Embley Projectfor South of Environmental Impact Statement€¦ · 3.6 Commonwealth Marine Areas 55...
Transcript of Embley Projectfor South of Environmental Impact Statement€¦ · 3.6 Commonwealth Marine Areas 55...
RTA Weipa Pty Ltd
Environ
men
tal Impact Statem
ent
for South
ofE
mbley Project
EPBC Assessment Report Referral 2010 / 5642
Rio Tinto AlcanEnvironmental Impact StatementSouth of Embley Project
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Background 1
1.2 Statutory Context 1
2 DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ACTION 3
3 PROTECTED MATTERS SEARCH 9
3.1 Terrestrial Flora 13
3.2 Terrestrial Fauna 24
3.3 Threatened Estuarine and Marine Fauna 30
3.3.1 Marine Turtles 31
3.3.2 Sharks and Sawfish 42
3.4 Migratory Species (Avian) 44
3.5 Non-avian Migratory species 49
3.5.1 Estuarine Crocodile 53
3.5.2 Dugong 54
3.5.3 Whales and Dolphins (Cetaceans) 54
3.6 Commonwealth Marine Areas 55
4 ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES 55
4.1 Potential Impacts on Threatened Flora 55
4.1.1 Calophyllum bicolor 55
4.1.2 Cooktown Orchid (Dendrobium bigibbum) 57
4.1.3 Chocolate Tea Tree Orchid (Dendrobium johannis) 58
4.1.4 Ant Plant Myrmecodia beccarii 59
4.1.5 Beach Nightshade (So /anum dunalianum) 60
4.1.6 Spathoglottis plicata 62
4.1.7 Summary of Threatened Flora Habitat Impacts 63
4.2 Mitigation Measures Threatened Flora 68
4.3 Potential Impacts on Threatened Terrestrial Fauna 68
4.3.1 Red Goshawk (Erythrotriorchis radiates) 68
4.3.2 Masked Owl (Tyto Novaehollandiae) 70
4.3.3 Northern Quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus) 71
4.3.4 Bare-rumped Sheathtail Bat (Saccolaimus saccolaimus nudicluniatus) 72
4.3.5 Summary of Threatened Terrestrial Fauna Habitat Impacts 74
4.4 Mitigation Measures Threatened Fauna 74
4.5 Potential Impacts on Threatened Estuarine and Marine Fauna 78
4.5.1 Potential Impacts on Marine Turtles 78
4.5.2 Proposed Mitigation Strategies Threatened Marine Turtles 86
4.5.3 Potential Impacts on Sharks and Sawfish 90
4.5.4 Proposed Mitigation Strategies Sharks and Sawfish 93
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Rio Tinto AlcanEnvironmental Impact StatementSouth of Embley Project
4.6 Potential Impacts on EPBC Listed Migratory Species Avian 93
4.7 Potential Impacts on Non-Avian Migratory Fauna 95
4.7.1 Potential Impacts on Estuarine Crocodile 95
4.7.2 Potential Impacts on Dugong 99
4.7.3 Proposed Mitigation Strategies Dugong 100
4.7.4 Potential Impacts on Migratory Cetaceans 101
4.7.5 Proposed Mitigation Strategies Migratory Cetaceans 102
4.7.6 Summary of Threatened and Migratory Estuarine and Marine Fauna HabitatImpacts 103
4.8 Impacts on the Commonwealth Marine Area 105
4.8.1 Marine Pest Establishment 105
4.8.2 Ecosystem Function or Integrity 106
4.8.3 Affects on Marine Species 106
4.8.4 Changes in Water Quality 108
4.8.5 Impacts of Turbid Plumes on Marine Habitat and Marine Fauna in CommonwealthMarine Areas 115
4.8.6 Accumulation of Potentially Harmful Chemicals 116
4.8.7 Substantial Adverse Impact on Heritage Values of Commonwealth Marine Area 117
4.8.8 Risk of Accidental Spills in the Commonwealth Marine Area 117
4.8.9 Mitigation Strategies for the Commonwealth Marine Area 117
5 CONCLUSIONS 119
6 SUMMARY OF RELEVANT IMPACTS AND MITIGATION/OFFSET MEASURES 120
7 REFERENCES 135
TABLES
Table 1 DSEWPaC Protected Matters Search Coordinates 9
Table 2 Matters of National Environmental Significance 9
Table 3 Threatened Terrestrial Flora Listed under the EPBC Act 14
Table 5 Likelihood of Occurrence of Threatened Estuarine and Marine Species 32
Table 6 Migratory (Avian) Species Listed under the EPBC Act 45
Table 7 Non-avian migratory species listed under the EPBC Act 50
Table 8 Significant Impact Assessment Calophyllum bicolor 55
Table 9 Significant Impact Assessment Cooktown Orchid 57
Table 10 Significant Impact Assessment Chocolate Tea Tree Orchid 58
Table 11 Significant Impact Assessment Myrmecodia beccarii 59
Table 12 Significant Impact Assessment Beach Nightshade 61
Table 13 Significant Impact Assessment Spathoglottis plicata 62
Table 14 Habitat Disturbance for Threatened Flora Species 64
Table 15 Significant Impact Assessment Red Goshawk (Erythrotriorchis radiatus) 69
Table 16 Significant Impact Assessment Masked Owl (Tyto Novaehollandiae) 70
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Rio Tinto AlcanEnvironmental Impact StatementSouth of Embley Project
Table 17 Significant Impact Assessment Northern Quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus) 72
Table 18 Significant Impact Assessment Bare-rumped Sheathtail Bat (Sacco /aimussacco /aimus nudicluniatus) 73
Table 19 Habitat Disturbance for Threatened Terrestrial Fauna Species 75
Table 20 Significant Impact Assessment Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmoche /ys imbricate) 80
Table 21 Significant Impact Assessment Flatback Turtle (Natator depressus) 82
Table 22 Significant Impact Assessment Olive Ridley Turtle (Lepidoche /ys olivacea) 83
Table 23 Significant Impact Assessment Leatherback Turtle (Dermoche /ys coriacea) 84
Table 24 Significant Impact Assessment Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta) 85
Table 25 Significant Impact Assessment Green Turtle (Chelonta mydas) 86
Table 26 Lighting Plan 87
Table 27 Significant Impact Assessment Dwarf Sawfish (Pristis clavata) 91
Table 28 Significant Impact Assessment Green Sawfish (Pristis z(Jsron) 92
Table 30 Significant Impact Assessment migratory avian species 94
Table 31 Significant Impact Assessment Estuarine Crocodile 96
Table 32 Regional Ecosystem Habitat Disturbance for Estuarine Crocodile 97
Table 33 Significant Impact Assessment Dugong (Dugong dugon) 100
Table 34 Significant Impact Assessment Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin, Australian SnubfinDolphin and Bryde's Whale 102
Table 35 Summary of Threatened and Migratory Estuarine and Marine Species' Habitat 103
Table 36 Summary of Estuarine and Marine Habitat Disturbance 104
Table 37 Summary of Relevant Impacts and Mitigation/Offset Measures 121
Table 38 Commonwealth Tailored Guidelines Cross-Reference Table 125
FIGURES
Figure 1 Locality Map 2
Figure 2 Existing Facilities North of the Embley River 6
Figure 3 Infrastructure and Conceptual 40 Year Mine Plan 7
