Auvex Resources Pty Ltd Ant Hill and Sunday Hill: Level 1 Biological Assessment Survey
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Auvex Resources Pty Ltd Ant Hill and Sunday Hill: Level 1 Biological Assessment Survey Contributing Authors Correspondence: Dr Mitch Ladyman Dr Mitch Ladyman Dr Robert Davis Animal Plant Mineral Pty Ltd Mrs Eleanor Hoy Tel: 0437307008 68 Westgrove Drive Ellenbrook, Western Australia 6069 E-mail: [email protected] ABN: 86 886 455 949 www.animalplantmineral.com.au This document is protected by legal professional privilege. To ensure privilege is no waived, please keep this document confidential and in a safe and secure place. This document should not be distributed to, nor any reference to it made to, any person or organization not directly involved in making decisions upon the subject matter of this document. If this document is requested by a third party, legal advice should be immediately obtained prior to that person viewing or taking the document to ensure that any necessary disclosure occurs in an appropriate manner. Animal Plant Mineral Pty Ltd, 68 Westgrove Drive, Ellenbrook W.A. 6069 Page 111 of 939393 Summary This report presents the findings of a preliminary flora, vegetation and fauna assessment for the Ant Hill and Sunday Hill mining projects, as part of the Mesa Mining Joint Venture (MMJV). Ant Hill and Sunday Hill are situated approximately 61 and 55 kilometres respectively to the southeast of Nullagine within the East Pilbara Manganese Province. The total area of investigation covered both the Ant Hill and Sunday Hill mining lease areas (M46/238 and M46/237, respectively). However the development of the project will be a staged process, with a much smaller area of less than 50ha at Ant Hill (M46/238) targeted for extraction of ore in the first two years following project approval. A field survey was undertaken from 5-9 September, 2009, by Mrs Eleanor Hoy and Dr Mitchell Ladyman (APM) and involved a comprehensive on-ground site assessment of the entire extent of M46/237 and M46/238. No Declared Rare flora and only one Priority flora species, Acacia bromilowiana (P3) was collected during the survey. The Priority 3 Acacia bromilowiana was not collected from the proposed impact footprint at Ant Hill, but occurs immediately adjacent to it at site AH7, and at other locations along the east facing slopes. As A. bromilowiana occurs in multiple locations on Sunday Hill also, only a small proportion of the local population is likely to be exposed to impacts following development of the Ant Hill impact footprint. However, further survey work at an appropriate time of the year (following significant rainfall) would be required to accurately determine the extent and distribution of this P3 species. Though not recorded during the survey, the ridge and hill site types of both Ant Hill and Sunday Hill (including the proposed impact footprint) may support the Priority 1 Acacia aphanoclada as a dominant (at low density) shrub. This species is a conspicuous element of the Mosquito Land System vegetation over which the project area lies. Overall the vegetation of the project area showed little sign of degradation. Drainage shrubland and woodland site types were the only areas to contain infrequent records of the exotic flora *Malvastrum americanum and * Vachellia farnesiana and tussock grasslands along the riverine areas were heavily grazed by cattle. On the Ant Hill and Sunday Hill mesas there is significant historical mining disturbance. No specific evidence of Threatened or Priority fauna species was recorded during the field survey. There were also no fauna or fauna habitats that are specifically limited to occurring within the proposed impact area. Small areas of sheltered south facing cliffs, ledges and rock overhangs were present and intermittently dispersed around the periphery of both the Ant Hill and Sunday Hill mesas. Where these microhabitats occur within, or close to, the first area targeted for mining, they will need to be preserved until further assessments are carried out for the presence of short range endemic invertebrates. The 2 – 3 year staged ore extraction timetable, based on the mine impact footprint proposed, allows sufficient time for mining to commence in parallel with further short range endemic assessments. It is unlikely that significant impact to populations or individuals of any other fauna of conservation significance will occur in the initial stages of ore extraction from the first targeted impact area at the southern end of the Ant Hill mesa. However, due to the potential presence (based on available This document is protected by legal professional privilege. To ensure privilege is no waived, please keep this document confidential and in a safe and secure place. This document should not be distributed to, nor any reference to it made to, any person or organization not directly involved in making decisions upon the subject matter of this document. If this document is requested by a third party, legal advice should be immediately obtained prior to that person viewing or taking the document to ensure that any necessary disclosure occurs in an appropriate manner. Animal Plant Mineral Pty Ltd, 68 Westgrove Drive, Ellenbrook W.A. 6069 Page 222 of 939393 habitat) of species such as the Pilbara Olive Python and the Northern Quoll, further detailed fauna survey work should be considered as the project progresses across the central and northern extent of the Ant Hill mesa and onto Sunday Hill. The resource definition drilling program that is forecast for Ant Hill over the first two years of the project, in addition to the existing drill holes on Ant Hill and Sunday Hill, also provide sufficient opportunity for troglofauna sampling and assessment prior to further expansion of the mine. There are no issues relating to impacts on stygofauna as the proposal will not draw ground water or alter the ground water table. This report details a number of suggested management practices that Auvex Resources may consider to minimize the disturbance to flora and fauna over the life of the project. This document is protected by legal professional privilege. To ensure privilege is no waived, please keep this document confidential and in a safe and secure place. This document should not be distributed to, nor any reference to it made to, any person or organization not directly involved in making decisions upon the subject matter of this document. If this document is requested by a third party, legal advice should be immediately obtained prior to that person viewing or taking the document to ensure that any necessary disclosure occurs in an appropriate manner. Animal Plant Mineral Pty Ltd, 68 Westgrove Drive, Ellenbrook W.A. 6069 Page 333 of 939393 Contents 1 Scope ............................................................................................................................................... 5 2 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 6 3 Methodology ................................................................................................................................... 7 3.1 Contributing Authors .............................................................................................................. 7 3.2 Desktop Methodology ............................................................................................................ 8 3.3 Assessment of conservation significance for fauna .............................................................. 10 3.4 Field Methodology ................................................................................................................ 11 3.4.1 Flora and Vegetation .................................................................................................... 11 3.4.2 Vegetation Mapping and Condition Assessment ......................................................... 12 3.4.3 Flora collections ........................................................................................................... 12 3.4.4 Fauna Habitats ............................................................................................................. 12 4 Flora and Vegetation ..................................................................................................................... 13 4.1 Regional Representation ....................................................................................................... 13 4.2 Flora and Vegetation Desktop Interpretation ....................................................................... 13 4.3 Plant Communities (Vegetation Types)................................................................................. 15 5 Fauna and Fauna Habitat Assessment .......................................................................................... 22 5.1 Primary Fauna Habitats ......................................................................................................... 22 5.2 Fauna Desktop Interpretation ............................................................................................... 25 5.2.1 Amphibians................................................................................................................... 25 5.2.2 Reptiles ......................................................................................................................... 25 5.2.3 Birds.............................................................................................................................. 26 5.2.4 Mammals .....................................................................................................................