Olympic Dam expansion assessment report EPBC 2005/2270 Current Olympic Dam operation (photo: BHP Billiton) September 2011 Contents 1. Project description............................................................................................................... 1 2. Background ......................................................................................................................... 2 3. Preparation of assessment report ....................................................................................... 3 4. Approach to condition setting .............................................................................................. 4 5. Assessment of impacts on the environment ........................................................................ 4 5.1 Mining and processing activities ....................................................................................... 5 5.1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 5 5.1.2 Radiation ................................................................................................................ 6 5.1.3 Regional groundwater impacts ............................................................................. 10 5.1.4 Local groundwater impacts .................................................................................. 14 5.1.5 Impacts on flora and fauna................................................................................... 16 5.1.6 Air quality ............................................................................................................. 18 5.1.7 Soil contamination ................................................................................................ 19 5.1.8 Rehabilitation and closure .................................................................................... 20 5.1.9 Environmental monitoring and management........................................................ 22 5.1.10 Other issues ......................................................................................................... 23 5.2 Desalination plant ........................................................................................................... 25 5.2.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 25 5.2.2 Australian Giant Cuttlefish.................................................................................... 26 5.2.3 Other marine species ........................................................................................... 28 5.2.4 Water quality in the Upper Spencer Gulf .............................................................. 30 5.2.5 Other issues ......................................................................................................... 31 5.3 Barge landing facility ...................................................................................................... 32 5.3.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 32 5.3.2 Marine environment ............................................................................................. 32 5.3.3 Other issues ......................................................................................................... 33 5.4 Airport and Hiltaba Village .............................................................................................. 34 5.4.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 34 5.4.2 Key issues ............................................................................................................ 34 5.4.3 Other issues ......................................................................................................... 34 5.5 Pimba intermodal facility ................................................................................................. 35 5.5.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 35 5.5.2 Key issues ............................................................................................................ 35 5.5.3 Other issues ......................................................................................................... 35 5.6 Service Corridors ............................................................................................................ 36 5.6.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 36 5.6.2 Impacts on Defence land ..................................................................................... 37 5.6.3 Impacts to natural heritage sites .......................................................................... 38 5.6.4 Impacts to RNE listings for historic values ........................................................... 38 5.6.5 Impacts to RNE listings for Indigenous values ..................................................... 39 5.6.6 Impacts to flora and fauna ................................................................................... 40 5.6.7 Other issues ......................................................................................................... 41 5.7 Road and rail transport infrastructure ............................................................................. 41 5.7.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 41 5.7.2 Impacts to Defence land ...................................................................................... 42 5.7.3 Radiation .............................................................................................................. 42 5.7.4 Other issues ......................................................................................................... 43 5.8 Communities .................................................................................................................. 44 5.8.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 44 5.8.2 Workforce impacts ............................................................................................... 44 5.8.3 Other issues ......................................................................................................... 45 5.9 Offsets ............................................................................................................................ 46 5.10 Sulphur handling facility................................................................................................ 48 5.10.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 48 5.10.2 Species and communities .................................................................................... 49 5.10.3 Air quality ............................................................................................................. 50 5.10.4 Noise and vibration .............................................................................................. 51 5.10.5 Surface water runoff ............................................................................................. 51 5.10.6 Rehabilitation and decommissioning .................................................................... 52 5.10.7 Other issues ......................................................................................................... 52 5.11 Port of Darwin copper concentrate handling facility ...................................................... 53 5.11.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 53 5.11.2 Port Darwin wetlands ........................................................................................... 53 5.11.3 Radiation and dust impacts .................................................................................. 54 5.11.4 Decommissioning and site condition .................................................................... 55 5.11.5 Other issues ......................................................................................................... 55 5.12 Greenhouse impacts .................................................................................................... 56 5.13 Nuclear Security/Safety ................................................................................................ 57 5.13.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 57 5.13.2 Assessment ......................................................................................................... 58 5.13.3 Recommendations ............................................................................................... 59 6. Other matters protected by the EPBC Act ......................................................................... 60 6.1 Wetlands of international importance ............................................................................. 60 6.2 EPBC listed threatened species and communities ......................................................... 60 6.3 EPBC listed migratory species ....................................................................................... 61 6.4 Actions involving Commonwealth land ..........................................................................