WESTERN TURNER SYNCLINE STAGE 2 B1 and S17 Deposits Assessment on Proponent Information Environmental Review Document Hamersley Iron Pty Limited 152‐158 St Georges Terrace, Perth GPO Box A42, Perth, WA 6837 April 2013 Disclaimer and Limitation This document has been based on draft documents prepared by Strategen environmental consultancy, amended by Rio Tinto in response to comments from the Office of the Environmental Protection Authority. The efforts of Strategen in contributing to this document are appreciated. Copyright and any other Intellectual Property arising from this report and the provision of the services in accordance with the Agreement belongs exclusively to Strategen unless otherwise agreed. This document may not be reproduced or disclosed to any person without the express written authority of Rio Tinto unless the document has been released for referral and assessment of proposals. Revision Submission Report version Purpose Author/Reviewer No. To whom Date Preliminary Draft Rev. A Review Strategen (N. Zago) Rio Tinto 28/09/12 Report Draft Report Rev B Review Strategen (N. Zago) Rio Tinto 12/10/12 Draft Report Rev O Review Strategen (N. Zago/H. Ventriss) Rio Tinto 25/10/12 Draft Report Rev 1 Review Strategen (N. Zago) Rio Tinto 29/10/12 Draft Report Rev C Review Strategen (N. Zago/H. Ventriss) Rio Tinto 08/11/12 Draft Report Rev D Review Strategen (N. Zago) Rio Tinto 12/12/12 Final Draft Report Rev E Review Strategen (N Zago/K Oliver) Rio Tinto 19/12/12 EPA Final Report Rev 2 Strategen (N Zago) EPA 20/12/12 Review Final Report Rev F Review Strategen (N Zago/H Ventriss) Rio Tinto 07/02/13 Final Report Rev G Review Strategen (N Zago) Rio Tinto 14/02/13 Final Report Rev H Review Strategen (N Zago) Rio Tinto 15/02/13 Final Report Rev 3 Review Strategen (N Zago) Rio Tinto 18/02/13 EPA Final Report Rev 4 Rio Tinto (J. English) EPA 10/04/13 Review Page ii Western Turner Syncline Stage 2 – B1 and S17 Deposits API: Environmental Review Document TABLE OF CONTENTS Disclaimer and Limitation ii 1 PROPOSAL 1 1.1 Proponent Details 1 1.2 Proposal Description 1 1.3 Changes to the Proposal since Referral 3 1.4 Proposal Tenure 4 1.5 Land Use and Social Environment in Proximity to the Proposal 5 2 STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION 15 3 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MANAGEMENT 27 3.1 Environmental Impacts and Management 27 3.2 Environmental Management Overview 27 4 OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS 61 5 OTHER LEGISLATION AND APPROVALS 69 6 PRINCIPLES OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND EIA 71 6.1 Principles of Environmental Protection 71 6.2 Principles of EIA for the Proponent 72 6.3 Criteria for API Category A 74 7 REFERENCES 75 FIGURES Figure 1‐1: Regional Location 6 Figure 1‐2: Proposal Locality 7 Figure 1‐3: Proposal Boundary and Indicative Infrastructure Layout 8 Figure 1‐4: Landscapes and Vegetation of the WTS Area 9 Figure 1‐5: Proposal Boundary Revision 13 Figure 1‐6: Proposal Tenure 14 Figure 3‐1: Vegetation and Flora of Localised Conservation Significance 37 Figure 3‐2: B1 Groundwater Drawdown and Dewatering Discharge 39 Figure 3‐3: Significant Species and Fauna Habitats 43 Figure 3‐4: Modelled Discharge Extent and Aquatic Fauna Sampling Sites 49 Figure 3‐5: B1 Deposit Geological Sections 53 Figure 3‐6: Section 17 Geological Sections 54 Page iii Western Turner Syncline Stage 2 – B1 and S17 Deposits API: Environmental Review Document TABLES Table 1‐1: Proposal Summary 3 Table 1‐2: Location and Extent of Physical and Operational Elements of the Proposal 3 Table 1‐3: Changes to the Proposal since Referral 3 Table 2‐1: Stakeholder Consultation Relevant to the Proposal 16 Table 3‐1: Summary of Supporting Studies 29 Table 3‐2: Vegetation and Flora: Description of Factor, Impact Assessment and Management 35 Table 3‐3: Terrestrial Fauna: Description of Factor, Impact Assessment and Management 41 Table 3‐4: Subterranean Fauna: Description of Factor, Impact Assessment and Management 45 Table 3‐5: Hydrological Processes and Inland Water Environmental Quality (Aquatic Fauna): Description of Factor, Impact Assessment and Management 47 Table 3‐6: Hydrological Processes and Inland Waters Environmental Quality (Groundwater): Description of Factor, Impact Assessment and Management 51 Table 3‐7: Hydrological Processes and Inland Waters Environmental Quality (Surface Water): Description of Factor, Impact Assessment and Management 55 Table 3‐8: Rehabilitation and Closure: Description of Factor, Impact Assessment and Management 57 Table 3‐9: Residual Impacts: Description of Factor, Impact Assessment and Management 59 Table 4‐1: Other Environmental Factors, Impact Assessment and Management 62 Table 5‐1: Other Legislation and Approvals 69 Table 6‐1: Principles of Environmental Protection 71 Table 6‐2: Principles of EIA for the Proponent 72 Table 6‐3: Criteria for API Category A 74 LIST OF PLATES Plate 1: Proposal Area from the Nanutarra‐Munjina Road, view Southwest to Northwest (L to R) from Point A on Figure 1‐4 11 Plate 2: Proposal Area from the Nanutarra Munjina Road; view Northwest to Northeast (L to R) from Point B on Figure 1‐4 11 Plate 3: B1 deposit; view to East, from Point C Figure 1‐4, B1 satellite pits will be located on the lower slopes of the ridgeline in right of picture 12 Plate 4: S17; view northwest to north (L to R), from Point D on Figure 1‐4 12 Page iv Western Turner Syncline Stage 2 – B1 and S17 Deposits API: Environmental Review Document APPENDICES Appendix 1 Supporting Tables 79 Appendix 2 A Vegetation and Flora Survey of the West Turner Section 10 Area and Infrastructure Corridor (Biota 2007). 