Mesa A Hub: Warramboo Troglobitic Fauna Assessment Prepared for Rio Tinto July 2017 Warramboo Troglofauna Assessment This page intentionally blank 2 Cube:Current:1080 (Robe Valley Subterranean Fauna 2015):Documents:Warramboo Troglofauna:1080 Ph1&2 Rev0_v3.docx Warramboo Troglofauna Assessment © Biota Environmental Sciences Pty Ltd 2017 ABN 49 092 687 119 Level 1, 228 Carr Place Leederville Western Australia 6007 Ph: (08) 9328 1900 Fax: (08) 9328 6138 Job No.: 1080 Prepared by: Jason Alexander Document Quality Checking History Version: Rev A Peer review: Sylvie Schmidt Version: Rev 0 Director review: Garth Humphreys Version: Rev 0 Format review: Fiona Hedley Approved for issue: Garth Humphreys This document has been prepared to the requirements of the client identified on the cover page and no representation is made to any third party. It may be cited for the purposes of scientific research or other fair use, but it may not be reproduced or distributed to any third party by any physical or electronic means without the express permission of the client for whom it was prepared or Biota Environmental Sciences Pty Ltd. This report has been designed for double-sided printing. Hard copies supplied by Biota are printed on recycled paper. Cube:Current:1080 (Robe Valley Subterranean Fauna 2015):Documents:Warramboo Troglofauna:1080 Ph1&2 Rev0_v3.docx 3 Warramboo Troglofauna Assessment This page intentionally blank 4 Cube:Current:1080 (Robe Valley Subterranean Fauna 2015):Documents:Warramboo Troglofauna:1080 Ph1&2 Rev0_v3.docx Warramboo Troglofauna Assessment Warramboo Troglofauna Assessment Contents 1.0 Project Summary 9 2.0 Executive Summary 11 3.0 Introduction 13 3.1 Study Objectives and Scope 13 3.2 Purpose of this Report 13 3.3 Background on Subterranean Fauna 15 3.4 Terminology 16 4.0 Methodology 17 4.1 Desktop Review and Database Searches 17 4.2 Habitat Characterisation 17 4.3 Sampling Methodology 18 4.4 Molecular Analysis 20 4.5 Categories of Conservation Significance 20 4.6 Survey Design 21 4.7 Limitations 25 5.0 Results 27 5.1 Study Area Habitat Characterisation 27 5.2 Desktop Review Results 35 5.3 Survey Results 43 6.0 Discussion 55 6.1 Recorded Troglobites Excluded from Assessment 55 6.2 Conservation Significance 55 6.3 Habitat Suitability 59 6.4 Conclusions 62 7.0 Glossary 63 8.0 References 65 Appendix 1 Licence to take Fauna for Scientific Purposes (licence: SF010296) Appendix 2 Raw Sampling Data Appendix 3 Desktop Review: Troglobitic Fauna Species Lists and Conservation Significance Appendix 4 Helix Molecular Solutions: Genetic Analysis Reports Appendix 5 WAM Short-Range Endemic Categories Summary Cube:Current:1080 (Robe Valley Subterranean Fauna 2015):Documents:Warramboo Troglofauna:1080 Ph1&2 Rev0_v3.docx 5 Warramboo Troglofauna Assessment Appendix 6 Desktop Review: Previous Studies and Comparison Tables Table 1.1: Summary of project specifications and limitations. 9 Table 4.1: Summary and location of database searches completed for the current scope 17 Table 4.2: Conservation classification used within this report. 20 Table 4.3: Summary of field mobilisations completed for the Warramboo Troglofauna survey area. 21 Table 4.4: Name, location and sampling information of drill holes sampled for troglofauna within the Warramboo survey area. 22 Table 5.1: Surface geology of the Warramboo troglofauna study area and potential for occurrence of subterranean fauna. 27 Table 5.2: Prospectivity of the geological units within the study area to provide troglofauna habitat. 33 Table 5.3: Description of PECs overlapping the study area. 35 Table 5.4: Summary of previous surveys completed within the survey area and surrounds. 38 Table 5.5: Taxa and abundance (n) of troglofauna recorded from the desktop review. 40 Table 5.6: Order-level identifications and sequencing summary from the Warramboo survey area. 43 Table 5.7: Results of Pseudoscorpiones molecular analysis and corresponding species determinations. 43 Table 5.8: Results of Schizomida analysis and corresponding species determinations. 46 Table 5.9: Results of Scolopendromorpha analysis and corresponding species determinations. 47 Table 5.10: Results of Polydesmida analysis and corresponding species determinations from the Warramboo survey area. 48 Table 5.11: Results of Diplura analysis and corresponding species determinations. 49 Table 5.12: Results of Coleoptera analysis and corresponding species determinations. 49 Table 5.13: Interspecific variation of Coleoptera from both phases of sampling, in relation to reference species. 50 Table 5.14: Results of Thysaura analysis and corresponding species determinations. 51 Table 5.15: Results of Symphyla analysis and corresponding species determinations. 51 Table 5.16: Results of Isopoda analysis and corresponding species determinations. 