Figure 4 Area of Database Search 8
Figure 5 Threatened Flora 16
Figure 7 Confirmed Threatened and Migratory Fauna 27
Figure 9 Dredge plume deposition model for port area dredging and disposal at proposedspoil ground (Periods 2-4) 107
Figure 10a Dredge plume dispersion model (median and 80th percentile cases) for port areadredging and disposal at proposed new spoil ground (Period 2) 110
Figure 11 Percentage exceedence plots: 5mg/L (top), 10mg/L (middle) and 15mg/L (bottom)for dredge Period 2 (left) and dredge Period 3 (right) 114
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Rio Tinto AlcanEnvironmental Impact StatementSouth of Embley Project
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
RTA Weipa Pty Ltd (RTA) proposes to extend its existing bauxite mining operations north of theEmbley River (western Cape York Peninsula) on Mining Lease (ML) 7024, to areas within ML7024located south of the Embley River. Refer to Figure 1 for the location of the proposal. The South ofthe Embley (SoE) Project Cthe Project') includes bauxite mining and the construction and operation oftwo new bauxite processing plants and infrastructure associated with the mining operations, includingroads, water supply infrastructure, product stockpiles, barge and ferry facilities, a port and ancillaryinfrastructure. The Project involves a staged increase in production of up to 50 million dry producttonnes per annum (Mdptpa). The initial installed capacity is subject to ongoing feasibility studies but islikely to be either 15Mdptpa or 22.5Mdptpa. Actual production rates and the timing and size ofcapacity expansions would depend on market conditions.
The Project is predominately located on the portion of ML7024 that is south of the Embley River andon ML6024. In addition, a ferry terminal would be located at Hornibrook Point and a barge terminal atHumbug Point. Both locations are on Strategic Port Land administered by the North Queensland BulkPorts Corporation Limited (NQBP) and both are within the Port of Weipa. A third barge/ferry terminalwould be located on the Hey River on ML7024. Dredged spoil from the construction of these terminalswould be disposed of at the existing Albatross Bay spoil ground in Commonwealth waters.
RTA would also construct and operate new port and ship-loading facilities south of Boyd Point,including a jetty, berths and shiploader. Dredged spoil disposal associated with the construction of theport and ship-loading facilities would be in offshore waters at a proposed new spoil disposal groundlocated approximately 17km west of the proposed port site in Commonwealth waters.
A significant area within the mining lease boundaries would not be disturbed as a result of the Project.Therefore, for the purposes of this assessment, the "site" refers to the infrastructure and mining areasshown on Figure 3, including offshore dredging and disposal areas affected by the Project. The"Project area" incorporates the "site" and areas within the mining lease south of the Embley Riverwhich would not be disturbed.
Further detailed background information is provided in Section 1 of the South of the Embley ProjectEnvironmental Impact Statement Cthe EIS').
1.2 Statutory ContextOn 13 June 2008, RTA lodged an initial advice statement (IAS) and a request for 'significant project'declaration with the Queensland Coordinator General (CG). The IAS provided an outline of the proposedProject, including the Project rationale and its potential impacts. The IAS was subsequently updated on 3November 2008.
The SoE Project was declared a "significant project" for which an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)is required' pursuant to section 26(1)(a) of the Queensland State Development and Public WorksOrganisation Act 1971 (SDPWO Act) on 21 November 2008, by the CG. The first step in the impactassessment process under the SDPWO Act is the development of Terms of Reference (ToR) for theEIS. A draft ToR was advertised for public and advisory agency comment (including theCommonwealth Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities(DSEWPaC) (formerly Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA)) on 16January 2009 and finalised in April 2009.
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Fig. 1: Locality Map
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Datum/Projection: GDA94IMGA Zone 54 Date: 09/06/2011
Rio Tinto AlcanEnvironmental Impact StatementSouth of Embley Project
The Project was referred to the Commonwealth Minister for Environment, Water, Heritage, and theArts in August 2008 (Referral No. 2008/4435). RTA nominated the Project as a "controlled action"under section 75 of the Commonwealth Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act1999 (EPBC Act) on the basis of its potential impact on listed threatened species and communities andmigratory species. On 2 October 2008, the Project was declared a "controlled action" and the relevantcontrolling provisions were:
listed threatened species and communities (section 18 and 18A of the EPBC Act); and
listed migratory species (sections 20 and 20A of the EPBC Act).
Following substantial changes to the scope of dredging at the proposed port, the August 2008 referralwas withdrawn and a new referral was submitted to the Commonwealth Minister for Sustainability,Environment, Water, Population and Communities on 8 September 2010. The Project was declared acontrolled action on 29 October 2010 (Referral 2010/5642) and the controlling provisions were:
Sections 18 and 18A (listed threatened species and communities);
Sections 20 and 20A (listed migratory species); and
Sections 23 and 24 (Commonwealth marine areas).
As a consequence of this decision, the Project requires approval under the EPBC Act. TheCommonwealth has also determined an EIS under the EPBC Act is required and released Tailored EISGuidelines on 21 December 2010 (refer to Appendix 1C of the EIS).
A single EIS will address both Queensland and Commonwealth assessment requirements. The ToRand the Tailored EIS Guidelines specifically require a stand-alone report addressing potential impactsof the Project on matters of national environmental significance (MNES). This report has beenprepared to satisfy this requirement.
