The Western Australian Environment Protection Authority (WA EPA) has opened the proposed Nyidinghu iron ore mine and the East Hamersley railway project from Fortescue for public comment.
Fortescue proposed to develop and operate an iron ore mine approximately 80 kilometres north-west of Newman, WA on August 21.
“The Nyidinghu iron ore mine proposal includes mine pits above and below the water table, an on-site ore processing from various sources, waste rock and tailings storage, an aerodrome, groundwater abstraction, surplus water management including aquifer recharge and other supporting infrastructure,” the August 21 EPA filing said.
“The proposal excludes transport, electricity and water pipeline infrastructure required to connect the proposal to existing operations. This infrastructure is included in the East Hamersley railway project proposal.”
The Nyidinghu iron ore mine proposal has a development envelope of 92,301 hectare (ha) and a disturbance footprint of 12,365 ha.
Scope 1 greenhouse gas emissions are predicted to be up to 285,000 CO2 equivalence per annum (t CO2-e p/a during operations), and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions are predicted to be up to 544,000t CO2-e p/a during operations.
Additionally, a separate proposal to the WA EPA from Fortescue on August 21 requested to construct and operate the East Hamersley railway project.
“The East Hamersley railway project includes communications and signalling infrastructure, an ore loading facility, groundwater abstraction and discharge, borrow pits and quarries, culverts, bridges, diversion drains, pump station, construction camp, landfills and wastewater treatment plants, and other supporting infrastructure,” the August 21 EPA filing said.
“The proposal includes transport, electricity, and water pipeline infrastructure between the Nyidinghu iron ore mine proposal to connect to existing operations.”
The East Hamersley railway project proposal has a development envelope of 31,507 ha and a disturbance footprint of 4837 ha, and connects the proposed Nyidinghu mine to the existing Fortescue railway line 14 kilometres north-west of the Cloudbreak mine.
The public consultation period for the Nyidinghu iron ore mine and the East Hamersley railway project will close August 27.