IRON MINES AND MINING – ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS – WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Iron ore told to clean up its act

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Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian – Page: 13 & 19 : 8-Oct-25

BHP is seeking approval for the second major extension of its Jimblebar iron ore hub since it opened in 1989. However, Western Australia’s Environmental Protection Authority has stated in its assessment of the expansion plans at Jimblebar that BHP and its Pilbara rivals Fortescue and Rio Tinto will find it more difficult to gain approval for future projects if they fail to prove that they can rehabilitate land and waterways after mining has ended. The EPA noted that there is "limited evidence" that big mining companies have successfully rehabilitated any such areas after six decades of mining in the Pilbara.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AUTHORITY, FORTESCUE LIMITED – ASX FMG, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO

Slow approvals a barrier to next Australian mining boom: report

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Original article by Tom Rabe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 13-Aug-24

A Climate Energy Finance report has stated that Australia has the potential to double its iron export value to $250 billion by producing green iron, but that its potential is being hampered by slow environmental approval processes. The report urges Australia to follow the lead of Europe and introduce "overriding public interest principles" into environmental approvals processes, stating this would help to fast track the renewable energy infrastructure that is viewed as critical to the development of a green steel industry in Western Australia’s north-west.

CORPORATES
CLIMATE ENERGY FINANCE

Fortescue vindicated on hydrogen

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Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 14 : 7-Jul-21

Fortescue Metals Group has outlined the progress it has achieved in its goal of making its iron ore operations carbon-neutral by 2030. The pure-play producer has advised that it has produced high-purity ‘green’ iron from its Pilbara iron ore via a trial decarbonisation project that is being run by its Fortescue Future Industries subsidiary. The trials have also resulted in the production of ‘green’ cement by combining waste from the green iron process with other materials.

CORPORATES
FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, FORTESCUE FUTURE INDUSTRIES PTY LTD

BHP’s 100-year Pilbara mines plan gets green light

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Original article by Ben Harvey
The West Australian – Page: Online : 11-Jul-18

Western Australia’s Environmental Protection Authority has approved BHP Billiton’s long-term plan for its iron ore operations in the Pilbara. However, the EPA’s deputy chairman Robert Harvey has stressed that BHP will still need to submit each development proposal for environmental approval. BHP’s Pilbara Expansion-Strategic Proposal includes the expansion of existing iron ore mines and the potential development of up to 13 new mines in the Pilbara.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AUTHORITY

WA Premier Mark McGowan defends iron ore mining ban on green grounds

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Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: Online : 3-Jan-18

Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan has banned Mineral Resources from carrying out iron ore mining in the Helena-Aurora Ranges conservation park. Mineral Resources had sought to mine there in order to allow it to extend its Yilgarna operations for a further 15 years. McGowan’s decision puts at risk over 400 jobs, while Mineral Resources has estimated the decision will cost the WA government around $A1 billion in state revenue. Mineral Resources is expected to wind up operations at Yilgarna by the end of 2018, and will try to deploy affected workers elsewhere.

CORPORATES
WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, MINERAL RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX MIN, CONSERVATION COUNCIL OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED, SINOSTEEL CORPORATION

Flower power: state blocks iron ore projects

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 27 : 29-Jun-17

Minerals Resources remains hopeful that its J5-Bungalbin East iron ore project will be approved by Western Australia’s Environment Minster, Stephen Dawson. The state’s Environmental Protection Authority has recommended that both J5-Bungalbin East and Sinosteel’s Blue Hills project should be blocked, citing their likely impact on rare wildflowers and microscopic subterranean prawns. The Wilderness Society notes that the EPA has ruled against the projects twice in the last two years.

CORPORATES
MINERAL RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX MIN, SINOSTEEL CORPORATION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AUTHORITY, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION, THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY WA INCORPORATED, THE CHAMBER OF MINERALS AND ENERGY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED

Rio gets EPA approval for Pilbara mine

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Original article by Tess Ingram
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 & 26 : 19-Nov-14

Rio Tinto has received approval from the Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority for its Koodaideri iron ore mine in the Pilbara region. The approval is subject to a number of conditions. The new mine is forecast to yield some 70 million tonnes of iron ore each year, but Glyn Lawcock of UBS says Rio Tinto can achieve its annual target of 360 million tonnes without the mine’s contribution

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AUTHORITY, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, MOUNT BRUCE MINING PTY LTD