA Environmental Protection Authority.