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Sand Dune Vegetation Monitoring Lake Disappointment Potash Project for Reward Minerals Limited

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Sand Dune Vegetation Monitoring Lake Disappointment Potash Project for Reward Minerals Limited Sand Dune Vegetation Monitoring Lake Disappointment Potash Project For Reward Minerals Limited September 2015 FINAL Prepared by: Botanica Consulting PO Box 2027 Boulder WA 6432 90930024 Disclaimer This document and its contents are to be treated as confidential and are published in accordance with, and subject to an agreement between Botanica Consulting (BC) and the client for whom it has been prepared, and is restricted to those issues that have been raised by the client in its engagement of BC. Neither this document nor its contents may be referred to or quoted in any manner (report or other document) nor reproduced in part or whole by electronic, mechanical or chemical means, including photocopying, recording or any information storage system, without the express written approval of the client and/or BC. This document and its contents have been prepared utilising the standard of care and skill ordinarily exercised by Environmental Scientists in the preparation of such documents. All material presented in this document is published in good faith and is believed to be accurate at the time of writing. Any person or organisation who relies on or uses the document and its contents for purposes or reasons other than those agreed by BC and the client without primarily obtaining the prior written consent of BC, does so entirely at their own risk. BC denies all liability in tort, contract or otherwise for any loss, damage or injury of any kind whatsoever (whether in negligence or otherwise) that may be endured as a consequence of relying on this document and its contents for any purpose other than that agreed with the client. Quality Assurance An internal quality review process has been implemented to each project task undertaken by BC. Each document and its contents are carefully reviewed by core members of the Consultancy team and signed off at Director level prior to issue to the client. Draft documents are submitted to the client for comment and acceptance prior to final production. Document Job Number: 2015/42 Prepared by: Pat Harton Environmental Scientist Botanica Consulting Reviewed by: Andrea Williams Director Botanica Consulting Approved by: Jim Williams Director Botanica Consulting Table of Contents Page # 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Survey Objectives ...........................................................................................................................................1 2 Regional Biophysical Environment ................................................................................................ 3 2.1 Regional Environment .....................................................................................................................................3 2.2 Topography & Soils .........................................................................................................................................5 2.3 Remnant Vegetation .......................................................................................................................................5 2.4 Lake Disappointment (Savory Creek system) ................................................................................................6 2.5 Climate ............................................................................................................................................................6 2.6 Land Use .........................................................................................................................................................7 3 Survey Methodology ........................................................................................................................ 8 3.1 Sampling and Analysis Methods .....................................................................................................................8 3.2 Personnel Involved....................................................................................................................................... 10 3.3 Scientific licences ......................................................................................................................................... 10 4 Results ............................................................................................................................................ 11 4.1 Species Diversity .......................................................................................................................................... 14 4.2 Species Density ........................................................................................................................................... 14 4.3 Total Vegetation Cover ................................................................................................................................ 14 4.4 Health Condition ........................................................................................................................................... 14 4.5 Flora of Conservation Significance .............................................................................................................. 17 4.6 Introduced Species ...................................................................................................................................... 17 5 Conclusions and Recommendations ........................................................................................... 18 6 References ..................................................................................................................................... 20 Tables Table 1: Remaining Beard Vegetation Associations within the Sand Dune vegetation monitoring program of the Lake Disappointment Potash Project (DAFWA, 2011) ............................................................................................................5 Table 2: Sand Dune Vegetation Monitoring Locations (GDA94, Zone 51K) ............................................................... 10 Table 3: Scientific Licences of Botanica Staff coordinating the survey ....................................................................... 10 Table 4: Summary results of vegetation monitoring from 2013 to 2015 ...................................................................... 12 Table 5: General notes on health rating of each transect in 2015 ............................................................................... 15 Figures Figure 1: Regional Map of the Lake Disappointment Potash Project .............................................................................2 Figure 2: Map of Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation of Australia (IBRA)-Little Sandy Desert Region of Western Australia ..........................................................................................................................................................................3 Figure 3: Map of IBRA subregions in the vicinity of the Lake Disappointment Potash Project ......................................4 Figure 4: Monthly rainfall from January 2011 to April 2015 and mean monthly rainfall (January 1974 to April 2015) for the Telfer Aero weather station (#13030) (BOM, 2015)..................................................................................................7 Figure 5: Annual rainfall from January 2011 to April 2015 and mean monthly rainfall (January 1974 to April 2015) for the Telfer Aero weather station (#13030) (BOM, 2015)..................................................................................................7 Figure 6: Map of sand dune vegetation monitoring sites Lake Disappointment .............................................................9 Figure 7: Map of fire history along the extent of the area obtained from Landgate fire watch database (Landgate, 2015) ............................................................................................................................................................................ 16 Plates Plate 1: Photograph taken of camels within the Lake Disappointment Project area (BC, 2015) ................................ 18 Appendices Appendix 1: Regional Map of Lake Disappointment Potash Project and areas of Conservation Significance ........... 21 Appendix 2: Keighery 1994 Health Rating Scale ........................................................................................................ 22 Appendix 3: List of all species identified in Sand Dune vegetation monitoring program 2015 ................................... 23 Appendix 4: Raw Results of the Sand Dune Vegetation Monitoring 2015 .................................................................. 24 Appendix 5: Photographic Records of Sand Dune Vegetation Monitoring Quadrats .................................................. 30 Executive summary Reward Minerals Limited Lake Disappointment Potash Project is located within the Little Sandy Desert, approximately 138km south of Telfer and 285km east of Newman, in the Pilbara of Western Australia. The Lake Disappointment Potash Project initially comprised of two stages of activities: Stage 1-track development, exploration camp construction and infill drilling; and Stage 2-development of pilot ponds/trenches on Lake Disappointment. Development of the access track and exploration camp were completed in 2014. Infill drilling on the lake commenced in 2015 and is ongoing. Approvals for development of the pilot ponds/trenches (Stage 2 activities) are currently being processed and
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