Environmental Review Document West Angelas Iron Ore Project Deposit C, D and G Proposal July 2018 EPA Assessment No. 2132 RTIO-HSE-0311321 Robe River Mining Co. Pty. Ltd. 152-158 St Georges Terrace, Perth GPO Box A42, Perth, WA 6837 Disclaimer and Limitation This report has been prepared by Rio Tinto’s Iron Ore Group (Rio Tinto), on behalf of Robe River Mining Co. Pty. Ltd. (the Proponent), specifically for the West Angelas Iron Ore Project. Neither the report nor its contents may be referred to without the express approval of Rio Tinto, unless the report has been released for referral and assessment of proposals. Document Status Approved for Issue Rev Author Reviewer/s Date To Whom Date R. Austen, P. Knott, B. Dalton, A – B C. Nixon 8-May-17 J. Symmons, WA CDG Study Team. C C. Nixon P. Royce, T. Savage 24-May-17 C. Richards, H. Scott, EPA 1 C. Nixon 8-Jun-17 7-Jul-17 F. Sinclair Services EPA 2 C. Nixon T. Savage, H. Scott 27-Nov-17 1-Dec-17 Services EPA 3 J. Neiman H. Scott 12-Apr-18 13-Apr-18 Services EPA 4 J. Neiman - 14-May-18 15-May-18 Services EPA 5 J. Neiman - 6-Jul-18 6-Jul-18 Services EPA 6 J. Neiman - 20-Jul-18 20-Jul-18 Services Public FINAL J. Neiman - 20-Jul-18 30-Jul-18 Review INVITATION TO MAKE A SUBMISSION The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) invites people to make a submission on the environmental review for this Proposal. Both electronic and hard copy submissions are most welcome. Robe River Mining Co. Pty. Limited proposes to develop the West Angelas Deposits C, D and G, located approximately 130 kilometres (km) west of Newman in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. This Environmental Review Document has been prepared in accordance with the EPAs Environmental Impact Assessment (Part IV Divisions 1 and 2) Administrative Procedures 2016 and Environmental Impact Assessment (Divisions 1 and 2) Procedures Manual 2016. The Environmental Review Document is the report prepared by the Proponent which describes this Proposal and its likely effects on the environment. The Environmental Review Document is available for a public review period of eight (8) weeks from 30th July 2018 closing on 24th September 2018. Comments from government agencies and from the public will help the EPA to prepare an assessment report in which it will make recommendations to the Minister for Environment. Why write a submission? The EPA seeks information that will inform the EPAs consideration of the likely effect of this Proposal, if implemented, on the environment. A submission is a way to provide relevant new information that is not in the Environmental Review Document, express your opinion or put forward alternative courses of action or approaches. In preparing its assessment report for the Minister for Environment, the EPA will consider the information in submissions, the Proponent’s responses and other relevant information. All submissions received by the EPA will be acknowledged. Submissions will be treated as public documents (unless provided in confidence) subject to the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 1992, and may be quoted in full or in part in the EPAs report. Why not join a group? It may be worthwhile joining a group interested in making a submission on similar issues. Joint submissions may help to reduce the workload for an individual or group, as well as increase the pool of ideas and information. If you form a small group (up to 10 people) please indicate all the names of the participants. If your group is larger, please indicate how many people your submission represents. Developing a submission You may agree or disagree with, or comment on, information in the Environmental Review Document. It helps if you give reasons for your conclusions, supported by relevant data. You may make an important contribution by suggesting ways to make the Proposal more environmentally acceptable. When making comments on specific elements of the Environmental Review Document:  Clearly state your point of view and give reasons for your conclusions;  Indicate the source of your information or argument if this is applicable; and  Suggest recommendations or alternatives. West Angelas - Deposits C, D and G Proposal What to include in your submission Include the following in your submission to make it easier for the EPA to consider your submission:  Your contact details – name and address.  Date of your submission.  Whether you want your contact details to be confidential.  Summary of your submission, if your submission is long.  List points so that issues raised are clear, preferably by environmental factor.  Refer each point to the appropriate section, chapter or recommendation in the Environmental Review Document.  If you discuss different sections of the Environmental Review Document, keep them distinct and separate, so there is no confusion as to which section you are considering.  