Skardon River bauxite project

Proposed Skardon River Bauxite Project

The proponent for the Skardon River Bauxite Project, Gulf Alumina Limited, proposes to mine bauxite for export. The project would be located on Cape York Peninsula, approximately 90 kilometres (km) north of Weipa, in the Parish of Skardon within the Cook Shire. The relevant mining tenures are granted mining leases (MLs) 6025 (1922ha), 40069 (260ha) and 40082 (1743ha). The proposal involves mining of a bauxite ore body of 50 million tonnes (Mt). The planned mine production rate would initially be three million tons per annum (Mt/a) initially and would rise to 5Mt/a subject to market conditions. The project operational life is expected to be 10 years.

The total mining and infrastructure area would be approximately 1453 hectares (ha) within the mining leases. The area to be mined would include portions of the 138ha previously disturbed by kaolin mining, the airstrip and sections of the north-south haul road. Bauxite products would be transported via the existing haul roads to the Port of Skardon River and transshipped to bulk carriers in deep water beyond the mouth of the river for export.

Maximum water demand is estimated as 390 megalitres per annum. Employees would be accommodated in the upgraded accommodation camp during construction and operation. The project would require approximately 100 employees during construction and 160 employees during operation.

On 20 January 2014, the former Department of Natural Resources and Mines approved the existing mining leases to include mining bauxite. Gulf Alumina applied for an amendment to their environmental authority (EA) for bauxite mining within the existing mining leases as the current EA only allows for mining kaolin and operating an associated pilot plant. The department decided that the proposed amendment is a major amendment under sections 228 and 229 of the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act). On 19 May 2014, the department notified Gulf Alumina Limited that the amendment application requires assessment by environmental impact statement (EIS).

The proposed project was referred on 14 August 2014 to the Australian Government Department of the Environment (EPBC 2014/7305). On 11 September 2014, the Australian Government Minister for the Environment determined the proposed project to be a controlled action under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The controlling provisions are sections 18 and 18A (listed threatened species and communities), 20 and 20A (listed migratory species) and 23 and 24A (Commonwealth marine areas). The project was assessed under the bilateral agreement between the Australian Government and the State of Queensland using the EIS prepared under the EP Act.

The process for the assessment of this project was as follows:

  1. Submission of draft TOR
  2. Public notification of draft TOR
  3. Final TOR issued—EIS in preparation
  4. Public notification of EIS
  5. Proponent responds to submissions
  6. EIS assessment report

The EIS assessment report has been issued to the proponent and the EIS process is now complete.

Further information

Copies of publicly available documents can be obtained by accessing the links below:

Superseded documents

For further information regarding the EIS process for this proposal, please contact the EIS coordinator.