Environmental Compliance Summary - EPBC No. 2008/4463
Exploration activities within the Tropicana Joint Venture (TJV) exploration tenements has been undertaken by the TJV Exploration Geology team since the commencement of mining operations. The TJV conducts exploration activities in accordance with their ISO14001 and ISO45001 accredited management system, and in addition, specifically within the tenements referred to as Groups 2 and 3, the TJV complies with agreed conditions under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, as described below.
Exploration activities within the Groups 2 and 3 area were referred to the Federal Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (DSEWPaC), which is now the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) in September 2008 as it was identified that the activities may significantly impact two matters of national environmental significance as listed in the Federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). These matters are: Listed Threatened Species and Communities and Listed Migratory Species. DSEWPaC determined the proposed activities to be a “Controlled Action” requiring Federal assessment.
In February 2010 the proposed activities were referred to the WA State Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) under Section 38 of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 to enable a level of assessment to be determined. The EPA set a level of assessment of “Not Assessed – Public Advice Given” with the recommendation that a Conservation and Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) be developed in consultation with then WA Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC), which is now the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER).
A CEMP was prepared for the proposed exploration activities in consultation with the DEC Environmental Management Branch. The plan identified the existing environmental values, potential impacts from the proposed exploration activities and the management and mitigation of those potential impacts.
The CEMP, dated 17 December 2010, was approved by DEC and DSEWPaC in January 2011. On the 27th of October 2011 approval was granted to AngloGold Ashanti Australia (AGAA) to begin exploration activities within the Groups 2 and 3 areas subject to a number of conditions. Since the approval date, a variation to conditions was sought and subsequently approved on 19 February 2013.
The TJV is committed to all conditions outlined in the EPBC Approval (EPBC No 2008/4463). Of note are specific commitments to the protection of, and preservation of habitat of, Malleefowl and Sandhill Dunnart. The report, available on this site has been made available to the public as part of AGAA’s environmental values and also in accordance with Condition 7 of the approval under EPBC Act 1999.