Attach any reference material, if applicable. Make sure your information is accurate. Information in submissions will be deemed public information unless a request for confidentiality of the submission is made in writing and accepted by the EPA. As a result, a copy of each submission will be provided to the Proponent but the identity of private individuals will remain confidential to the EPA. The closing date for submissions is: 24th September 2018 The EPA prefers submissions to be made electronically via the EPAs Consultation Hub at https://consultation.epa.wa.gov.au. Alternatively, submissions can be  Posted to: Chairman, Environmental Protection Authority, Locked Bag 33, Cloisters Square, PERTH WA 6850; or  Delivered to: Environmental Protection Authority, Level 4, The Atrium, 168 St George’s Terrace, PERTH WA 6000. If you have any questions on how to make a submission, please contact EPA Services at the Department of Water and Environmenal Regulation on 6364 7000. West Angelas - Deposits C, D and G Proposal EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction Robe River Mining Co. Pty. Limited (Robe, the Proponent) operates the existing West Angelas Iron Ore Mine, located approximately 130 kilometres (km) west of Newman in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Additional ore sources are required to sustain current production from the existing West Angelas Iron Ore Mine as the existing approved resources are exhausted. Robe proposes to develop Deposits C, D and G (the Proposal), located adjacent to the existing operations. Existing West Angelas Iron Ore Mine The existing West Angelas Operations is subject to the Iron Ore (Robe River) Agreement Act 1964 (WA). The existing West Angelas Operations, as approved under the existing Ministerial Statement 970 and Ministerial Statement 1015, currently consists of:  Clearing of up to 7,890 hectares (ha) within the existing 22,600 ha Development Envelope.  Open cut above and below water table mining of iron ore from Deposits A, A west, B, E and F, by conventional drill, blast, and load and haul techniques.  Ore processing in central processing facilities at approximately 35 Million tonnes per annum (Mt/a).  Surface waste dumps which are used in backfilling of the pits as far as practicable.  Infrastructure including but not limited to the following: o Dewatering and surplus water management infrastructure, including the Turee Creek B Borefield, which provides potable water to the mine and accommodation village (and, when required, water for operational purposes), and the mine dewatering borefield which supports below water table mining. Dewatering water is used onsite in the first instance to supply water for operational purposes. Surplus dewatering water that exceeds operational water requirement is discharged to a local ephemeral tributary of Turee Creek East; o Surface water management infrastructure, including diversions, to direct surface water flows around deposits; o Linear infrastructure, including the mine access road, which links the mine site with the Great Northern Highway, and the rail network which transports processed ore to port facilities located at Cape Lambert; o Processing facilities; and o Support facilities, including the West Angelas accommodation village. Description of the Proposal This Proposal is a revision to the existing West Angelas Iron Ore Project. This Proposal includes the following:  Additional clearing of up to 4,310 ha.  Extension of the existing Development Envelope(s) by 4,100 ha.  Above and below water table mining of additional Deposits C, D and G including: pits, waste dumps, stockpiles, and supporting infrastructure (including, but is not West Angelas - Deposits C, D and G Proposal Executive Summary limited to, dewatering and surplus water management infrastructure, surface water management infrastructure, linear infrastructure, processing and support facilities).  Ore will be transported from the proposed deposits to existing central processing facilities. The existing rail network will transport mined and processed ore from the Proposal to existing port operations at Cape Lambert.  Deposits C and D are approximately 30% and 50% below water table respectively and will require dewatering to access the below water table resource.  Dewatering water from Deposits C and D will be used to supply local operational water demand in the first instance. Surplus dewatering water that exceeds the local operational water requirement will be transferred to the existing operations to supply operational water demand and / or discharged into the Turee Creek East tributary (aligned with the existing West Angelas Project integrated water management strategy).  