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The Kimberley – Beautiful, Unique, Threatened: Public Forum
11th December 2006
A full house at the Alexander Library theatre heard about massive gas and mining projects that threaten the Kimberley, including its coral reefs and islands. The forum presented the case for protection of the Kimberley, particularly from the immediate threat of ad-hoc LNG development along the pristine West Kimberley coast.
Speakers included famous adventurer and film-maker Malcolm Douglas, renowned scientist Dr Andrew Burbidge, Bardi traditional owner Albert Wiggan, and prominent conservationists speak about the need for effective protection of this special place.
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Mining Ancient Waters Environment Matters Seminar
22nd August 2007
In WA’s arid regions water is life. National icons like Karijini and Millstream National Parks are supported by ground and surface water systems that shape the landscape and support unique biodiversity.
Rapid expansion of mining is threatening this balance. Dewatering, or pumping groundwater, is necessary before the iron ore body can be mined. This has potential to drain aquifers and flood normally seasonal creeks and wetlands.
In the Pilbara, Weeli Wolli is one such creek affected by dewatering. An important spiritual and cultural site, Weeli Wolli is being flooded by a nearby iron ore mine causing the natural spring that feeds this sacred water course to dry up.
Around 90 people gathered at City West Lotteries house to hear Aboriginal Elder Slim Parker speak about the impacts of dewatering on Weeli Wolli creek and across his Country in the Pilbara. He was followed by Dr Bill Humphries speaking about the world class subterranean fauna (stygofauna) of the Pilbara and the impacts of dewatering on these species, and by Susan Woorley from the Department of Water speaking on Government efforts to manage water issues in the Pilbara.
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See Slim Parker Speak on Weeli Wolli: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPBhVTDs2X8
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Banded Ironstone Formation Ranges: Their Natural Heritage Revealed
10th May 2007
The Banded Ironstone Formation Ranges of he Midwest and Yilgarn regions of Western Australia are home to unique biodiversity and sometimes spectacular landscapes that are part of Western Australia’s natural heritage. They are also prospective for iron ore; a commodity currently desired by our international trading partners that promises increased wealth and regional jobs during the life of mining.
This day forum; attended by almost 200 people including scientists, government, industry and the general community; outlined these natural heritage values, with a particular focus on the unique flora of the BIF. Policy and industry aspirations were also discussed, considering how to balance the conservation of these ancient outback ranges and their unique flora with the aspirations of mining companies.
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WA’s Mining Boom Environment Matters Seminar
23rd August 2006
Mining is currently the dominant industry in Western Australia’s booming economy. However, mining dollars come at a cost to the environment. So how is the mining industry affecting WA’s magnificent environment? Around 100 people came to the Conservation Council’s Environment Matters forum on Wednesday 23rd 2006 August to find out. The event was highly successful with speakers from the mining industry, NGO's and academia sharing a range of perspectives and experiences on the issue.
Download PDF: Environment Matters Article (Greener Times)
Link to Article: ECOS Article (ECOS Magazine) Issues
Uranium
Midwest and Yilgarn BIF
Mining and Climate Change
North West Kimberley
Native Vegetation Clearing
Exploration: Is it Really Low Impact?
Uranium - does not have the support of environmentalists
Nuclear power will not make a significant difference to climate change; however, it does pose unacceptable proliferation, health and security risks; it is expensive; and there is no solution to the problem of nuclear waste.
Uranium mining also carries with it a host of environmental and safety issues, including radioactive tailings, that are not desirable for Western Australia.
The Conservation Council of WA supports the view that expanding Australia’s role in the nuclear industry puts us at greater risk of being forced to host an international nuclear waste dump.
Australia’s major environment groups have reaffirmed their united opposition to uranium mining and exports and to nuclear energy as a solution to climate change. A joint communiqué from Greenpeace Australia Pacific, The Wilderness Society, the Australian Conservation Foundation, the Conservation Council’s and other environment groups spells out environment groups’ opposition to all aspects of the nuclear industry.
Uranium Mining Processing and Nuclear Energy Review (UMPNER) Taskforce
This task force, set up by John Howard, has recommended the construction of up to 25 nuclear power plants in Australia. View Conservation Council’s submission here. See their website for more information. back to top Midwest and Yilgarn Banded Ironstone Formations (BIF)  | The BIF ranges are significant landscape features in the Midwest and Yilgarn, often with spectacular razor back ridges and magnificent outcrops. Isolated like islands by the vast spaces of the WA rangelands, many of these hills have developed their own endemic floral species and communities. Recent Department of Environment and Conservation surveys have confirmed the importance of flora on the Banded Ironstone Formations in the region. However, ancient ridges remain unrepresented in the conservation estate. They are also now under threat from a rapidly expanding network of small iron ore mines.
Visit the BIF campaign page for more information.
Or download Insatiable Appetite for Steel published in the The Greener Times
A map showing the location of Banded Ironstone Formation iron ore deposits in the Midwest and Yilgarn can be seen here http://conservationwa.asn.au/images/stories/ironoremap.pdf
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back to top Mining & Climate Change The WA State of the Environment report states that the mining and resources sector contributed around 17.5% to the total greenhouse emissions in Western Australia in 2002. However, this figure has risen rapidly with a number of new mines, mine expansions and the opening up of new offshore gas fields in the North West. As a result of the anticipated continued growth in the sector, the total contribution of the mining and resources sectors to WA's greenhouse gas emissions is likely to rise in the next few years despite Government policy to reduce greenhouse emissions.