53 Table 5.17: Interspecific variation of Isopoda from both phases of sampling, in relation to reference species. 53 Table 6.1: Summary of species recorded from the Warramboo survey area, including their conservation status and distribution. (Coordinates in GDA94, Zone 50; A summary of the WAM SRE categories is located in Appendix 5). 56 Table 6.2: Overall habitat suitability of the study area 58 6 Cube:Current:1080 (Robe Valley Subterranean Fauna 2015):Documents:Warramboo Troglofauna:1080 Ph1&2 Rev0_v3.docx Warramboo Troglofauna Assessment Figures Figure 3.1: Location of the Warramboo survey area and study area in relation to the existing Mesa A/Warramboo mining operations. 14 Figure 4.1: Climate and weather graph depicting long-term and monthly averages for the year preceding the final field mobilisation. 22 Figure 4.2: Location of drill holes sampled for troglofauna within the Warramboo survey area and previously sampled sites within the study area. 24 Figure 5.1: Drill holes sampled and surface geology of the Warramboo study area (see Table 5.1 for geology codes). 29 Figure 5.2: Conceptual cross section of the Robe Pisolite within the study area (Above) and from the Warramboo survey area (Below) 31 Figure 5.3: Modelled Robe Pisolite contours and thickness above water table within the Warramboo study (data supplied by Rio Tinto). 32 Figure 5.4: Prospective habitat within the Warramboo survey and study areas in relation to sampling locations. 34 Figure 5.5: Location of buffered PECs relevant to the current study area. 36 Figure 5.6: Summary of previous study locations in relation to the current scope. 39 Figure 5.7: Location of desktop review troglofauna sampling locations and records from the Warramboo study area. 42 Figure 5.8: Locations of specimen collections from the Warramboo troglofauna survey area during the current survey. 44 Figure 5.9: Bayesian analysis of CO1 haplotypes of the pseudoscorpion family Hyiidae collected from the Warramboo survey area. 45 Figure 5.10: Excerpt from Bayesian analysis of CO1 haplotypes of the pseudoscorpion family Chthoniidae collected from the survey area. 46 Figure 5.11: Excerpt of Helix produced Bayesian analysis of CO1 haplotypes of the order Schizomida collected from the survey area. 47 Figure 5.12: Excerpt of Helix produced Bayesian analysis of CO1 haplotypes of the order Scolopendromorpha collected from the survey area. 48 Figure 5.13: Excerpt of Helix produced Bayesian analysis of CO1 haplotypes of the order Diplopoda collected from the Warramboo survey area. 49 Figure 5.14: Subsection of Helix produced Bayesian analysis of CO1 haplotypes of the order Coleoptera collected from the survey area. 50 Figure 5.15: Excerpt of Bayesian analysis of 12s haplotypes of the order Thysanura collected from the Warramboo survey area. 51 Figure 5.16: Excerpt of Bayesian analysis of CO1 haplotypes of the order Symphyla collected from the Warramboo survey area. 52 Figure 5.17: Excerpt of the Helix Bayesian analysis of CO1 haplotypes of the isopod family Armadillidae collected from the survey area. 52 Figure 6.1: Species (current and previous records) of conservation significance or potential conservation significance in relation to habitat suitability. 60 Cube:Current:1080 (Robe Valley Subterranean Fauna 2015):Documents:Warramboo Troglofauna:1080 Ph1&2 Rev0_v3.docx 7 Warramboo Troglofauna Assessment Plates Plate 5.1: Representative photos of drill log cores from Robe Pisolite geologies HTP from site DD14WMB0001 (A); and TPH, from site WARDC0024 (B). 30 Plate 5.2: Dorsal view of Schizomida species Paradraculoides sp. ‘SCH003’ (T138500, from drill hole MEARC3790), collected from the survey area. 47 8 Cube:Current:1080 (Robe Valley Subterranean Fauna 2015):Documents:Warramboo Troglofauna:1080 Ph1&2 Rev0_v3.docx Warramboo Troglofauna Assessment 1.0 Project Summary In accordance with the Rio Tinto scope of work, Table 1.1 presents a summary of survey and project information. Table 1.1: Summary of project specifications and limitations. Project Name Mesa A Hub: Warramboo Troglofauna Assessment Level of Survey Level 2 troglofauna survey Location Approximately 45 km west of Pannawonica township Survey Area Size 62.32 km2 Survey Timing Surveys completed between June – October 2015 Relevant Regulatory • EPA Statement of Environmental Principles, Factors and Objectives (EPA Guidance Documents and 2016a); Applicable Legislation • Environmental Factor Guideline – Subterranean Fauna (EPA 2016b); • Technical Guidance - Subterranean fauna survey (EPA 2016c); and • Technical Guidance - Sampling methods for subterranean fauna (EPA 2016d). Key Survey Limitations • Presence of bias in availability of drill holes, as sampling tends to not extend far beyond the footprint of the target ore