Rio Tinto staff discover endangered northern quolls at Cape York bauxite mine

A group of endangered northern quolls have been discovered at Rio Tinto's bauxite mining operation near Weipa, on Queensland's Cape York.

Northern quolls are an endangered species, with many dying due to cane toads. Picture: Jonathan Webb.

RIO Tinto's bauxite mining operations in and around Weipa on Cape York appear to have uncovered a biological hot spot, with staff discovering a third rare species.

A total of 24 endangered northern quolls have been found in a 3500ha block at the mine lease, which covers 3860sq km.

It's an important find because most of the species has been wiped out by poisonous cane toads.

In 2011, a new species of crab was discovered during work to prepare an environmental-impact statement for the company's $1.4 billion South of Embley project, about 50km away.

A shrimp not previously recorded in Australia was also found, prompting conservationists to call on then federal environment minister Tony Burke to halt the project. It was subsequently approved in May this year, with the miner saying it would protect the area.

Rio Tinto Alcan Weipa has started surveys to identify the extent of the quoll population in an area of its lease, north of the Embley River, and about 10km from its mining operations.

Weipa general manager operations Gareth Manderson said there was no mining-related activity where the quolls were found.

The area contained bauxite ore but no decision had yet been taken in regard to mining. The company operated on 200m buffer zones in ecologically important areas.

Toads and feral cats had been found in the open eucalypt country, an environment common on the cape, and experts had been hired to find out more about the quolls.

"Over the next few weeks, our environmental specialists will work with the experts to conduct field surveys both inside and outside our lease boundary," Mr Manderson said.

"The surveys will help ensure appropriate environmental management measures are developed.

"Our mining operations and the Cape's flora and fauna have coexisted for nearly 50 years."

In 2009, scientists found 151 vertebrate species in acidic bauxite springs at the proposed Cape Alumina mine on the Wenlock river, north of Weipa.

It led to a major conservation battle over the project proposed for the Steve Irwin Reserve, which was bought in part with Commonwealth funds organised by former prime minister John Howard.

Last June, State Environment Minister Andrew Powell moved to wind back Wild Rivers environment protection for the Wenlock, potentially opening it to mining.

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