This report describes the proposed action as it would impact on MNES, the affected environmentrelevant to the controlling provisions, an assessment of potential impacts on MNES, associatedmitigation measures and a summary of conclusions. More detailed information regarding the proposedaction is presented in the EIS. Cross referencing to the EIS has been provided in this report whererelevant. A cross reference table which links the requirements of Commonwealth Tailored EISGuidelines with the corresponding section of the EIS where those requirements have been addressedis provided in Table 38.
In addition to the approval of the EIS under the SDPWO Act and approval of the "controlled action"under the EPBC Act, the Project will require a number of other approvals, permits and licences forvarious components of the Project. These are described in Section 1.9 of the EIS.
The DSEWPaC also determined that an application for a permit under the CommonwealthEnvironment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981 is required to be assessed under the EPBC Act (referSection 1.9.3). As such, the assessment to support the application for a Sea Dumping Permit fordredging and disposal associated with Stage 1 capital dredging at the port and capital dredging forthe barge and ferry terminals is included in the EIS and is summarised in this report.
2 DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ACTION
RTA currently undertakes bauxite mining at Weipa in two main areas, East Weipa and Andoom, bothof which are north of the Embley River (refer to Figure 2). These reserves are gradually depletingand the SoE Project would provide for the long term continuation of mining in the Weipa region andenable continued bauxite supply to Gladstone refineries and third parties.
Based on studies to date, and subject to future modification, the Project consists of the followingcomponents.
Bauxite mining the Project involves a staged increase in production of up to 50Mdptpa. Theinitial installed capacity is subject to ongoing feasibility studies, but is likely to be either15Mdptpa or 22.5Mdptpa. Actual production rates and the timing and size of capacity
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Rio Tinto AlcanEnvironmental Impact StatementSouth of Embley Project
expansions would depend on market conditions. The initial phase of mining operations wouldinvolve production to replace depleted East Weipa production as well as developing third partymarkets. Production capacity would expand to replace Andoom production once thosereserves are depleted. Production capacity would thereafter be expanded to 50Mdptpa whenmarket conditions are suitable. The mining process would involve clearing vegetation, salvageof topsoil, stripping of overburden, extraction of the bauxite, replacement of topsoil andrevegetation. Mined bauxite would be transported to stockpiles near the beneficiation plantsusing a network of internal haul roads. Mined areas would be progressively rehabilitated.
Bauxite processing mined bauxite would be processed in one of two beneficiation plants(Boyd infrastructure area, followed by a second plant at Norman Creek) (refer to Figure 3).Beneficiation would involve the separation of the bauxite and waste materials throughscreening, crushing, grinding, washing and dewatering. Chemicals would not be used in theprocess, only water. Fine waste materials would be discharged to tailings storage facilities.
Port and ship-loading facilities construction and operation of new port, ship-loading and tugmooring facilities between Boyd Point and Pera Head. The port would include an approachjetty and two berths totalling 900m in length and a fair-weather mooring point along the jettyfor tugs. A 1.2km conveyor would transport bauxite from the product stockpile to the shiploader. The port would be built with an initial capacity of 30Mdptpa. Prior to productionexceeding 30Mdptpa, the wharf would be expanded to accommodate two extra berths at theport to a capacity of at least 50Mdptpa. Initially, approximately 6,500,000m3 of marinesediments would be dredged to establish the berth pockets and departure areas over a periodof about three hundred days. To accommodate the extra berths and departure areas,approximately 2,400,000m3 of material would be dredged. For the purposes of evaluationstudies, it has conservatively been assumed that vessel departures would be unrestricted bytides and hence the depth of dredging required has been matched to this assumption. Thedredging would be carried out by a cutter suction dredger (CSD) re-depositing material on thesea bottom. Deposited material would be retrieved by a trailing suction hopper dredge(TSHD). Dredged spoil would then be transported by the TSHD to a new off -shore spoildisposal ground located approximately 17km west of Boyd Point (refer to Figure 4).Maintenance dredging of 890,000m3 every year is expected to be required to maintain underkeel clearance for ships. An allowance would be made in the second stage port expansion toaccommodate up to 13Mdptpa product from third parties following agreement on suitablecommercial terms.
Product bauxite stockpiles product stockpiles and a stacker-reclaimer would be establishedadjacent to the port facilities. The stockpile area would be expanded in stages as productionincreases. Should ore from neighbouring mines operated by others be shipped through theproposed port, such ore would be conveyed by others across ML7024 to the stockpile area.Allowance has been made in the stockpile layout to enable additional stockpile capacity to beadded adjacent to RTA's facilities to accommodate product from third parties followingagreement on suitable commercial terms. At a production rate of 15Mdptpa, the stockpilecapacity would be 680,000 dry product tonnes (dpt) and it would occupy 16ha of land withthe capacity to increase to a maximum of 2.55Mdpt, occupying 59ha of land (assuming13Mdptpa production from third parties).
Ancillary infrastructure including diesel-fuelled power station, workshops, warehouse,administration facilities, vehicle wash-down facilities, tyre bay, package sewage treatmentplant, waste storage and diesel storage.
Water infrastructure a water supply dam would be constructed on a freshwater tributary ofNorman Creek (Dam C). The reasons why a freshwater tributary of Norman Creek was chosenas a dam site to provide water supply for the Project over other alternatives is summarised inSection 5.2.3 of the EIS. Later, a water pumping station on the Ward River would beconstructed, plus pipelines and up to 12 artesian bores. Dam C would have a maximumstorage capacity of 29GL and may be constructed in either in two stages or a single stage.The dam would be constructed in a single stage should expansion of production above15Mdptpa be anticipated to occur quickly, or should an initial production rate of 22.5Mdptpa
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Rio Tinto AlcanEnvironmental Impact StatementSouth of Embley Project
be adopted. This is the subject of ongoing feasibility studies.
Temporary onsite camp for the construction phase, of up to 630 beds. During the operationsphase, employees would be housed in the existing Weipa community and commute to site ona daily basis via ferry and an all weather sealed 38km Mine Access Road from the Hey RiverTerminal to the Boyd infrastructure area.
Barge/ferry facilities construction and operation of a new ferry terminal at Hornibrook Point,a roll-on roll-off (RORO) barge facility at Humbug Point, and a new barge/ferry terminal onthe western bank of the Hey River. These would be used to transport workforce, materialsand equipment between Weipa and the SoE Project.
o Humbug Terminal approximately 10,700m3 of material would be dredged anddisposed of at the existing Albatross Bay spoil ground.
o Hornibrook Terminal approximately 19,000m3 of material would be dredged anddisposed of at the existing Albatross Bay spoil ground.
o Hey River Terminal approximately 17,300m3 of material would be dredged anddisposed of at the existing Albatross Bay spoil ground. A thin band of mangroves(approximately 400m2) would be required to be cleared. The extent of mangroveclearing represents approximately 0.008% of RE 3.1.1a and 0.003% of the mangrovecommunities within the Project area.
