Appendix 9. Aquatic Baseline Characterisation Report – Fountain Head and Hayes Creek Zinc, Gold and Silver Projects
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Appendix 9. Aquatic Baseline Characterisation Report – Fountain Head and Hayes Creek Zinc, Gold and Silver Projects AQUATIC BASELINE CHARACTERISATION REPORT DRAFT FOUNTAIN HEAD AND HAYES CREEK ZINC, GOLD AND SILVER PROJECTS JULY 2020 Report No. 01238B_5_v2 ERIAS Group Pty Ltd ACN 155 087 362 PNX Metals Ltd Fountain Head and Hayes Creek Zinc, Gold and Silver Projects Aquatic Baseline Characterisation Report July 2020 (Report No. 01238B_5_v2) Prepared by ERIAS Group Pty Ltd (ACN: 155 087 362) 13–25 Church Street Hawthorn, Victoria, 3122 Australia P +61 3 9208 6700 E [email protected] W eriasgroup.com Client Contact: James Fox [email protected] ERIAS Group Contact: Scott Breschkin [email protected] ERIAS Group Alternative Contact: Kate Sinai [email protected] Document Date Compiled by Checked by Authorised by 01238B_5_v1 06/03/2020 S. Breschkin C. Monahan D. Browne 01238B_5_v2 16/07/2020 S. Breschkin D. Browne AQUATIC BASELINE CHARACTERISATION REPORT FOUNTAIN HEAD AND HAYES CREEK ZINC, GOLD AND SILVER PROJECTS DRAFT Table of Contents Chapters 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1–1 1.1 Project Overview ............................................................................................................ 1–1 1.2 Study and Objectives ...................................................................................................... 1–2 2. Methods .............................................................................................................................. 2–1 2.1 Study Approach .............................................................................................................. 2–1 2.2 Study Area ...................................................................................................................... 2–1 2.3 Field Surveys .................................................................................................................. 2–3 2.3.1 Surface Water Quality .............................................................................................. 2–4 2.3.2 Aquatic Biodiversity .................................................................................................. 2–5 2.4 Limitations ...................................................................................................................... 2–9 3. Study Results ..................................................................................................................... 3–1 3.1 Surface Water Quality .................................................................................................... 3–1 3.1.1 Assessment Framework .......................................................................................... 3–1 3.1.2 Physicochemical Parameters ................................................................................... 3–1 3.1.3 Nutrients ................................................................................................................... 3–2 3.1.4 Metals and Organic Carbon ..................................................................................... 3–3 3.1.5 Coliforms .................................................................................................................. 3–5 3.1.6 Hydrocarbons ........................................................................................................... 3–5 3.1.7 Major Ions, Water Hardness and Alkalinity .............................................................. 3–6 3.1.8 Quality Assurance and Quality Control .................................................................... 3–7 3.2 Aquatic Biodiversity ........................................................................................................ 3–7 3.2.1 Aquatic Habitats ....................................................................................................... 3–7 3.2.2 Aquatic Fauna .......................................................................................................... 3–9 3.2.3 Sensitive Species, Ecosystems and Habitat Features ........................................... 3–21 3.2.4 Introduced and Invasive Species ........................................................................... 3–22 01238B_5_V2.DOCX I AQUATIC BASELINE CHARACTERISATION REPORT FOUNTAIN HEAD AND HAYES CREEK ZINC, GOLD AND SILVER PROJECTS DRAFT 4. Summary of Findings ........................................................................................................ 4–1 4.1 Surface Water Quality .................................................................................................... 4–1 4.2 Aquatic Biodiversity ........................................................................................................ 4–1 5. References ......................................................................................................................... 5–1 Tables Table 2.1 – Aquatic Sampling Locations ..................................................................................... 2–3 Table 2.2 – Sampling Effort Per Sampling Location .................................................................... 2–4 Table 3.1 – Physicochemical Parameters ................................................................................... 3–1 Table 3.2 – Nutrient Concentrations (mg/L) ................................................................................ 3–2 Table 3.3 – Dissolved Metal (μg/L) and Organic Carbon (mg/L) Concentrations ........................ 3–4 Table 3.4 – Microbial Analysis Results ........................................................................................ 3–5 Table 3.5 – Major Ions, Water Hardness and Alkalinity (mg/L) ................................................... 3–6 Table 3.6 – Aquatic Habitat Characteristics per Sampling Location ............................................ 3–8 Table 3.7 – Listed Aquatic Species with Potential to Occur in the Study Area .......................... 3–21 Figures Figure 2.1 – Aquatic Survey Study Area and Sampling Locations .............................................. 2–2 Figure 3.1 – Abundance and Richness of Macroinvertebrates in the Study Area ..................... 3–11 Figure 3.2 – Abundance and Richness of Macroinvertebrates per Sampling Location – All Surveyed Sites .......................................................................................................................... 3–14 Figure 3.3 – Number of Macroinvertebrate Families Versus. SIGNAL 2 Score per Sampling Location – All Surveyed Sites .................................................................................................... 3–15 Figure 3.4– Abundance and Richness of Fish Recorded per Sampling Location – All Surveyed Sites ........................................................................................................................................... 3–18 Figure 3.5 – Eastern Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia splendida) Size Comparison Between Sampling Locations – All Surveyed Sites .................................................................................................. 3–20 01238B_5_V2.DOCX II AQUATIC BASELINE CHARACTERISATION REPORT FOUNTAIN HEAD AND HAYES CREEK ZINC, GOLD AND SILVER PROJECTS DRAFT Plates Plate 2.1 – Macroinvertebrate Sampling at Site S3 ..................................................................... 2–6 Plate 2.2 – Electrofishing at Site S3 ............................................................................................ 2–7 Plate 2.3 – Large Fyke Net at Site S3 ......................................................................................... 2–8 Plate 2.4 – Smaller Fyke Net at Site S5 ...................................................................................... 2–8 Plate 2.5 – Baited Box Trap at Site S3 (Prior to Deployment) ..................................................... 2–9 Plate 3.1 – Film Observed at Site S3 .......................................................................................... 3–6 Plate 3.2 – Macrobrachium Species of the Study Area ............................................................... 3–9 Plate 3.3 –River Swimming Crab (Veruna Litterata) .................................................................. 3–10 Plate 3.4 – Examples of Most Abundant Macroinvertebrates Orders ........................................ 3–12 Plate 3.5 – Example of Hemiptera (True Bugs) from the Study Area (Nychia sp.) .................... 3–12 Plate 3.6 – Fish Species of the Study Area ............................................................................... 3–16 Plate 3.6 – Fish Species of the Study Area (cont'd) .................................................................. 3–17 Attachments Attachment 1. Laboratory Results Attachment 2. Photographs of Sampling Locations Attachment 3. Field Duplicate Results Attachment 4. Macroinvertebrate SIGNAL 2 Score Calculations Attachment 5. List of Fish and Elasmobranchs with Potential to Occur in the Study Area 01238B_5_V2.DOCX III AQUATIC BASELINE CHARACTERISATION REPORT FOUNTAIN HEAD AND HAYES CREEK ZINC, GOLD AND SILVER PROJECTS DRAFT 01238B_5_V2.DOCX IV AQUATIC BASELINE CHARACTERISATION REPORT FOUNTAIN HEAD AND HAYES CREEK ZINC, GOLD AND SILVER PROJECTS DRAFT 1. Introduction 1.1 Project Overview Mt Bonnie, Iron Blow and Fountain Head are existing, non-operational mine sites located near Hayes Creek, 170 km south of Darwin, Northern Territory and approximately 6 km east of the