Cockatoo Island

Cockatoo Island, off the north-west coast of the Kimberley, has been mined for its high quality iron ore since 1948, when BHP first held the lease. In those days there were no environmental and rehabilitation requirements. The ore lies on the south face of the island, which has been mined into a sheer cliff.

At Cockatoo Island, mining into a cliff face.

Other parts of the island have been extensively quarried for rocks, and former rubbish dumps have become exposed. An old BHP tailings dam lies like a wide flat claypan, with no regrowth of vegetation. Earth-moving machinery lies rusting in the landscape, as do abandoned sheds and fuel tanks. On a cliff to the north of the island stands the former Bond resort, now leased for mining staff accommodation and recreation.

The mine and infrastructure have been subleased from BHP by Henry Walker Eltin and Portman Mining in a joint venture. They are mining where BHP left off — below sea level. To do this they have had to build a retaining wall with a vehicle road out over the mudflats. The wall is to keep out the sea while the mining takes place. Saltwater seeps into the mine and has to be pumped out.

Siltation of adjacent mudflats occurs through active pumping of the wastewater, through wastage from the large amounts of material shifted from quarry to shore, and from tidal action on the rock wall. The water is discoloured in a defined band along the shoreline. The silt is fine and, in the opinion of the regulators, is probably washed away with the big tides. Significant silting is only expected to occur during the construction and removal of the sea wall, not throughout the life of the mine.

EK sent an investigator to the mine, along with the regulators from the Department of Industries and Resources and representatives from the Department of Environment.

We walked the mudflats at low tide and found a lot of silt and a variety of seemingly healthy coral life. The mine workers eat mussels and oysters gathered there, apparently without ill effects. We were unable to judge whether or not the marine life has suffered or diminished as a result of the increased siltation. Before and after studies of a number of sites are in progress.

The life of the mine is expected to be about three years, after which time the mining companies will put their rehabilitation plans into action. They intend to refill and landscape the quarries and seed them, as well as to rebury the exposed waste material. We saw one example of an old BHP site covered with mature regrowth. It is nice to imagine the rest of the island achieving a similar standard. BHP has agreed to contribute to the clean-up, although they have no legal obligation to do so. The vertical cliff face will never be reclaimable. Weathering over thousands of years may remove the scars.

EK understands that Aztec Mining is interested in reopening the iron ore mine on Koolan Island, and that Henry Walker Eltin and Portman Mining, as well as Koolan Iron Ore (a subsidiary of Aztec), want to move onto previously untouched Irvine Island, the third in the trio through which the same deposit of iron ore runs.

Cockatoo Island and nearby Koolan Island, two members of a rich archipelago, were sacrificed to mining long ago. The best we can hope for, once mining ceases, is that Cockatoo Island will be in better shape than it is at present, and with its existing facilities it could again become a tourist destination, albeit one with scars.

Environs Kimberley has objected to Koolan Iron Ore’s application to explore for iron ore on Irvine Island and is seeking advice about action we can take in response to the current Portman Mining application over the same ore body. We don’t believe this or other islands in the magnificent Buccaneer Archipelago should be similarly sacrificed.

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Ellendale Diamond Mine

Kimberley Diamond Company (KDC) is mining on Ellendale Station, having taken over longstanding leases from CRA, the company that first found diamonds on Ellendale in the 1970’s but then changed its focus to Argyle. The mining lease is adjacent to and overlaps a portion of the Devonian Reef Conservation Park.

In 2001 and 2002, EK held discussions with KDC about its plans for mining and about its environmental plan. We submitted a formal objection to the level of environmental assessment set by the Environmental Protection Authority – ‘not assesses – public advice given’, but on receiving assurances from the company that our main concerns would be met, we withdrew our objections.

EK visit to Ellendale diamond project, 2002.

Subsequently, we learnt of KDC’s intention to establish three monitoring bores within the Conservation Park (in addition to two bores within the lease area). However, these bores were to be drilled and monitored under stringent conditions. We also conducted a visit to the site in June 2002.