Pile driving would also be required for the construction of the barge/ferry facilities. Pile drivingfor these facilities is expected to be of fairly short duration (approximately 15 days). Thenumber of piles that would be required for the barge/ferry facilities would be as follows.
o Humbug Terminal 14 by 600mm piles.
o Hornibrook Terminal 10 by 600mm piles.
o Hey River Terminal 20 by 600mm piles.
o Navigational Aids and Tug Station 4 by 1050mm, 12 by 750mm and 12 by 610mmpiles.
The main infrastructure elements are illustrated in Figure 3 and proposed spoil ground locations areshown in Figure 4. Further information on the area of physical land disturbance associated with theProject is provided in Table 7.10 of the EIS. The areas that would be dredged for the port andbarge/ferry facilities are provided on Figure 2.3, Figure 2.4, Figure 2.5 and Figure 2.6 of the EIS.
A more detailed Project description is provided in Section 2 of the EIS, which includes a description ofworks to be undertaken, how the works would be undertaken, structures to be built, and designparameters where relevant. Section 1.6 of the EIS describes the feasible alternatives to the proposedaction including a comparative description of the impacts of each alternative on the matters protectedby the controlling provisions for the proposed action.
An extensive stakeholder consultation program has been undertaken and further consultation will beundertaken throughout the EIS process, and Project construction and operational phases. Details ofthe consultation undertaken with various stakeholder groups and the key issues raised are provided inSection 15.2 of the EIS. A full discussion on the social and environmental issues raised bystakeholders and RTA's proposed mitigation strategies are set out in the Social Impact Assessment(Section 16 of the EIS). Section 16.3.3 of the EIS describes the proposed ongoing communityengagement processes for the Project.
The definition of "affected parties" under Section 500(1) of the EPBC Act encompasses those whohave suffered loss or damage as a result of a contravention of the Act or regulations. Therefore, thereare no potentially "affected parties" with respect to the Project.
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Rio Tinto AlcanEnvironmental Impact StatementSouth of Embley Project
3 PROTECTED MATTERS SEARCH
A search using the DSEWPaC Protected Matters search tool C'EPBC Act database") was conductedover three areas to define the Project area which is bound by the coordinates listed in Table 1 with a5km buffer, and shown in Figure 4.
Table 1 DSEWPaC Protected Matters Search Coordinates
Location PointLatitude Longitude
degrees minutes seconds degrees minutes seconds
Al -12 41 4.5 141 34 34
A2 -12 41 4.5 141 54 55
A3 -13 21 43 141 54 55
A4 -13 21 43 141 34 34
B1 -12 34 6.5 141 39 40
B2 -12 39 37.3 141 44 57.7
B3 -12 44 49 141 39 18.7
B4 -12 39 40.3 141 33 58.1
Cl -12 49 21 141 29 8
C2 -12 54 48.9 141 34 23.6
C3 -13 00 13.68 141 28 36.4
C4 -12 54 48.9 141 23 20.9
The Protected Matters search results are summarised in Table 2.
Table 2 Matters of National Environmental Significance
Matters of NationalEnvironmental Significance
Relevance to the Project
World Heritage Properties There are no World Heritage Properties within or near the area affected by the proposeddevelopment.
National Heritage Places There are no National Heritage Places within or near the area affected by the proposeddevelopment.
Threatened EcologicalCommunities
No Endangered Ecological Communities (EECs) were returned by the database search orfield surveys of the SoE Project area. A review of the regional ecosystem types that weremapped for the Project area indicates that EECs are not likely to occur. This listedgroundwater dependant ecological community associated with the Great Artesian Basindoes also not occur within the Project area (refer Section 5.3.4 of the EIS).
Threatened Species 4 plants
3 birds
3 terrestrial mammals
2 marine mammals
6 freshwater / marine reptiles
4 fish (freshwater and marine)
Migratory Species 17 birds
7 freshwater /marine reptiles
7 marine mammals
1 fish
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Rio Tinto AlcanEnvironmental Impact StatementSouth of Embley Project
Matters of NationalEnvironmental Significance
Relevance to the Project
Commonwealth Marine Area Capital dredging for the proposed Port and disposal of dredged material in a new spoilground approximately 17km west of Boyd Point.
Disposal of material dredged from the barge and ferry terminals at the existing Port ofWeipa Spoil Ground in Albatross Bay (this spoil ground lies within the Port of Weipa).
In addition to species identified in the EPBC Act database search, species recorded during fieldsurveys as part of the EIS, and species assessed as potential inhabitants of the area based onavailable habitats observed during field surveys as part of the environmental impact assessment, havebeen included in this assessment.
The dredged channel for the proposed port extends from State waters into the Commonwealth marinearea. Dredged spoil from the port would be disposed of at a new spoil ground within theCommonwealth marine area, approximately 17km west of Boyd Point (see Figure 4). Dredged spoilfrom the barge and ferry terminals would be disposed of at the existing Port of Weipa Spoil Ground inAlbatross Bay (see Figure 4). This spoil ground also lies within the Commonwealth marine area.
The relevant MNES within the Project area or potentially affected by the Project are described in thisreport in terms of: threatened terrestrial flora and fauna, threatened freshwater/marine fauna,migratory species, and Commonwealth marine areas.
It should be noted, that a Protected Matters search of the pre-defined Cape York Natural ResourceManagement (NRM) region (accessed on the 25/03/2011), identifies the potential occurrence of thethreatened ecological community 'The community of native species dependent on natural discharge ofgroundwater from the Great Artesian Basin'. Discharge springs, which are defined as spring's suppliedby underground water from the GAB, are not found in the Project area or Cape York. It is thereforeunlikely that this threatened ecological community would occur in or near the Project area (seeSection 5.3.4). Detailed baseline surveys of the Project area were carried out and the results arepresented in Section 6 (Marine), Section 7 (Terrestrial Flora and Fauna), and Section 8 (AquaticEcology) of the EIS. Description of the Environment
The terrestrial part of the Project area (the portion of the mining lease south of the Embley River) isessentially an elevated bauxite plateau that is fringed on much of its coastal margins by low cliffs andlateritic outcrops. The Project area sheds run off from a centrally located topographic high to the eastvia a series of creeks and tributaries. The main rivers and creeks in the Project area are shown inFigure 3. Seasonal variation in the ephemeral reaches of rivers and creeks is pronounced, with wetseason discharge typically commencing from mid to late December. The dry season retreat of streamflow over the ephemeral sections can occur from early April. The underlying shallow aquifer is able tosustain baseflows well into the dry season over the lower reaches of the major watercourses.Estuaries are present at the lower reaches of the Ward, Watson and Embley Rivers and of NormanCreek.