89 Appendix 3 West Turner Syncline Section 10 Development Two‐Phase Fauna Survey (Biota 2009a). 89 Appendix 4 A Two‐Phase Fauna Survey of the West Turner Syncline Area, (Biota 2009b). 89 Appendix 5 West Turner Targeted Fauna Survey (Biota 2011a). 89 Appendix 6 West Turner Syncline Section 10 Expanded Vegetation and Flora Survey Report (Biota 2011b). 89 Appendix 7 West Turner Syncline Phase 2 Vegetation and Flora Report (Biota 2013a). 89 Appendix 8 West Turner Syncline NES Species Assessment (Biota 2012a). 89 Appendix 9 West Turner Syncline Fauna Survey Summary Report (Biota 2012b). 89 Appendix 10 West Turner Syncline Stage 2 – Phase 1 Survey and Targeted Vegetation Survey (Biota 2013b). 89 Appendix 11 West Turner Syncline Stage 2 B1 and Section 17 Deposits Subterranean Fauna Survey (Biota 2012c). 89 Appendix 12 Western Turner Syncline Stage 2 Visual Impact Assessment (Ecoscape 2012). 89 Appendix 13 Predicted Dust Levels from Western Turner Syncline Stage 2 (B1 and S17) Iron Ore Project (Environmental Alliances 2012). 89 Appendix 14 Western Turner Syncline Stage 2 Project Ecological Risk Assessment (Equinox Environmental 2012). 89 Appendix 15 WTS2 B1 Water Quality Assessment (KCB 2012b). 89 Appendix 16 Potential Impacts of Dewatering and Discharge to Duck Creek and Caves Creek, Greater Nammuldi (Rio Tinto 2011). 89 Appendix 17 Baseline Hydrology Assessment for Local Creek Discharge from WTS B1 (Rio Tinto 2012a). 89 Appendix 18 Western Turner Syncline B1 – Feasibility Study Groundwater Modelling: Dewatering and Closure (Rio Tinto 2013a). 89 Appendix 19 WTS Phase II Surface Water Management, unpublished report prepared by Rio Tinto (Rio Tinto 2012c). 89 Appendix 20 Western Turner Syncline B1 – Feasibility Studies Groundwater Modelling: Dewatering and Closure (Rio Tinto 2012d). 89 Appendix 21 Surface hydrology in the vicinity of the WTS2 infrastructure corridor between WTS B1 and S10; assessment and modelling of natural surface flows (Rio Tinto 2012e). 89 Appendix 22 Western Turner Syncline B1 and S17 AMD Risk Assessment (Rio Tinto 2012f). 89 Appendix 23 Western Turner Syncline (Stage 2) Closure Plan (Rio Tinto 2012g). 89 Appendix 24 Environmental Noise Assessment of Western Turner Syncline Stage II Project (SVT 2012). 89 Appendix 25 West Turner Syncline Stage 2 ‐ Potential impacts of mining operations on overland flow dependent vegetation ‐ Preliminary assessment (UWA 2012a). 89 Appendix 26 West Turner Syncline Stage 2 ‐ Potential impacts of mining operations on groundwater dependent vegetation ‐ Preliminary assessment (UWA 2012b). 89 Appendix 27 Western Turner Syncline Project, wet & dry 2011 sampling, final report (WRM 2012a). 89 Appendix 28 WTS2 – groundwater quality updated data (WRM 2012b). 89 Appendix 29 WTS Stage 2 FS – Water balance & strategy update (Rio Tinto 2013b). 89 Appendix 30 Checklist for documents submitted for EIA on marine and terrestrial biodiversity. 89 Appendix 31 EPA prepared scoping guideline. 89 Page v Western Turner Syncline Stage 2 – B1 and S17 Deposits API: Environmental Review Document 1 PROPOSAL The Proposal was referred to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) on 4 May 2012. The EPA set an Assessment on Proponent Information (API) level of assessment under s 38 of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (EP Act) on 25 June 2012. An EPA prepared Environmental Scoping Document (ESD) was provided on 5 October 2012. This Environmental Review document has been prepared in accordance with the ESD, and the information requirements for a Category A API as set out in the Environmental Impact Assessment (Part IV Divisions 1 and 2) Administrative Procedures 2012 (2012 Administrative Procedures). 1.1 Proponent Details The Proponent for this Proposal is Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd. Hamersley Iron Pty Limited ABN: 49 004 558 276 GPO Box A42 PERTH WA 6837 The contact person for the Proposal is: Jeremy English Rio Tinto Iron Ore: Superintendent Approvals T: +61 (0)8 9205 2919 [email protected] 1.2 Proposal Description Hamersley Iron Pty Limited (a wholly‐owned subsidiary of Rio Tinto) proposes to develop the Western Turner Syncline Stage 2 – B1 and Section 17 Deposits (Proposal), located approximately 30 km west of Tom Price in the central Pilbara region of Western Australia (Figure 1‐1).