Below water table pits will be backfilled to prevent post-closure exposure of the groundwater table and the formation of permanent pit lakes. Table ES1: Summary of Proposal Project Title West Angelas Iron Ore Project – Deposit C, D and G Proposal Proponent Name Robe River Mining Co. Pty. Ltd. This Proposal is a revision of the existing West Angelas Iron Ore Project and includes the above and below water table, open-cut iron ore mining from additional deposits and the construction and operation of associated infrastructure including, but not limited to, the following: dewatering and surplus water management infrastructure, surface water management infrastructure, linear infrastructure, processing and support facilities. Short Mine dewatering, which dewaters the ore bodies to allow below water table Description mining, supplies water for local operational purposes. Surplus dewatering water, exceeding the local operational water requirement, is transferred to the existing operations to supply operational water demand and / or discharged to the Turee Creek East tributary. This Proposal will be contained within the revised West Angelas Mine Development Envelope. Table ES2: Proposal elements Proposed Extent Proposed Extent Element (Revised Proposal [existing (This Proposal) approval + proposed change]) Additional clearing of up to 4,310 ha Mine and Clearing of up to 12,200 ha within within an extended West Angelas associated the 26,700 ha Mine Development Mine Development Envelope infrastructure Envelope. (extended by 4,100 ha). Clearing of up to 1,500 ha within the Linear No change proposed. 19,400 ha Linear Infrastructure infrastructure Development Envelope. West Angelas - Deposits C, D and G Proposal Executive Summary Proposed Extent Proposed Extent Element (Revised Proposal [existing (This Proposal) approval + proposed change]) Additional abstraction of up to Abstraction of up to 14 GL/a of 8 GL/a of groundwater for groundwater for dewatering Dewatering dewatering purposes (excluding purposes (excluding potable potable supply). supply). Discharge of up to 12 GL/a of surplus dewatering water to a Additional discharge of up to 6 GL/a tributary of Turee Creek East. Surplus water of surplus dewatering water to a The surface discharge extent will management tributary of Turee Creek East. not extend within the boundary of Karijini National Park under natural no-flow conditions. Below water table pits will be Below water table pits will be backfilled to a level which will not backfilled to a level which will not Backfilling allow the formation of permanent pit allow the formation of permanent pit lakes. lakes. Subject to approval of this Proposal, it is proposed that a new Ministerial Statement be published to supersede the existing Ministerial Statements 970 and 1015. Assessment Process The Proposal was formally referred to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) under section 38 of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (EP Act) on 11 July 2017. On 23 August 2017, the EPA determined that this Proposal warrants assessment at the level of Public Environmental Review with an eight week public review period (EPA Assessment No. 2132). The Proponent prepared an Environmental Scoping Document (ESD) identifying the preliminary key environmental factors relating to the Proposal and the environmental studies required to inform the assessment of the environmental impact of the Proposal. On 16 November 2017, the EPA Board endorsed the ESD. The purpose of this Environmental Review Document is to present the assessment of the environmental impact of the Proposal on the relevant environmental factors and description of the proposed management strategies for public review and EPA consideration. Stakeholder Consultation The Proponent initiated a stakeholder consultation program in November 2016 to inform the key stakeholders of the Proposal and to enable stakeholder concerns and comments to be considered. The objectives of the consultation program were to:  Identify key stakeholders;  Identify areas of stakeholder concern relating to environmental and social values;  Assess stakeholder concerns so that potential impacts to environmental and social values as a result of this Proposal are minimised to as low as reasonably practicable; and  Establish collaborative relationships with stakeholders to assist with managing Proposal related expectations. West Angelas - Deposits C, D and G Proposal Executive Summary The Proponent identified the following government agencies and non-government organisations as key stakeholders for this Proposal:  Government agencies: o Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) (EPA Services, Water and Environmental Regulation); o Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) (Parks and Wildlife Services); o Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS); o Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DJTSI); o Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (DPLH); and o Shire of East Pilbara.  