November 2013 Polaris Metals Pty Ltd J4 Mine and Haul
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NOVEMBER 2013 POLARIS METALS PTY LTD J4 MINE AND HAUL ROAD TERRESTRIAL AND SUBTERRANEAN FAUNA ASSESSMENT Polaris Metals Pty Ltd J4 Mine and Haul Road Terrestrial and Subterranean Fauna Assessment This page has been left blank intentionally November 2013 i Polaris Metals Pty Ltd J4 Mine and Haul Road Terrestrial and Subterranean Fauna Assessment Document Status Approved for Issue Rev Author/s Reviewer/s Date Name Distribute to Date 0 A Heidrich D. Cancilla 25/11/13 K. Bauer‐Simpson J. Hesford 26/11/13 C Knuckey D. Temple‐Smith ecologia Environment (2013). Reproduction of this report in whole or in part by electronic, mechanical or chemical means, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, in any language, is strictly prohibited without the express approval of Polaris Metals NL and ecologia Environment. Restrictions on Use This report has been prepared specifically for Polaris Metals NL. Neither the report nor its contents may be referred to or quoted in any statement, study, report, application, prospectus, loan, or other agreement document (with the exception of when this document is required to be publicly released as part of a statutory approval process), without the express approval of Polaris Metals NL and ecologia Environment. ecologia Environment 1025 Wellington Street WEST PERTH WA 6005 Phone: 08 9322 1944 Fax: 08 9322 1599 Email: [email protected] November 2013 i Polaris Metals Pty Ltd J4 Mine and Haul Road Terrestrial and Subterranean Fauna Assessment TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................... IX 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 PROJECT BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................ 1 1.2 LEGISLATION AND POLICY ......................................................................................................... 3 1.3 SURVEY OBJECTIVES .................................................................................................................. 5 1.4 BACKGROUND SUMMARY OF FAUNAL GROUPS ...................................................................... 5 2 EXISTING ENVIRONMENT .................................................................................................. 9 2.1 CLIMATE .................................................................................................................................... 9 2.2 BIOGEOGRAPHY, GEOLOGY AND SOILS ..................................................................................10 2.3 HYDROGEOLOGY .....................................................................................................................15 2.4 PREVIOUS SURVEYS ................................................................................................................15 3 METHODS ....................................................................................................................... 27 3.1 DETERMINATION OF SURVEY SAMPLING DESIGN AND INTENSITY ........................................27 3.2 STUDY TEAM ...........................................................................................................................28 3.3 SURVEY TIMING ......................................................................................................................29 3.4 SITE SELECTION .......................................................................................................................29 3.5 FAUNA HABITAT MAPPING ....................................................................................................37 3.6 SAMPLING TECHNIQUES .........................................................................................................37 3.7 SURVEY EFFORT SUMMARY ....................................................................................................47 3.8 DATA ANALYSIS .......................................................................................................................49 3.9 LIKELIHOOD OF OCCURRENCE OF CONSERVATION SIGNIFICANT FAUNA ..............................50 3.10 DETERMINING SRE STATUS .....................................................................................................51 3.11 TAXONOMY AND NOMENCLATURE OF VERTEBRATE FAUNA ................................................53 3.12 TAXONOMY AND NOMENCLATURE OF INVERTEBRATE FAUNA .............................................53 3.13 ANIMAL ETHICS .......................................................................................................................53 4 RESULTS .......................................................................................................................... 55 4.1 FAUNA HABITATS ....................................................................................................................55 4.2 FAUNA HABITAT ANALYSIS .....................................................................................................62 4.3 FAUNA ASSEMBLAGE ..............................................................................................................64 4.4 SURVEY ADEQUACY ................................................................................................................82 5 DISCUSSION .................................................................................................................... 87 5.1 HABITATS AND ASSOCIATED FAUNA ......................................................................................87 November 2013 ii Polaris Metals Pty Ltd J4 Mine and Haul Road Terrestrial and Subterranean Fauna Assessment 5.2 FAUNA HABITAT ANALYSIS .....................................................................................................91 5.3 FAUNA ASSEMBLAGE ..............................................................................................................92 5.4 SURVEY ADEQUACY ............................................................................................................. 133 5.5 SURVEY LIMITATIONS AND CONSTRAINTS .......................................................................... 133 6 IMPACTS TO FAUNA HABITATS AND ASSEMBLAGES ...................................................... 135 6.1 THREATENING PROCESSES ................................................................................................... 135 6.2 IMPACTS ON FAUNA HABITATS ........................................................................................... 137 6.3 IMPACTS ON FAUNAL ASSEMBLAGES .................................................................................. 137 7 CONCLUSIONS .............................................................................................................. 139 8 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 141 November 2013 iii Polaris Metals Pty Ltd J4 Mine and Haul Road Terrestrial and Subterranean Fauna Assessment TABLES Table 2.1 – Rainfall averages for Southern Cross weather station (BoM 2013a) .................................... 9 Table 2.2 – Vegetation Association of the impact area .........................................................................11 Table 2.3 – Vegetation units within the impact area .............................................................................11 Table 2.4 – Geology of the impact area .................................................................................................14 Table 2.5 – Fauna databases ..................................................................................................................15 Table 2.6 – Previous biological survey reports within 35 km of the impact area ..................................16 Table 2.7 – Waterbirds with very low likelihood to occur within the impact area ................................17 Table 2.8 – Potential SRE species recorded from previous surveys .......................................................19 Table 2.9 – Troglofauna potentially occuring within the impact area ...................................................20 Table 3.1 – Factors likely to influence survey design (EPA 2004) ..........................................................27 Table 3.2 – Experience and qualifications of staff involved in the survey .............................................28 Table 3.3 – External specialists used for identification of select groups ...............................................28 Table 3.4 – Summary of survey timing and duration .............................................................................29 Table 3.5 – Previous survey Troglofauna trapping methodology ..........................................................30 Table 3.6 – Survey effort per sampling technique .................................................................................38 Table 3.7 – Activity of Malleefowl mounds as published by Malleefowl Preservation Group ..............42 Table 3.8 – Survey effort for Subterranean fauna .................................................................................44 Table 3.9 – Survey effort for conservation significant fauna .................................................................48 Table 3.10 – Likelihood of occurrence categories ..................................................................................50 Table 3.11 – Western Australian Museum