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ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW and MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (ERMP) EPA Assessment No 1819

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ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW and MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (ERMP) EPA Assessment No 1819 ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (ERMP) EPA Assessment No 1819 May 2012 Toro Energy Limited l Wiluna Uranium Project l Response to Submissions PAGE 2 of 184 CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 5 1.1 Executive Summary .............................................................................................................................. 5 1.2 Proposal ............................................................................................................................................. 11 1.3 Purpose and Scope of Document ......................................................................................................... 11 1.4 Response to Submissions .................................................................................................................... 11 2 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT PROCESS .................................................................................. 13 3 PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS..................................................................................................................... 16 4 ABOUT THE PROJECT .............................................................................................................................. 18 4.1 Toro’s tenements in the Wiluna Region ............................................................................................... 18 4.2 The nature of uranium mining and its regulation ................................................................................. 18 4.3 Mining & Geology ............................................................................................................................... 20 4.4 Processing .......................................................................................................................................... 25 5 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES ........................................................................................................................ 29 5.1 Groundwater ...................................................................................................................................... 29 5.1.1 Water Supply .............................................................................................................................................. 29 5.1.2 Mine dewatering ........................................................................................................................................ 33 5.1.3 Groundwater characteristics...................................................................................................................... 34 5.1.4 Groundwater impacts ................................................................................................................................ 39 5.2 Surface water ..................................................................................................................................... 48 5.3 Mine closure ....................................................................................................................................... 53 5.3.1 Tailings Storage Facility .............................................................................................................................. 53 5.3.2 Waste Management................................................................................................................................... 61 5.3.3 Closure and Rehabilitation ......................................................................................................................... 62 5.4 Radiation ............................................................................................................................................ 69 5.5 Air Quality ........................................................................................................................................ 107 5.6 Fauna ............................................................................................................................................... 112 5.6.1 Subterranean Fauna ................................................................................................................................. 112 5.6.2 Terrestrial Fauna ...................................................................................................................................... 126 5.7 Flora and Vegetation ......................................................................................................................... 132 5.8 Transport .......................................................................................................................................... 136 5.9 Aboriginal and Cultural Heritage........................................................................................................ 148 5.10 Other Issues ...................................................................................................................................... 156 5.10.1 Climate ..................................................................................................................................................... 156 5.10.2 Energy and Greenhouse ........................................................................................................................... 156 5.10.3 Noise and Vibration ................................................................................................................................. 158 5.10.4 Cumulative Impacts ................................................................................................................................. 159 5.10.5 Land Systems ............................................................................................................................................ 159 5.10.6 Risk Assessment ....................................................................................................................................... 160 5.10.7 Health ....................................................................................................................................................... 160 6 COMMUNITY ISSUES AND CONSULTATION ............................................................................................ 163 6.1 Indigenous People ............................................................................................................................ 163 TORO ENERGY LIMITED CONTENTS Toro Energy Limited l Wiluna Uranium Project l Response to Submissions PAGE 3 of 184 6.2 Wiluna Community ........................................................................................................................... 166 6.3 Local and Regional Economic Benefits ............................................................................................... 167 6.4 Consultation ..................................................................................................................................... 169 7 ISSUES OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF THE ERMP ............................................................................................ 171 8 COMMITMENTS .................................................................................................................................... 175 9 ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ......................................................................................................... 180 9.1 Acronyms ......................................................................................................................................... 180 9.2 Abbreviations ................................................................................................................................... 181 10 REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................................... 182 11 APPENDICES ........................................................................................................................................ 0 11.1 Appendix A : Groundwater and Water Supply Management ................................................................. 0 11.2 Appendix B : Details of Water Barriers and Dewatering Volumes .......................................................... 0 11.3 Appendix C : Mine Closure and Tailings................................................................................................. 0 11.4 Appendix D : Radiation......................................................................................................................... 0 11.5 Appendix E : Subterranean Fauna (Stygofauna) ..................................................................................... 0 11.6 Appendix F : Tecticornia ....................................................................................................................... 0 TORO ENERGY LIMITED CONTENTS Toro Energy Limited l Wiluna Uranium Project l Response to Submissions PAGE 4 of 184 FIGURES Figure 1: CENTIPEDE - TYPICAL CROSS SECTION .......................................................................................................................... 23 Figure 2: LAKE WAY - TYPICAL CROSS SECTION ........................................................................................................................... 24 Figure 3: SCHEMATIC GEOLOGICAL BLOCK MODEL OF THE LAKE WAY REGION ......................................................................... 36 Figure 4: UNNAMED TECTICORNIA .............................................................................................................................................
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