The Tropicana Gold Project

 

 

 

 

 

 

16 June 2010

Mineral deposits are often discovered in remote and challenging environments. As part of the environmental impact assessment and approvals process, proponents wishing to extract these minerals are required to determine potential environmental impacts of their operations in a landscape that has not been adequately studied.

The Tropicana Gold Project is a joint venture between AngloGold Ashanti (70% stakeholder and manger) and Independence Group NL (30% stakeholder). It is a proposed open-cut gold mine located approximately 330 km northeast of Kalgoorlie and 200 km east of Laverton, on the western edge of the Great Victoria Desert in Western Australia.

The Project is subject to the State environmental impact assessment process legislated under the Environmental Protection Act 1986 and a Federal assessment under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation ACT 1999. The Federal assessment is being carried out via the bilateral agreement between the State and Federal governments. 360 Environmental was commissioned by the Joint Venture to assist in the assessment process.

The Surrounding Environment and Constraints

The mine and associated infrastructure are located primarily in the Great Victoria Desert Bioregion. This Bioregion is a water-scarce landscape consisting predominantly of sand-ridge desert with tree steppe of various eucalypt species over hummock grassland.

Recognising the lack of knowledge in the region, the Joint Venture commissioned extensive biological and archaeological surveys to describe the existing environment.

As an example of the spatial extent of the surveys undertaken, 230,000 ha of vegetation were mapped in comparison to the Project footprint of up to 3,400 ha. The environmental values and constraints of the region were collated with the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) and other technologies. The Joint Venture was able to design the operation to avoid critical habitats, rare flora, archaeological sites and to minimise environmental impacts. The use of GIS in the environmental assessment process was presented at a recent Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute event by a 360 Environmental staff member George Wan.

Having widespread regional knowledge also ensured the availability of an appropriate level of data to enable regulatory bodies and the community to independently determine potential environmental impacts.

As the Project progresses, the Joint Venture will collect additional data and continue closure planning to develop a site specific and environmentally appropriate post-mining landscape.

Progress of Approvals

The eight-week public comment period for the Project commenced on Monday 28 September 2009. The Joint Venture has continued discussions with various regulators to address their requests for further information and to progress the development of the Project’s offset package. The Project's formal meeting is scheduled for 24 June 2010.

Following the completion of the Project's environmental impact assessment process through the EPA, the EPA’s report will be made publicly available and will provided to the State Minister of Environment who will make a Ministerial Statement on the environmental acceptability of the Project.

Further details of the Project can be obtained from the following website:

http://www.tropicanajv.com.au/irm/content/home.html