MGX EPBC Act referral, page-2

Project description Koolan Island is located 130 km north-west of Derby within the Buccaneer Archipelago and in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. The project is operated by Koolan Iron Ore Pty Ltd (KIO), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mount Gibson Iron Ltd (MGX), in accordance with conditions of environmental approvals held under the: Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999(Cth) (EPBC Act) (2016/7848, 2013/6752 and 2006/2522) Mining Act 1978(WA) (via tenement conditions, Mining Proposals and Mine Closure Plans) Environmental Protection Act 1986(WA), specifically through Ministerial Statement 715 (MS 715). The proposed action is to introduce a 1,211 ha project area (development envelope) on granted mining tenements within which development activities are undertaken up to a total approved area of development of 813 ha (Att 1-Fig 1). The proposed total area of development of 813 ha represents an increase of 143 ha from that already approved under Ministerial Statement 715 (670 ha). The proposed 143 ha increase in the total development area is comprised of historical disturbance (69.5 ha from actions on land previously developed) and proposed new development (73.5 ha) (Att 1-Fig 2). The purpose of the proposed action is to enable: (a) the development of a small satellite orebody (Mangrove deposit) to the east of Main Pit; (b) the possible development of small, isolated areas within the internal footprint of the mine where needed to optimise mining efficiency; (c) the construction of landform rehabilitation designs for waste rock dumps and other areas; and (d) the inclusion of areas of legacy (e.g., BHP) development that have previously not been accounted for by MGX (e.g., Main Pit footwall). The proposed activities subject to this referral include: clearing of native vegetation topsoil removal and storage drilling, blasting and excavation of rock material (e.g., overburden, iron ore) waste rock disposal via backfilling of existing mine voids and/or within waste rock landforms landform profiling and associated earthworks and drainage construction to achieve rehabilitation designs. The nature of the activities for the proposed action have the potential to directly and/or indirectly affect the environment as a result of: clearing of native vegetation and ground disturbance resulting in direct removal of plants and terrestrial fauna habitat as well as potential entrapment of fauna during clearing activities leading to injury and/or mortality noise from in-pit blasting and light pollution leading to altered animal behaviour, injury and/or mortality, change in population size and/or distribution dust emissions from mining and rehabilitation activities, operation of heavy machinery and lift-off from developed ground resulting in dust deposition and associated degradation of plants and terrestrial fauna habitat increased fire frequency via operation and/or maintenance of machinery, vehicles and equipment, construction activities (hot works) and general personnel leading also to degradation and/or loss of vegetation and terrestrial fauna habitat in addition to fauna injury and/or mortality alteration of surface water hydrological regimes via ground disturbance and development activities (mine pit, waste rock landforms, roads and other infrastructure) leading to changes in surface water flow and/or increased sediment transport and degradation of surface water quality. A concurrent application to amend MS 715 to facilitate these changes has also been submitted by the Proponent to the WA Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) pursuant to s.45C of theEnvironmental Protection Act 1986 (WA).

Yeah looks pretty standard to my amateur eyes. Wonder what the Mangrove deposit has gifted us?