❓ A Western Australian parliamentary question on notice seeks detailed information from the Department of State Development regarding Worsley Alumina's bauxite mining operations, including land use, production, rehabilitation efforts, and residue disposal. The department provides specific data and projections related to the company's activities and expansion plans.
AnsweredQoN 392Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
With
respect to Worsley Alumina Pty Ltd and its subsidiaries and associated
companies and their bauxite mining operations in Western Australia, I ask: (a) how many tenements are held by each company by type, number and hectare size; (b) how many hectares have been mined in each of the last five years; (c) how many hectares will be mined each year when the company expands to its full approved rate of production; (d) what is the total area mined to date; (e) how much of the total area mined required the clearing of native forest; (f) how many hectares have been rehabilitated to date; (g) how much of this area has been rehabilitated with jarrah forest species; (h) what is the current annual production of bauxite and alumina; (i) when the company expands to its full approved rate of production, what will be the annual production of bauxite and alumina; (j) how many hectares are currently used as Residue Disposal Areas; (k) what is the total area of closed Residue Disposal Areas; (l) what area of new Residue Disposal Areas will be required each year when the company expands to its full approved rate of production; (m) how much residue has been produced in each of the last five years; (n) what is the total amount of residue produced to date; (o) how much residue will be produced each year when the company expands to its full approved rate of production; (p) when do the company’s mining leases expire; (q) when does the company anticipate completion of its approved expansion; and (r) will the Minister please table a map showing the mining leases, the area mined to date, and the area rehabilitated to date?
respect to Worsley Alumina Pty Ltd and its subsidiaries and associated
companies and their bauxite mining operations in Western Australia, I ask: (a) how many tenements are held by each company by type, number and hectare size; (b) how many hectares have been mined in each of the last five years; (c) how many hectares will be mined each year when the company expands to its full approved rate of production; (d) what is the total area mined to date; (e) how much of the total area mined required the clearing of native forest; (f) how many hectares have been rehabilitated to date; (g) how much of this area has been rehabilitated with jarrah forest species; (h) what is the current annual production of bauxite and alumina; (i) when the company expands to its full approved rate of production, what will be the annual production of bauxite and alumina; (j) how many hectares are currently used as Residue Disposal Areas; (k) what is the total area of closed Residue Disposal Areas; (l) what area of new Residue Disposal Areas will be required each year when the company expands to its full approved rate of production; (m) how much residue has been produced in each of the last five years; (n) what is the total amount of residue produced to date; (o) how much residue will be produced each year when the company expands to its full approved rate of production; (p) when do the company’s mining leases expire; (q) when does the company anticipate completion of its approved expansion; and (r) will the Minister please table a map showing the mining leases, the area mined to date, and the area rehabilitated to date?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
3 December 2013
Responded by
Leader of the House representing the Minister for State Development
Response time
40 days
Department of State Development
(a-b) [see tabled paper no]
(c) The amount of land cleared for mining each year will depend on the structures of the ore body. Clearing will be completed to the extent required to meet the 4.7 Mtpa alumina production target while not exceeding limits set under the 10 year mine planning process submitted to Government. In 2014, it is predicted that 220 hectares will be cleared.
(d) The total area cleared for mining to date is 4,036 hectares (including clearing for supporting infrastructure, haul roads and water storage, previously excluded from the reported figure).
(e) The total area of native vegetation cleared for bauxite mining is 3,263 hectares. This figure includes clearing for supporting infrastructure, haul roads and water storage, which were previously excluded from the reported figure. This is in line with the definition of bauxite mining within Worsley's Environmental Ministerial Statement No. 719.
The total area of private land remnant vegetation clearing is 391 hectares (including clearing for supporting infrastructure, haul roads and water storage, previously excluded from the reported figure). Note that 382 hectares of private pasture was also cleared.
(f) A total of 2,343 hectares has been rehabilitated to date. This includes 1,846 hectares of rehabilitation on crown land, 304 hectares of rehabilitation on private forest and 193 hectares on private pasture.
