Alcoa to continue mining WA’s jarrah forests with added safeguards

US miner Alcoa will choose who monitors whether its bauxite extraction that threatens Perth’s water supply complies with new guidelines announced by the state government on Thursday.

The government has agreed to accept Alcoa’s plan for mining until 2027, which had been stalled in the previous environmental approval system over concerns that excessive clearing near Perth’s dams risked contamination of the water supply after heavy rainfall.

Alcoa’s 62-year-old lease to mine bauxite stretches from north of Perth to Collie.Credit: Nine News Perth

Today’s announcement, foreshadowed by this masthead in October, includes an exemption allowing Alcoa to keep mining ahead of an expected move before Christmas by the independent Environmental Protection Authority to subject some of its current mining to a more rigorous environmental assessment.

Without the exemption, the Environmental Protection Act would have forbidden Alcoa to continue to mine in areas under assessment.

A number of new environmental conditions have been imposed on Alcoa, including no clearing near trees capable of being a habitat for endangered black cockatoos or within one kilometre of the high watermark of any water reservoir. Mining is also banned where the slope exceeds 16 per cent.

WA Forest Alliance camping director Jess Beckerling said piecemeal concessions to protect forests, cockatoos and water were “just small scraps off Alcoa’s table”.

Beckerling said before the EPA could even start its assessment of Alcoa’s mining, Premier Roger Cook had told the company,“you can keep mining”.

“This exemption order will allow Alcoa to keep destroying ancient, highly biodiverse jarrah forests,” she said.

“Once they’re gone, they’re gone forever.”

Confidential government documents reported in February revealed Alcoa’s mining practices had the potential to cause water restrictions and would cost the state up to $2.6 billion to clean up.

The government announced on Thursday Alcoa would “appoint and retain an independent qualified expert” to monitor its compliance with the new rules.

The appointment would require the approval of the environment minister.

Premier Roger Cook said Alcoa was not yet subject to the environmental regulation of other mining companies due to agreements made decades ago.

“This transitional framework allows us to support local jobs while strengthening protections for our environment, and lays the groundwork for a long-term approvals regime for Alcoa that meets modern standards,” he said.

Alcoa vice president for Australia Matt Reed said the move would allow Alcoa to continue its 60 years of mining in WA.

“We are absolutely focused on operating in line with these new requirements and evolving
community expectations,” he said.

The miner said in a statement it could not clear more than 800 hectares of jarrah forest a year and by 2027 must double its current rate of rehabilitation to 1000 hectares a year.

Alcoa employs about 4300 people in WA, including about 1000 at its Kwinana refinery in Cook’s electorate.

In October, Cook said he was disappointed when new Alcoa chief executive Bill Oplinger cast doubt on the refinery’s future, in part due to restrictions imposed on clearing new areas of jarrah forest.

“Kwinana is a marginal asset at this point, we’ll consider options on the table, including curtailment and closure,” he said.

Other conditions imposed on Alcoa include faster stabilisation of cleared areas to reduce the risk of sediment running off into dams and greater public release of its plans.

ASX-listed Alumina Limited, which owns 40 per cent of Alcoa’s operation in Australia, went into a trading halt before the government announcement.

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