Traditional Owners: o Yinhawangka Traditional Owners. The Proponent will continue to consult with relevant stakeholders during the environmental approval process and implementation of this Proposal. Environmental Impact Assessment The key environmental factors relevant to this Proposal are: Flora and Vegetation, Terrestrial Fauna, Subterranean Fauna, Hydrological Processes and Inland Waters Environmental Quality, Air quality, and Social Surroundings. Table ES3 summarises the potential environmental impacts, impact assessment, proposed management strategies and predicted environmental outcomes for each of the preliminary key environmental factors addressed in this Environmental Review Document. After the application of the mitigation hierarchy and based on the continued implementation of existing and proposed management strategies, the Proponent considers that, for all environmental factors, the EPA objective can be met and the potential residual impacts to the environment are not significant. West Angelas - Deposits C, D and G Proposal Executive Summary Table ES3: Summary of environmental impact assessment of preliminary key environmental factors Environmental EPA Objective Potential Impacts Impact Assessment Environmental Management Predicted Outcome / Compliance with EPA Objective Factor Flora and To protect flora and Potential impacts to flora and vegetation include the Additional clearing of up to 4,310 ha is expected to result in the Avoid: This Proposal is expected to result in the unavoidable loss of Vegetation vegetation so that following: loss of the following vegetation communities of elevated up to 4,310 ha of vegetation, including vegetation The Proposal has been designed to avoid disturbance to a 230 ha biological diversity conservation significance: one occurrence of approximately communities of elevated conservation significance, as a Direct: representation of the West Angelas Cracking Clay PEC, mapped and ecological 15.5 ha of the West Angelas Cracking Clay Priority Ecological result of clearing. as representation PEC-2015-5. The Proponent proposes that integrity is  Loss of vegetation (including vegetation communities Community (PEC – and a further 4.5 ha of indirect disturbance), clearing be subject to a new Ministerial Statement. Schedule 1 of One occurrence of approximately 15.5 ha of the West maintained of elevated conservation significance) as a result of approximately 145.2 ha of groved and banded mulga the proposed new Ministerial Statement shall ensure that there is Angelas Cracking Clay PEC will be directly affected by the clearing. communities, and up to 25 ha (direct and indirect disturbance) of no disturbance PEC-2015-5. One occurrence of approximately Proposal and a further 4.5 ha indirectly affected. This riparian vegetation of the Turee Creek East tributary.  Loss of vegetation (including vegetation communities 15.5 ha of the West Angelas Cracking Clay PEC overlies represents approximately 4.5% of the West Angelas Cracking of elevated conservation significance) as a result of Clearing is also expected to result in the loss of some individuals Deposit D and as such, avoidance of this representation of the Clay PEC mapped by Trudgen (1998) and as such, the altered hydrological regimes. of the following conservation significant flora species occurring or West Angelas Cracking Clay PEC is not possible. unavoidable loss of 20 ha of this community is not expected assessed as having a high likelihood of occurrence within the to result in a significant impact on the representation of the  Loss of riparian vegetation as a result of surface water The Proposal has been designed to avoid disturbance to the Proposal area: two Priority (P) 2 flora species (Aristida lazaridis West Angelas Cracking Clay PEC at a local or regional level. discharge. riparian vegetation of Turee Creek East (specifically, surface and Eremophila pusilliflora Buirchell & A.P.Br.), four P3 flora water management structures have been designed to maintain the Approximately 145.2 ha of groved and banded mulga  Loss of potentially groundwater dependent vegetation species (Acacia subtiliformis, Rhagodia sp. Hamersley (M. continuation of natural surface water flows sustaining the riparian communities will be affected by the Proposal. These as a result of groundwater drawdown. Trudgen 17794), Sida sp. Barlee Range (S. van Leeuwen 1642) vegetation of Turee Creek East). However, Deposit C intersects communities occur extensively within the West Angelas  Loss of conservation significant flora species as a and Triodia sp. Mt Ella (M.E. Trudgen 12739)), and one species the floodplain of the Turee Creek East tributary and as such, region and also nearby at Angelo River and Juna Downs, and result of clearing. of potential interest (Eulalia sp. (Three Rivers Station, B.Forsyth avoidance of riparian vegetation is not possible. throughout