The Board of the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has concluded its assessment of a proposal by Grange Resources (Tasmania) Pty Ltd for North Pit Underground Operations at Savage River Mine in the Waratah-Wynyard Council area.
The proposal involves development of an underground mine below the existing open cut North Pit at Savage River Mine. The mine will be developed to a level approximately 200 m below the floor of the existing pit, producing 64.4 Mt of ore over the life of the mine.
Chair of the EPA Board, Andrew Paul, said the Board concluded that the proposed development can be managed in an environmentally sustainable and acceptable manner, with conditions. The Board requires these conditions to be included in any permit subsequently granted by Waratah-Wynyard Council.
“Various environmental issues were considered in the assessment, particularly the management of mine water and waste rock. Conditions have been imposed to ensure that regular water quality monitoring is undertaken, with investigations required should monitoring results show levels elevated above certain thresholds,” Mr Paul said.
“Waste rock will be required to be managed under revised plans, with limits placed on the amount of potentially acid forming material that can be placed in a new waste rock dump.”
Public consultation was open for 28 days from 23 March 2024. No representations were received in relation to the proposal.
The proposal was considered by the EPA Board in the context of the sustainable development objectives of the Resource Management and Planning System of Tasmania (RMPS), and in the context of the objectives of the Environmental Management and Pollution Control System (EMPCS) established by the Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994 (EMPCA).
The functions of the EPA Board are to administer and enforce the provisions of EMPCA, to further the RMPS and EMPCS objectives and, in particular, to use its best endeavours to protect the environment of Tasmania.
The EPA Board undertook assessment of the proposal in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment Principles defined in Section 74 of EMPCA.
The environmental assessment report, including the environmental conditions, has been issued to Grange Resources (Tasmania) Pty Ltd and Waratah-Wynyard Council.
This decision and all assessment documents can be viewed on this website at Grange Resources (Tasmania) Pty Ltd, North Pit Underground Operations, Savage River Mine.
Published on:
13/08/2024