Eramurra Industrial Salt Project Marine Environmental Pre-Feasibility Study CLIENT: Leichhardt Industrials STATUS: Rev 0 REPORT No.: R1800077 ISSUE DATE: 14th November 2018 Important Note This report and all its components (including images, audio, video, text) is copyright. Apart from fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced, copied, transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical or graphic) without the prior written permission of O2 Marine. This report has been prepared for the sole use of the Leichhardt Industrials Pty Ltd (herein, ‘the client’), for a specific site (herein ‘the site’, the specific purpose specified in Section 1 of this report (herein ‘the purpose’). This report is strictly limited for use by the client, to the purpose and site and may not be used for any other purposes. 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O2 Marine waives all responsibility for loss or damage where the accuracy and effectiveness of information provided by the Client or other third parties was inaccurate or not up to date and was relied upon, wholly or in part in reporting. 18WAU-0014 Leichhardt Industrials ii R1800077 Eramurra Industrial Salt Project WA Marine Pty Ltd t/as O2 Marine ACN 168 014 819 Originating Office – Southwest Suite 5, 18 Griffin Drive, Dunsborough WA 6281 T 1300 739 447 | [email protected] Version Register Version Status Author Reviewer Change from Authorised for Release Previous Version (signed and dated) Rev A Draft M Donda C Lane C Lane 2/10/2018 Rev0 Final M. Donda T. Hurley T Hurley 13/11/2018 Transmission Register Controlled copies of this document are issued to the persons/companies listed below. Any copy of this report held by persons not listed in this register is deemed uncontrolled. Updated versions of this report if issued will be released to all parties listed below via the email address listed. Name Email Address Phil Scott [email protected] 18WAU-0014 Leichhardt Industrials iii R1800077 Eramurra Industrial Salt Project Table of Contents 1. Introduction 6 Eramurra Industrial Salt Project 6 Project Marine Elements 9 2. Desktop Review 12 Features of Conservation Significance (Marine) 12 Existing Marine Environment 14 3. Marine Environmental Reconnaissance Survey 27 Survey Objectives 27 Survey Methods 27 Survey Findings 28 4. Environmental Factors (Sea Theme) 37 Preliminary Environmental Factors 37 5. Key Findings & Recommendations 43 Conclusions 43 Recommendations 44 6. References 47 Figures Figure 1 Eramurra Industrial Salt Project Location (Source: Preston 2018) 6 Figure 2 Eramurra Industrial Salt Project area (Source: Preston 2018) 8 Figure 3 Preliminary Marine Infrastructure Options 11 Figure 4 Towed video survey locations and observed BCH 32 Tables Table 1 Features of conservation significance protected through commonwealth government legislation 12 Table 2 Features of conservation significance protected through state legislation 13 Table 3 Marine Mammal species likely to occur in the Project area. 19 Table 4 Marine Reptile species likely to occur in the Project area. 21 Table 5 Marine Sharks and Ray species likely to occur in the Project area. 23 Table 6 Marine Migratory and other listed marine species likely to occur in the Project area. 24 Table 7 Broad benthic habitat type and cover categories 27 Table 8 Description of broad subtidal BCH classes observed during the towed video survey 29 Table 9 Description of broad intertidal BCH classes observed during the aerial survey 34 Table 10 Preliminary Assessment Against ‘Sea Theme’ Environmental Factors 38 18WAU-0014 Leichhardt Industrials iv R1800077 Eramurra Industrial Salt Project Appendices Appendix A Database Searches A 18WAU-0014 Leichhardt Industrials v R1800077 Eramurra Industrial Salt Project 1. Introduction Eramurra Industrial Salt Project Leichhardt Industrials Pty Ltd (Leichhardt) is proposing to develop the Eramurra Industrial Salt Project (the Project), a salt production and export operation in the Cape Preston East area. The Project will produce salt for export to the Asian chemical markets. The Project area is located approximately 55 kilometres (km) west-south-west of Karratha in the Pilbara region of Western Australia (WA; Figure 1). Figure 1 Eramurra Industrial Salt Project Location (Source: Preston 2018) The Proposal is a solar salt project that will utilise seawater and natural solar evaporation processes to produce a concentrated salt product. A production rate of up to 4 Million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) is being targeted. To meet this