the Hamersley subregion. Therefore, the loss of AQ6789133)). Indirect: approximately 145 ha of these communities is not expected Based on the conservative cumulative balance of surplus This Proposal is also expected to disrupt natural surface water to have a significant impact on the representation of these  Degradation of vegetation (including vegetation dewatering water requiring management (up to approximately flows and / or patterns of surface water flow, potentially resulting communities at a local or regional level. communities of elevated conservation significance) 12 GL/a), the surface discharge extent is modelled to extend up to in inundation of the West Angelas Cracking Clay PEC and as a result of altered hydrological regimes 22 km from the discharge point (as measured along the creek Approximately 25 ha of riparian vegetation will be affected by shadowing of the riparian vegetation of the Turee Creek East channel/s). The surface discharge extent will not extend as far as the Proposal. Riparian vegetation communities occur  Degradation of riparian vegetation as a result of tributary. Karijini National Park under natural no-flow conditions. Schedule relatively extensively throughout the Hamersley Ranges. The surface water discharge. Discharge of surplus dewatering water to the Turee Creek East 1 of the proposed new Ministerial Statement shall also ensure that riparian vegetation communities at West Angelas are of  Degradation of potentially groundwater dependent tributary is expected to change the hydrological regime of Turee the surface discharge extent will not extend within the boundary of relatively low conservation significance and as such, the vegetation as a result of groundwater drawdown. Creek East from an ephemeral hydrologic regime to a perennial Karijini National Park under natural no-flow conditions. unavoidable loss of these communities is not expected to hydrologic regime for the surface discharge extent, potentially have a significant impact on the representation of the riparian  Degradation of vegetation (including vegetation The Proposal has also been designed to avoid known locations of resulting in the following: vegetation at a local or regional level. communities of elevated conservation significance) Priority flora as far as practicable. as a result of ingress of weeds.  Changes in riparian vegetation community structure; Natural surface water flows and / or patterns of surface water Minimise: flow are expected to be maintained such that vegetation is  Changes in the health of the dominant riparian tree species Schedule 1 of the proposed new Ministerial Statement shall unlikely to be significantly adversely affected as a result of Eucalyptus victrix and Eucalyptus camaldulensis (if present), authorise clearing of no more than 12,200 ha within a 26,700 ha altered hydrological regimes. which may include: Mine Development Envelope. Discharge may result in changes to riparian vegetation  Declining health (decreasing biomass / abundance) or Backfilling of pits during operations is proposed, rather than all community structure, declining health of ‘scattered’ death of species susceptible to waterlogging stress waste being stored in external waste dumps. Eucalyptus victrix, artificial recruitment of Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus victrix); and camaldulensis, establishment of other species which are Schedule 1 of the proposed new Ministerial Statement shall also  Increasing biomass / abundance or artificial recruitment of tolerant to waterlogging, and increasing abundance of weeds authorise clearing of no more than 20 ha (15.5 ha direct impact / species tolerant to waterlogging (Eucalyptus for the surface discharge extent. Although changes to the clearing and 4.5 ha indirect impact) of the West Angelas Cracking camaldulensis). riparian community may occur, a riparian community will Clay PEC (not including PEC representation PEC-2015-5). The continue to persist along the receiving creekline and the  Establishment or increasing biomass / abundance of other contemporary conditions of the proposed new Ministerial communities are predicted to revert to their pre-impact species which are tolerant to waterlogging (particularly Statement shall require the Proponent to implement an structure post-cessation of discharge. sedges and rushes); Environmental Management Plan (EMP) to minimise disturbance to other representations of the West Angelas Cracking Clay PEC. The surface discharge extent is not expected to reach Karijini  Enhanced potential for weed invasion; and National Park, therefore, discharge of surplus dewatering Hydrogeological modelling has been and will continue to be, West Angelas - Deposits C, D and G Proposal Executive Summary Environmental EPA Objective Potential Impacts Impact Assessment Environmental Management Predicted Outcome / Compliance with