Ellendale Station lies about 100 kms west of Fitzroy Crossing. The country is predominantly open woodland with scattered Boab trees and rocky outcrops. A number of diamond pipes have been discovered in the area. Exploratory work is taking place at several of them, most notable at pipe 4 and Satellite pipe, which is partly inside the conservation park.

Mining is in progress at pipe 9. Stage One consists of mining within the upper six metres of pipe 9; Stage Two is a proposal to mine to a depth of 100 metres, depending on the richness of the deposit, and the construction of a much larger Tailing Storage Facility. In neither stage are the holes in the ground filled in. Instead, they are abandoned to fill up with water, and remain as permanent scars on the landscape.

KDC has determined that it wants to proceed to Stage Two on pipe 9, an expansion that will be reflected in the infrastructure as well as in the mine itself. Mining will increase from 660,000 tonnes to 2.2 million tonnes of material per annum, and processing from100 tonnes to 300 tonnes per hour. Total ground disturbance from the pit will be 21.2 million tonnes. Land clearing will also increase from the present 75 hectares to a total of 267 ha over eight years. Water requirements will also double, from 1.4 to 2.4 gigalitres a year, while staffing will increase from 64 to 100, with additional administration and accommodation required.

This expansion was not unexpected, and provision had been made for it in the original plan. Of even greater concern is the company’s exploratory work at Satellite pipe, which falls partially within the Devonian Reef Conservation Park. This is being done using a 2.7m diameter Bauer-rig under conditions set by the Department of Conservation and Land Management. EK is opposed to any mining in the conservation park.

Meanwhile, all work at pipe 4 has been deferred until 2005, but pipes 7 and 11 are due for further investigation later this year.

EK is currently looking at KDC’s environmental and rehabilitation plan for Stage 2 mining at pipe 9.

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Sally Malay Mine

The Sally Malay Nickel-Copper-Cobalt Mine is located in the East Kimberley, 240km south of Kununurra. It is situated within the Ord River catchment. The project commenced in March 2003 as an open pit. Underground mining will follow quite soon. The life of the mine is expected to be between six and ten years.

Nickel, copper and cobalt ore will be extracted, treated to produce a concentrate and then shipped through the port at Wyndham to a customer in the People’s Republic of China.

In December 2002, Environs Kimberley appealed the level of assessment set by the Environmental Protection Authority for the project – the very low ‘not assessed – public advice given’ – and requested that a higher level be set.

We were told that backfilling and rehabilitation of open pits is generally not required upon mine closure. Open pit abandonment is standard practice in WA, except in those circumstances where the pit water could enter the groundwater system. Apparently the Goldfields are littered with such pits. Community pressure on governments is needed to get this practice changed.

The Minister for the Environment Dr Judy Edwards rejected our appeal. However, we did have one small win—the Department of Industry and Resources will require Sally Malay to submit a detailed Decommissioning and Closure Plan with its first annual report, rather than two years before the anticipated decommissioning of the site, as was previously the case.

We will keep a watching brief on developments.

For more information contact Environs Kimberley or go to www.sallymalay.com

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Thangoo Mine—Environs Kimberley Has A Win

A proposal to mine kaolin near Thangoo Station south of Broome was defeated by the joint efforts of EK and Thangoo Station leaseholders John and Stephen Grey early in December 2002, when a mining lease application by Eaglehawk Kaolin Pty Ltd was struck from the mining warden’s list.

Proposed site of kaolin mine was less than 2km from Ramsar listed wetlands of Roebuck Bay.

The decision meant an end to the Eaglehawk Kaolin project, a proposal to establish a series of open pit kaolin mines on Thangoo Station in an area adjacent to the Ramsar listed wetlands of Roebuck Bay. It was the culmination of two years of effort by Environs Kimberley and the lessees, Stephen and John Grey and their families.

EK and the Greys were backed in their opposition to the mining operations by birdwatchers and members of the community.

EK is grateful for the generous assistance we received from the Environmental Defenders’ Office, especially Bushlawyer Sandy Boulter. Thanks also to The Myer Foundation and Coastwest/Coastcare who fund the Bushlawyer position.
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