The Project area is located within the Western Plains province (subregion) of the Cape York PeninsulaBioregion (Sattler and Williams 1999). This is the most extensive of the six provinces and covers alarge area of the central and north-western portions of Cape York Peninsula. This area is relativelyhomogenous in vegetation and landform, and is characterised by large areas of Darwin Stringybark(Eucalyptus tetrodonta) open forests or woodlands, dissected by smaller areas of more mesic riparianvegetation, vine thicket patches and paperbark swamps. More information on protected areas,conservation areas and biodiversity areas within the Cape York Peninsula Bioregion is provided inSection 7.2 of the EIS. Cultural heritage values associated with landscape of the region and theProject area are discussed in Section 11.1.4 of the EIS.
Approximately 99% of the vegetation that would be disturbed as a result of the Project is mapped asDarwin Stringybark (Eucalyptus tetrodonta) Open Forest to Woodland on lateritic red earths (RegionalEcosystem (RE) 3.5.2). This RE correlates with the bauxite-bearing Weipa plateau. The 28,970ha ofRE3.5.2 proposed to be disturbed over the 40 year mine life of the Project represents 33% of the areaof this RE mapped in the Project area and 4.3% of the area of this RE mapped in the Weipa Plateauregion. RE 3.5.2 is currently classified as 'Least concern' under the Queensland VegetationManagement Act 1999 (VMA). Refer to Table 7.10 of the EIS for more information on the types and
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Rio Tinto AlcanEnvironmental Impact StatementSouth of Embley Project
areas of vegetation associated with physical land disturbance associated with the Project. Section7.5.1 of the EIS discusses the vegetation units within the Project area and the associations andinteractions with other physical elements such as topography, hydrology and soil.
The EPBC Act search did not identify any Endangered Ecological Communities (EECs) as likely to occurwithin the Project area, and no EECs were identified during the field surveys. A review of the RE typesthat are mapped in the Project area indicates that EECs are not likely to occur within the Project area.
Of the 27 REs occurring in the Project area, 24 are listed under the VMA as 'Least concern', and threeare listed under the VMA as 'Of concern'. Of these, only one "Of concern" RE (3.2.6a) would bedisturbed as a result of the Project. Total disturbance of RE 3.2.6a would be approximately 0.3ha,which is 0.2% of the area of this RE mapped in the Project area and 0.1% of the area mapped in theWeipa Plateau region. No 'Endangered' REs are known to occur within the Project area.
The terrestrial fauna community within the Project area is not regarded as unique or of particularimportance, with similar fauna assemblages occurring elsewhere along the west coast of the CapeYork Peninsula, particularly within Eucalyptus tetrodonta dominated habitats. There is considerablefauna diversity within the Project area reflecting the diversity of habitats present including closedforest, woodland, and a range of stream, wetland and coastal habitats. Fauna diversity is
concentrated within the non-Darwin Stringybark open forest habitats which together compriseapproximately 1% of the area that would be disturbed by the Project. A description of the main faunahabitats within the Project area is provided in Section 7.14.1 of the EIS. Section 7.14.2 of the EISdiscusses the landscape and condition of the main fauna habitats within the Project area.
Aquatic ecosystems within the Project area include swamps, lagoons, freshwater channels, lakes andestuaries (Refer to Section 8.4 if the EIS for further information). The systems are a mix of perennialand seasonal systems, some of which are interconnected with the groundwater system.
The southern extremity of the Project area overlaps with the Archer Bay Aggregation on the lowerWard River (refer Figure 8-1 of the EIS), which is a nationally significant wetland area listed in theDirectory of Important Wetlands in Australia (DIWA) (Blackman et al. 1999). No mining is proposedwithin the Archer Bay Aggregation. Archer Bay is fed by the Ward, Watson and Archer Rivers withmining occurring only within the Ward River, which covers only 3.8% of the total contributingcatchment of 17,358 km2 (see Table 5-1 and Figure 5-1 of the EIS). The Project would not affect theWatson or Archer Rivers. An assessment of impacts to the Ward River catchment (see Section 5.2.4 ofthe EIS) identified that the Project would have only a minor impact to discharge to the Ward Rivercatchment. Therefore the impact to the Archer Bay Aggregation, and anythreatened/migratory/marine species which use these systems, would also be very minor, if any.
The Cape York Peninsula Land Use Strategy (CYPLUS) (Abrahams et al. 1995) the estuary of theEmbley River and the Aurukun Wetlands to the immediate south of the Project area. Furtherinformation on conservation areas and sensitive environmental areas associated with aquaticecosystems in the northern Cape York region is provided in Section 8.2 of the EIS.
There are two other relatively large wetland aggregations partly or wholly contained within the Projectarea, including the lower Winda WindaTriluck Creeks and lower Norman Creek. These systemsprovide wetland habitat, productivity (carbon biomass), fish nursery, fisheries, nesting/feeding areasfor migratory birds, aquatic refugia, habitat for threatened species and areas of cultural significance.
A total of 45 species of fish were recorded in the Project area. The number of species recordedindicates that the fish communities within the Project area had less species diversity than adjoiningcatchments and estuaries in the region. The freshwater fish community comprises species occurringelsewhere in the western Cape York drainage systems. Discussion on aquatic habitat within theProject area is provided in Section 8.4 of the EIS. Section 8.5 of the EIS also provides information onthe water quality and hydrology of aquatic habitats within the Project area and Section 8.6 of the EISdiscusses the riparian and aquatic flora habitats within the Project area.