EPA Objective Factor  Drought stress on cessation of discharge. undertaken to facilitate understanding of current and future water was assessed as not posing a risk to Karijini National dewatering requirements. Dewatering will be minimised to that Park. Groundwater drawdown is predicted to result in, at worst, required to access the below water table resource. declining health (decreasing biomass / abundance) or death of Groundwater drawdown may result in, at worst, declining individuals of the dominant groundwater dependent species The contemporary conditions of the new Ministerial Statement health or death of individuals of the dominant groundwater (Eucalyptus victrix and Eucalyptus camaldulensis) within riparian shall require the Proponent to implement an EMP to ensure that dependent species Eucalyptus victrix and Eucalyptus vegetation communities within Karijini National Park, there is no irreversible impact to potentially groundwater camaldulensis within riparian vegetation communities within conservatively assumed to represent a potential groundwater dependent vegetation within Karijini National Park as a result of Karijini National Park. Although changes to these vegetation dependent ecosystem (GDE). dewatering. The Proponent proposes to monitor the health of the communities may occur, these communities will continue to dominant groundwater dependent species (Eucalyptus victrix and persist at this location during and post-cessation of Clearing and / or change to the hydrological regime of Turee Eucalyptus camaldulensis) within riparian vegetation communities dewatering operations. The Proponent is also developing a Creek East from an ephemeral hydrologic regime to a perennial within Karijini National Park, conservatively assumed to represent program to mitigate groundwater drawdown beneath the hydrologic regime as a result of discharge are also expected to a potential GDE, utilising satellite based digital multi-spectral potential GDE in Karijini National Park, should monitoring result in increasing abundance of weeds. imagery (DMSI). Monitoring results are expected to show, at indicate such mitigation is required. worst, declining health (decreasing biomass / abundance) or This Proposal is also expected to result in the direct loss of death of individuals of the dominant groundwater dependent some individuals of conservation significant flora species. species (Eucalyptus victrix and Eucalyptus camaldulensis) However, these species are all well represented in the West beyond natural variation. Angelas region and the Pilbara bioregion and as such, the The Proponent has commenced work on developing a program to loss of some individuals of these species is not expected to mitigate groundwater drawdown beneath the potential GDE in have a significant impact on the conservation status or Karijini National Park, should monitoring determine such representation of these species at a local or regional level. mitigation is required. Mitigation responses currently being Significant residual impacts will be addressed via the developed include aquifer reinjection, local recirculation of provision of environmental offsets. groundwater or similar. Given the above, and the management and mitigation Cumulative water balance modelling has also been and will measures proposed, the Proponent’s assessment concludes continue to be, undertaken to facilitate understanding of current this Proposal can be managed to meet the EPA’s objective and future operational water demands. Where possible, for Flora and Vegetation. dewatering water will be used on-site in the first instance to supply operational water requirements. Surplus dewatering water that exceeds the operational water requirement will be discharged to the Turee Creek East tributary. The contemporary conditions of the new Ministerial Statement shall require the Proponent to implement an EMP to ensure that there is no irreversible impact to the health of riparian vegetation of Turee Creek East and its tributaries as a result of the discharge of surplus water. The Proponent proposes to monitor the structure, cover and health of riparian vegetation (both native and introduced species) within the surface discharge extent. Monitoring results may show, at worst, changes to riparian vegetation community structure, declining health of ‘scattered’ Eucalyptus victrix (including dead trees), artificial recruitment of Eucalyptus camaldulensis, establishment of other species which are tolerant to waterlogging, and increasing abundance of weeds in response to the change from an ephemeral hydrologic regime to a perennial hydrologic regime. The contemporary conditions of the new Ministerial Statement shall also require the Proponent to implement a Closure Plan in accordance with the DMIRS / EPA Guidelines for Preparing Mine West Angelas - Deposits C, D and G Proposal Executive Summary