More recently a spate of coal mining and coal-to-oil conversion projects threaten to further increase the greenhouse emissions from the mining industry and increase WA’s dependence on dirty energy. The two projects of greatest concern are the proposed Eneabba coal mine and power station near Geraldton and the proposed coal mine and coal-to-oil plant at Salmon Gums near Esperance.
The Conservation Council is urging the Government to consider interim measures before the Carbon Trading system comes into force to ensure that these sorts of greenhouse intensive projects are not allowed to prejudice WA’s ability to meet future greenhouse reduction targets.
back to top North West Kimberley
The wild wilderness of the Northern West Kimberley supports beautiful rugged coastlines, mangroves, remnant rainforest and wilderness savannah, as well as traditional and living Aboriginal culture and enterprises. A recent report on the worlds oceans in renowned journal Science found the seas off Northern Australia to be some of the most pristine in the world.
This coastline is now the target for development of LNG facilities for the massive natural gas fields in the Browse Basin off the North West tip of Australia.
A number of national and local NGO's including the Conservation Council of WA, WWF, The Wilderness Society and Environs Kimberley are calling for a strategic review prior to the development of the Browse Basin field to ensure that any development is conducted in a manner that minimises impact on the environment and culture of the Kimberley coast. It is imperative that the adhoc development of LNG plants and export ports along the Pilbara coast that has led to environment and cultural damage to important areas such as the Burrup Peninsula rock art at Barrow Island nature reserve, is not repeated.
To learn more about the Kimberley’s unique environment and culture, visit our Kimberley campaign webpage. back to top Native Vegetation Clearing
Western Australia is home to eight of Australia’s fifteen national biodiversity hotpots and Australia’s only international biodiversity hotspot (download pdf on the Southwest Eco Region). Most of WA’s biodiversity values are in the incredible number of species of plants found nowhere else on earth, but these plant communities also support an impressive array of unique mammals, birds, reptiles and invertebrates.
Native Vegetation is currently protected by law in Western Australia under Part V of the Environmental Protection (EP) Act. Mining Companies have to apply for a special permit to clear vegetation, except when clearing is for exploration outside of Environmentally sensitive areas which is exempt.
Native vegetation clearing permits for mining are handled by the Department of Industry and Resources (DoIR) under a delegation for the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC). All permits are subject to a consultation period and can be appealed. Permits are advertised each Monday in The West Australian newspaper, and online. Click here for a link to the online advertisements.
The Conservation Council is currently campaigning to have the Banded Ironstone Formation Ranges listed as Environmentally Sensitive Areas in order to give some protection against the damaging impacts of iron ore exploration.
back to top Learning Resources What are the Impacts of Mining on the Environment?
Mining has a range of impacts on the environment. In the current boom times it is more important than ever that a wide cross-section of the community is informed about the potential impacts of the industry that currently drives WA's economy. For this purpose the Conservation Council has prepared the discussion paper WA's Mining Boom: Where Does it Leave the Environment? We welcome any feedback on this paper and will consider it for inclusion in the future revisions of the document, or publishing in the Comments section of this webpage.
Exploration: Is it Really Low Impact?
Exploration activities for mining are often referred to as “low impact”. In reality there are a number of activities that fall under the label of exploration, with a large difference in environmental impact. Some types of exploration are indeed low impact, but others are not. Exploration damage also tends to accumulate as an area is explored. The sensitivity of the environment in which exploration takes place also needs to be taken into consideration. 
This aerial photo shows exploration damage on Extension Hills (almost 2km long) at Mt Gibson. The clearing for these roads intersects habitat of rare plants and floral communities. Yellow dots show the locations of rare plant Lepidosperma sp Mt Gibson, this plant is only found on Mt Gibson.
FMG trial at Cloud Break deposit in WA's Pilbara region.
back to top Contact Us If you have any comments on this website, would like to know more about mining or Conservation Council mining campaigns, or would like to help the Council will any of their campaigns please contact:
Tim Nicol
Resources Liaison Officer
tim.nicol@conservationwa.asn.au
08 9420 7266 back to top Comments The State Government announced the commencement of a review of the development of the iron ore industry in the Mid-West to seek to provide certainty to industry while also protecting the special biodiversity of the region. Click here to read Minister McGowan's Media Statement - dated 28 November 2006.
DoIR Environment Branch (Nov 2006)
(Note: This Review has now been completed; for more information visit the BIF campaign webpage)
There have been a number of planning studies relevant to the development of the Kimberley - for example the Regional Minerals Program project study "Developing the West Kimberley - Tanami Regional Minerals Study". The recent announcement regarding the offsets package for the Gorgon proposal also includes commitments for extending land and marine park reserves in the lower West Kimberley (Minister McGowan's media statement) – DoIR Environment Branch (Nov 2006)
(Note: The State and Federal Governments are now conducting a strategic review of the Kimberley; for more information visit the Kimberley campaign webpage) back to top Links Government
Department of Industry and Resources Environment Branch
http://www.doir.wa.gov.au/environment/index.asp
Non-Government Organisations
Environs Kimberley Campaigns (including Mining)
http://www.environskimberley.org.au/campaigns.htm
Minerals Policy Institute
http://www.mpi.org.au/
Anti-Nuclear Alliance of Western Australia
http://www.anawa.org.au/
Wildflower Society of Western Australia
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~wildflowers/dynamic.php
WWF Australia
http://www.wwf.org.au
Save the Kimberley
http://www.savethekimberley.com/
Australian Centre for Minerals Extension and Research
http://www.acmer.uq.edu.au/
Industry Representative Bodies
Chamber of Minerals and Energy (WA)
http://www.cmewa.com.au/
Minerals Council of Australia
http://www.minerals.org.au/
Association of Mining and Exploration Companies
http://www1.amec.org.au/ back to top
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