Near shore fringing reef communities in the vicinity of the proposed port area occur approximately2km to the north-east at Boyd Point and approximately 2km to the south-west at Pera Head. Thesefringing reef communities also occur between Pera Head and Thud Point in State waters. Thesecommunities comprise both reefs containing hard corals and low profile reefs containing soft
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Rio Tinto AlcanEnvironmental Impact StatementSouth of Embley Project
coral/sponge assemblages. Satellite imagery also indicates there may be numerous small reefoutcrops present between Thud Point and Aurukun. Hard corals over the reef areas include speciesfrom the following genera: Porites, branching Acropora, Turbinaria, Monitipora, Lobophy /lia, Platygyra,Pavona and Favia. Nine Mile Reef is located approximately 6km south south-west of the proposed newdisposal ground in the Commonwealth marine area and has been identified as an important fishinglocation for local recreational fishermen and commercial line fishing. The importance of these reefsystems (Boyd Point to Thud Point and Nine Mile) in a regional context is considered to be high asthey support resources which are of conservation, cultural, commercial and recreational importance.In particular, the near shore sponge and soft coral reefs provide a food resource for a range of turtlespecies in the area. Refer to Section 6.3.2 of the EIS for more information on inshore and offshorereef habitats associated with the Project.
Seagrass beds are typically present in the more sheltered areas of Albatross Bay. Recent surveys forthe EIS did not identify seagrass within the proposed dredge footprints of the proposed HornibrookTerminal and Hey River Terminal, however, it may occur in the wider vicinity as isolated patches.Isolated patches of seagrass have been identified within or immediately adjacent to the proposeddredge footprint at the Humbug barge terminal. Further discussion on seagrass habitat within andsurrounding the Project area is provided in Section 6.3.4 of the EIS.
The Project area contains extensive intertidal and sub-tidal soft sediment habitats. The developmentfootprints for all marine infrastructure components of the Project (the proposed port, barge/ferryterminals and new spoil ground) consist primarily of soft sediment habitats. These soft sediments arecommon throughout the Gulf of Carpentaria and are not considered to be sensitive marine habitatsand are therefore not areas of high importance. Section 6.3.5 of the EIS describes these habitats indetail.
The Albatross Bay Spoil Ground currently receives capital and maintenance dredging material fromoperations within the Port of Weipa. The spoil ground typically receives in excess of 500,000m3annually of maintenance spoil dredged from the inner harbour and entrance channel (i.e. SouthChannel) (GHD 2005). This spoil ground also received over 3,000,000m3 of capital dredging materialfrom the entrance channel in 2006-2007. Before any material is placed at the Albatross Bay spoilground, it must be proven to be suitable for placement at sea using the assessment frameworkdescribed in the National Assessment Guidelines for Dredging (NAGD) (Commonwealth of Australia2009).
The Project area is not used for agriculture and is relatively undisturbed by development (Refer toSection 3.1.1 of the EIS). Tracks to various parts of the Project area are used by recreational vehicleusers, Traditional Owners and for access for exploration. Recreational uses of the area includecamping, fishing, pig hunting and recreational quad bike use (refer to Section 16.3.2 of the EIS). TheProject area is also used by the Traditional Owners for fishing and hunting. Exploration activities,including drilling and associated road development, have taken place throughout the Project area.
There are no existing surface water dams or weirs in the Project area (Section 5.1.2 of the EIS).
The proposed port site, Hey River Terminal site and Hornibrook Terminal site have no existinginfrastructure and no specific existing land use. The Hornibrook Terminal is adjacent to the existingNorth Queensland Bulk Port's (NQBP) Lorim Point bauxite export wharf. The proposed HumbugTerminal site is adjacent to NQBP's Humbug Wharf which is used by incoming barges carrying generalcargo and fuel for Weipa and RTA's existing operations. NQBP undertake regular maintenancedredging in the Embley River for activities within the Port of Weipa. Apart from activities associatedwith the existing Port of Weipa, the marine ecosystem in the Project area is effectively unmodified.Prawn trawling, commercial fishing and recreational fishing are carried out in surrounding marineareas (refer to Section 6.7 of the EIS).
While overall there has been very little direct disturbance within the Project area and the environmentis generally in good condition, some areas have been impacted by camping and rubbish dumping.Some areas have also been significantly affected by frequent fires and damage from feral pigs (referto Section 7.10.1 of the EIS). The current fire regime on the Eucalyptus tetrodonta ecosystem hasresulted in the development of a homogeneous vegetation structure that varies little throughout theProject area.
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Rio Tinto AlcanEnvironmental Impact StatementSouth of Embley Project
The feral pig is by far the most abundant introduced fauna species within the Project area, occurringwithin all habitat types. The damage from pigs on the terrestrial environment comprises rooting andwallows predominantly within riparian and wetland areas. Predation by feral pigs is also the primaryfactor currently impacting sea turtle nesting success at the proposed port site (refer Section 6.6.5 ofthe EIS). The intensity of nest disturbance by feral pigs is very high, particularly at Boyd Point,immediately to the north of the proposed port area, where there are no cliffs impeding beach access.
3.1 Terrestrial Flora
Surveys were undertaken of vegetation communities and flora within the Project area. The mainobjectives of the flora survey program were to characterise the flora in the habitats present andprovide considerable coverage of threatened species listed under the EPBC Act, as these are theprimary matters of national environmental significance relevant for the Project area (i.e. in theabsence of threatened communities or populations). The secondary survey methodology of theQueensland Herbarium (Neldner et al. 2005) was used to characterise main vegetation types, togetherwith extensive targeted survey traverses in likely habitats for threatened species. Surveys wereundertaken in July 2006, May 2007, December 2007, May 2008, December 2008 and May 2009. Thespread of survey events provided survey effort over the two key seasons for detecting vegetation andfloristic variability within the Project area, namely the dry season and late wet season. The florasurveys focussed on Eucalyptus tetrodonta dominated communities on the bauxite plateau whichoccur within the proposed mining areas and non-Eucalyptus tetrodonta communities. The non-Eucalyptus tetrodonta communities include riparian forest, vine forest, seasonally inundated areas andbeach communities. Further information on the terrestrial flora survey methodology is provided inSection 7.4 and Appendix 7A of the EIS.
A total of 519 plant taxa have been recorded from all vegetation types within the Project area. Thereis considerable floristic diversity within the Project area, reflecting the diversity of vegetation typesand habitats present including closed forest, woodland, and a range of stream and wetland habitats. Atotal of 184 species, or approximately 36% of the total complement of species from the Project areahave been identified within Eucalyptus tetrodonta dominated vegetation, which is the vegetation typeoccurring where mining is proposed. Eucalyptus tetrodonta comprises approximately 87% of theProject area and 99% of the area of proposed disturbance.