(g) Jarrah forest species have been used in all forest and bushland rehabilitation undertaken at the mine. Of the 2,343 hectares of rehabilitation, a total of 2,151 hectares has been rehabilitated with jarrah forest species, with the remaining 193 hectares rehabilitated with pasture.
(h) The current annual production rates for the 2013 financial year are 14.1 million dry tonnes of bauxite and 4.3 million tonnes of alumina.
(i) When Worsley expands to its full approved rate of production, the annual production rates are expected to be 18.8 million dry tonnes of bauxite and 4.7 million tonnes of alumina.
(j) The total area currently used as Residue Disposal Areas is 640 hectares.
(k) The total area of closed Residue Disposal Areas is 71.2 hectares.
(l) Bauxite Residue Disposal Areas will extend up to the full capacity footprint until 2017, when the footprint will measure 829.9 hectares (including rehabilitated bauxite Residue Disposal Areas of 71.2 hectares).
(m) [see tabled paper no]
(n) A total of 148 million (dry) tonnes of residue has been produced to date.
(o) A total of 10.34 million dry tonnes of residue will be produced each year when Worsley expands to its full approved rate of production. This represents the maximum expansion rate.
(p) ML 258SA expires in 2046.
(q) Construction of the Efficiency & Growth project has been completed and the expanded plant is ramping up.
(r) Yes. Maps showing the mining leases, area mined to date and area rehabilitated to date [see tabled paper no]
(a-b) [see tabled paper no]
(c) The amount of land cleared for mining each year will depend on the structures of the ore body. Clearing will be completed to the extent required to meet the 4.7 Mtpa alumina production target while not exceeding limits set under the 10 year mine planning process submitted to Government. In 2014, it is predicted that 220 hectares will be cleared.
(d) The total area cleared for mining to date is 4,036 hectares (including clearing for supporting infrastructure, haul roads and water storage, previously excluded from the reported figure).
(e) The total area of native vegetation cleared for bauxite mining is 3,263 hectares. This figure includes clearing for supporting infrastructure, haul roads and water storage, which were previously excluded from the reported figure. This is in line with the definition of bauxite mining within Worsley's Environmental Ministerial Statement No. 719.
The total area of private land remnant vegetation clearing is 391 hectares (including clearing for supporting infrastructure, haul roads and water storage, previously excluded from the reported figure). Note that 382 hectares of private pasture was also cleared.
(f) A total of 2,343 hectares has been rehabilitated to date. This includes 1,846 hectares of rehabilitation on crown land, 304 hectares of rehabilitation on private forest and 193 hectares on private pasture.
(g) Jarrah forest species have been used in all forest and bushland rehabilitation undertaken at the mine. Of the 2,343 hectares of rehabilitation, a total of 2,151 hectares has been rehabilitated with jarrah forest species, with the remaining 193 hectares rehabilitated with pasture.
(h) The current annual production rates for the 2013 financial year are 14.1 million dry tonnes of bauxite and 4.3 million tonnes of alumina.
(i) When Worsley expands to its full approved rate of production, the annual production rates are expected to be 18.8 million dry tonnes of bauxite and 4.7 million tonnes of alumina.
(j) The total area currently used as Residue Disposal Areas is 640 hectares.
(k) The total area of closed Residue Disposal Areas is 71.2 hectares.
(l) Bauxite Residue Disposal Areas will extend up to the full capacity footprint until 2017, when the footprint will measure 829.9 hectares (including rehabilitated bauxite Residue Disposal Areas of 71.2 hectares).
(m) [see tabled paper no]
(n) A total of 148 million (dry) tonnes of residue has been produced to date.
(o) A total of 10.34 million dry tonnes of residue will be produced each year when Worsley expands to its full approved rate of production. This represents the maximum expansion rate.
(p) ML 258SA expires in 2046.
(q) Construction of the Efficiency & Growth project has been completed and the expanded plant is ramping up.
(r) Yes. Maps showing the mining leases, area mined to date and area rehabilitated to date [see tabled paper no]
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