production, the following infrastructure will be developed: Seawater intake, pump station and pipeline; Concentrator ponds totalling approximately 2,700 hectares (ha); Pre-crystalliser and crystalliser ponds, totalling approximately 2,500 ha; Drainage channels and bunds; Process Plant and dewatering facilities; Desalination plant; Bitterns disposal pipeline and outfall; Power supply and power lines; Pumps, pipelines and roads; Groundwater bores; 18WAU-0014 Leichhardt Industrials R1800077 Eramurra Industrial Salt Project 6 Accommodation camp; Administration buildings; Workshops; Laydown areas; Communications facilities; A subsea pipeline and offshore export facility; and Other associated infrastructure. The Proposal will produce salt products according to the following process: Seawater will be pumped into the first concentrator pond before undergoing progressive concentration by solar evaporation as it flows through successive concentrator ponds; The saturated brine will be pumped into pre-crystalliser and finally crystalliser ponds where further evaporation occurs, and salt is deposited onto a pre-formed base of salt; Bitterns will be pumped and disposed of via an ocean outfall (approximately 8 GLpa) at, or en- route, to the selected port option; and Salt will be removed from the drained crystalliser ponds by mechanical harvesters and stockpiled adjacent to the processing facilities. Salt will be exported by pumping the salt as a slurry to the Cape Preston East Port land (Figure 2), where a small pumping station will continue pumping through a subsea pipeline to an offshore port facility. Two port facility options are included in the Proposal: A mooring and umbilicus for slurry / brine return serviced by one or more vessels fitted with centrifuges for extracting and washing salt, and a loader conveyor; A constructed offshore wharf (approximately 200 x 200 m) based on a pylon platform. Fitted with centrifuges for extracting & washing salt, and ship loading system and all required services. The port facility will be located in approximately 15 m of water where a dredge channel will not be required (Figure 2). The port options together with the other marine elements of the Project are described briefly in Section 1.2. 18WAU-0014 Leichhardt Industrials R1800077 Eramurra Industrial Salt Project 7 Figure 2 Eramurra Industrial Salt Project area (Source: Preston 2018) 18WAU-0014 Leichhardt Industrials R1800077 Eramurra Industrial Salt Project 8 Project Marine Elements The Marine elements of the Project, as assessed in this Report, will comprise the following: Seawater Intake – Seawater intake is proposed to occur during high tides and will include extraction of approximately 8 GLpa. Four seawater intake location options were considered (Figure 3), located at: Intake Option 1 – Gnoorea Point Boat Ramp; Intake Option 2 – Pelican Point; Intake Option 3 – Barndar Creek; and Intake Option 4 – Pimbyana Creek Option 2 has since been eliminated in consideration of an Aboriginal Heritage site. Export Facility – Four port options were considered. These options are outlined briefly below and shown in Figure 3: Port Option 1 – Dedicated Ship Fleet: Comprised of a mooring & umbilicus for slurry / brine return, power, fresh water from shore. A fleet of 4 x dedicated Handimax / Panamax ships fitted with centrifuges for extracting & washing salt, and a loader conveyor; Port Option 2 – Converted Cape Sized OR custom barge floating processing, stockpile & wharf: Self-powered, reverse osmosis (RO) freshwater & power generation. Comprised of a mooring & umbilicus for slurry / brine return. Fitted with centrifuges for extracting & washing salt, and ship loading system; Port Option 3 – Wharf Island (200 x 200 m) – Constructed from a pylon platform. Receives salt slurry via pipeline for centrifuge & salt stockpile. Comprised of diesel power generator 1.5 Mw, RO freshwater plant, fuel storage, water storage and ship loading system; and Port Option 4 – Dredge Channel & Wharf Island (200 x 200 m): Constructed either from dredged spoils OR a pylon platform. Receives salt slurry via pipeline for centrifuge & salt stockpile. Comprised of diesel power generator 1.5 Mw, RO freshwater plant, fuel storage, water storage and ship loading system. Option 4 has since been eliminated due to environmental and economic considerations. Waste Bitterns Outfall – Discharge of approximately 8 GLpa year of waste bitterns is required to dispose of waste by-products derived during salt processing. Two location options are initially proposed. These options are outlined