Based on an assessment of database records, field surveys and the preferred habitat of threatenedspecies, six threatened flora species listed under the EPBC Act were determined to be known to occuror possibly occurring within the Project area. These species are listed in Table 3 together with anassessment of their likelihood of occurrence within the Project area and proposed areas of disturbancewithin the Project area.
Of the 6 species identified as potential inhabitants of the Project area, all are listed as "Vulnerable",and:
2 species have been confirmed as present in the Project area;
1 species is likely to occur in the Project area; and
3 species possibly occur in the Project area.
The confirmed locations of threatened flora species are shown on Figure 5.
The REs that represent potential habitat for each species are provided in Table 3. Refer to Figure 6,Figure 6a, Figure 6b, Figure 6c and Figure 6d for the location and distribution of these REs withinthe Project area. Refer to Table 7-10 of the EIS for data on the area of proposed disturbance of REscompared to the total area in the Project area, the Weipa Plateau subregion, and the Cape YorkBioregion. The potential impacts and proposed mitigation strategies pertaining to threatened flora arediscussed in Section 5.3.
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Rio Tinto AlcanEnvironmental Impact StatementSouth of Embley Project
Table 3 Threatened Terrestrial Flora Listed under the EPBC Act
Species
Common Name (ifexists)[Family]
0a.50ucoo.w
Growth Form and HabitatLikelihood of Occurrence within Project Areaand Areas of Proposed Disturbance withinthe Project Area (Site)
Ca /ophy / /um bicolor
[Clusiaceae]
V A small fire sensitive tree known to beassociated with permanent groundwaterseepage zones, particularly in evergreen vineforest.
Potential habitat comprises RE 3.3.5 (refer toFigures 6 to 6d for the locations of REs withinthe Project area).
Project area
Possible: not detected during field surveys of fivesemi-permanent groundwater seepage rainforestpatches, close to proposed mining areas, thatprovide suitable habitat for the species, but mayoccur in the Project area in groundwater-fedriparian gallery forest or seepage zones nearer thecoast. Only limited areas of suitable fire retardanthabitat occur within the Project area. Six othersemi-permanent seepage areas surveyed outsidethe infrastructure footprint did not have suitablehabitat present.
Mining Area
Unlikely: No suitable habitat exists in DarwinStringybark woodland.
Dam C on Norman Creek and infrastructurefootprintUnlikely: targeted surveys of the dam area andinfrastructure crossings of riparian areas indicatedwith a high reliability that this species is notpresent in these locations.
Dendrob /um bigibbum(alsoknown as Vappodesbigibba)
Cooktown Orchid
[Orchidaceae]
V An epiphyte that grows on trees and rocks insituations with moderate light intensity. Occursin a range of fire sensitive habitats includingcoastal scrub, streambank vegetation, monsoonthickets, and gullies in open forest andwoodland where fire cannot penetrate. In theWeipa area it grows as an epiphyte on trees(rocks absent) and is commonly encountered incoastal vine forest and vine forest on bauxite.
Potential habitats comprise vegetation REs3.1.1a, 3.1.1c, 3.2.2, 3.3.5, 3.5.4 (refer toFigures 6 to 6d for the locations of REs withinthe Project area).
Project area
Confirmed: located in coastal and non-coastalvine forest, and mangrove edges at severallocations within the Project area that would not beaffected by mining or infrastructure.
Mining Area
Unlikely: no suitable habitat exists in DarwinStringybark woodland.
Dam C on Norman Creek and infrastructurefootprintConfirmed: identified in pockets of riparianrainforest within the footprint of Dam C, in thevicinity of the infrastructure corridor crossings onNorman Creek, and vicinity of road crossings ofNorman Creek and Winda Winda Creek.
Dendrobium johannis (alsoknown as Cepobacu /umjohannis)
Chocolate Tea Tree Orchid
Johann's Orchid
[Orchidaceae]
V An epiphyte that grows in open humid habitats,on slopes in open woodland, close to swampsand in pockets of monsoon forests. It has beenrecorded growing on Tea tree in Melaleucawoodland and in coastal semi-evergreen vinethicket. In the Weipa area it is commonlyencountered growing on Melaleuca andSyzyg/um suborbiculare on the margin ofMelaleuca swamps and riparian gallery forest.
Potential habitats comprise REs 3.2.3, 3.3.5,3.3.9, 3.3.14a, 3.3.21 (refer to Figures 6 to 6dfor the locations of REs within the Project area).
Project area
Confirmed: located in riparian gallery forest andMelaleuca dominated swamps particularly alongmajor drainage lines and associated tributariesthroughout the Project area, in areas not to bedisturbed.
Mining Area
Unlikely: no suitable habitat exists in DarwinStringybark woodland.
Dam C on Norman Creek and infrastructurefootprintConfirmed: occurs within the infrastructurecorridor where it crosses Norman Creek.
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Rio Tinto AlcanEnvironmental Impact StatementSouth of Embley Project
Species
Common Name (ifexists)[Family]
0.e,
.50ucoo.w
Growth Form and HabitatLikelihood of Occurrence within Project Areaand Areas of Proposed Disturbance withinthe Project Area (Site)
Myrmecodla beccani
Ant Plant
[Rubiaceae]
V A tuberous epiphyte known to grow in Melaleucawoodland and mangrove areas. Recentlyrecorded from the Weipa area in a smallgroundwater seepage forest.
Potential habitats comprise REs 3.1.1a, 3.1.1c,3.1.3, 3.3.14a, 3.3.5 (refer to Figures 6 to 6d forthe locations of REs within the Project area).
Project area
Possible: this species is of very restricteddistribution in the Weipa area. If a permanentgroundwater seepage zone was identified withinthe Project area, this species may occur within thiszone. At present only semi-permanentgroundwater seepage zones have been identifiedwithin the Project area. The species may also occurwithin or on the landward margin of mangroveswithin the Project area.
Mining Area
Unlikely: no suitable habitat exists in DarwinStringybark woodland.
Dam C on Norman Creek and infrastructurefootprintUnlikely: targeted surveys of the dam area andinfrastructure crossings of riparian areas indicatedwith a high reliability that this species is notpresent in these locations.
Solanum dunallanum
Beach Nightshade
[Solanaceae]
V An herbaceous shrub growing to 2-4m found inor at the edge of semi deciduous vine forest.
Potential habitats comprise REs 3.2.2 andmargins of 3.5.2 (refer to Figures 6 to 6d for thelocations of RE's within the Project area).
Project area
Likely: not detected during field surveys butsuitable coastal vine forest and vine forest onbauxite habitat occurs in the Project area in areasnot to be disturbed.
Mining Area
Unlikely: no suitable habitat exists in DarwinStringybark woodland.
Dam C on Norman Creek and infrastructurefootprintUnlikely: within the Project area the species isexpected to be restricted to more mesic habitats,particularly coastal vine forest and vine forest onbauxite,
Spathogloffis plicata
[Orchidaceae]
V A terrestrial orchid with flower stems to lm thatgrows in or close to swamps, in seasonallyinundated areas and in moist, grassy patchesclose to streams, in Melaleuca swamp forest andriparian gallery closed forest. Flowers during wetseason, difficult to detect when not flowering.
Potential habitats comprise REs 3.2.3, 3.3.5,3.3.9, 3.3.14a, 3.3.21 (refer to Figures 6 to 6dfor the locations of REs within the Project area).
Project area
Possible: not detected during field surveysanywhere within the Project area but suitablestream, wetland and seepage habitat occursextensively in the Project area in areas that wouldnot be directly disturbed by the Project.
Mining Area
Unlikely: No suitable habitat exists in DarwinStringybark woodland.
Dam C on Norman Creek and infrastructurefootprintPossible: potential habitat for the species occurswithin the proposed footprint of Dam C and theinfrastructure corridor crossing of Norman Creek,although targeted surveys did not locate thespecies within these areas.
Key to Status: V = Vulnerable
EPBC Assessment Report Page 15
u_-0
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Mining Years 14 40
Threatened FloraCooktown Orchid pendrobium bigibbum](69 locations)
Chocolate Tea Tree Orchid pendrobium johannis](76 locations)
South of Embley Project
Fig. 5: Threatened Flora
A5 0 5km
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Closed forest of Rhizophora stylosa ± Bruguiera gymnorhiza. Occurs asouter mangroves. Rhizophora stylosa (red mangrove) often completelydominates, forming a very even, closed canopy (5-30m tall)
3.1.1a
3.1.1c
3.1.3
0
Tall, buttressed trees of Heritiera littoralis (looking glass mangrove) dominate afairly even canopy (21-28m tall). Other tree species are frequently present in thecanopy and a shrub layer (1.5 to 3.5m tall) is often present. In places, Melaleuca cajup
Ceriops tagal ± Avicennia marina low closed forest.Extensive on intertidal areas.
Sporobolus virginicus closed tussock grassland.Occurs on coastal plains
Sparse herbland or bare salipans.Associated with salt plains and saline flats
Land Zone 2 - Coastal Sand Dunes and Swales
7.........../771= Melaleuca viridiflora ± Petalostigma pubescens
low open woodland on low plains (paperback wetland)
3.2.10c
3.2.2
3.2.25
3.2.3
3.2.5a
3.2.6a
Eucalyptus telrodonta, Corymbia clarksoniana± E. brassiana woodland on stabilised dunes.
Semi-deciduous vine thicket on coastal dunes and beach ridges
Sparse herbland of mixed herbaceous species on foredunes and beach ridges.
Melaleuca dealbata ± Acacia crassicarpa open forest.Occurs in dune swales on the west coast
Acacia crassicarpa ± Syzygium suborbiculare ± Parinari nonda woodland.On beach ridges
Casuarina equisetifolia woodland. Occurs on foredunes
Land Zone 3 - Alluvial Plains and Piedmont Fans
3.3.14a
3.3.5
Melaleuca saligna ± M. viridiflora, Lophostemon suaveolens woodlandon drainage swamps.
Corymbia clarksoniana ± Syzygium eucalyptoides woodland.Lower slopes of sand ridges and in drainage depressions
Evergreen notophyll vine forest.Occurs on alluvia on major watercourses
Melaleuca viridiflora low open woodlandon low plains
FalsePeraHead
No man Creek1/Mining AreaIrr
WorbodyPant
-3.3.63
3.3.64
113.3.9
Themeda arguens, Dichanthium sericeumclosed tussock grassland on marine plains.
Panicum spp., Fimbristylis spp. tussock grassland on coastal alluvial plains
Closed sedgeland dominated by Eleocharis dulcis.Occurs on seasonally flooded marine plains
Baloskion telraphyllum subsp. meiostachyum open sedgeland indrainage swamps in duneflelds
Ephemeral lakes and lagoons on alluvial plains and depressions
Lophostemon suaveolens +/- Melaleuca leucadendra open forest.Occurs on streamlines, swamps and alluvial terraces
Land Zone 5 - Sand Deposits Forming Gently UndulatingPlains (includes Laterite Plateau)
3.5.11
3.5.2
3.5.22c
Eucalyptus telrodonta, Corymbia nesophila woodlandon lower slopes of plains and rises
Eucalyptus telrodonta, Corymbia nesophila tall woodlandon deeply weathered plateaus and remnants
Corymbia clarksoniana + Erythrophleum chlorostachys+ Corymbia spp. + Eucalyptus spp. woodland on plains.
Semi-deciduous notophyll vine forest.Occurs as small patches on northern plateaus
Land Zone 7 - Duricrusts Formed on aVariety of Rock Types
3.7.3 Eucalyptus cullenii ± E. telrodonta woodland on erosional escarpments and plains.Occurs on erosional escarpments and plains on the edge of the bauxite plateaus.
Rocks Sand
Not mapped as part of project
RTA Mining Lease boundary
Township
Road/track
r-V Freshwater damTailings storage facility
Mining Years 1- 13Mining Years 14- 40
South of Embley Project
Fig. 6:Regional Ecosystems(Ground Surveyed)
5 0 5km
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Culverts
For RE Descriptions See Fig 6
South of Embley Project
Fig. 6a:Regional Ecosystems
(Boyd/Pera Mining Area)N 1 0 1 2km
ZIL Datum/Projection: GDA94/MGA Zone 54 Date: 29/03/2011
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//
/
/
/
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RTA Mining Lease boundary
Mining Years 14- 40
Culverts
For RE DescriptionsSee Fig 6
South of Embley Project
Fig. 6b:Regional Ecosystems
(Hey Point Mining Area)1 0 1 2km
Datum/Projection: GDA94/MGA Zone 54 Date: 29/03/2011