Environmental Protection Authority approves Grange Resources’ plans for Savage River Mine with conditions

The owners of a West Coast mine want to transition from open-cut to underground operations. Find out what the EPA said in its assessment of the proposed development.

Savage River

The head of a mining company says he is grateful that environmental approval has been given to a development expected to cost between $400m and $500m.

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has given the okay for Grange Resources’ plans to develop underground operations at its Savage River Mine on the West Coast.

The company wants to develop an underground mine around 200 metres below the floor of its existing open-cut north pit.

If approved by the Waratah-Wynyard Council, the new mine is expected to produce 64.4 million tonnes of iron ore over its lifetime.

Grange Resources Savage River Iron Ore Mine within the Tarkine

EPA Chair Andrew Paul said the development could proceed in an environmentally sustainable and acceptable manner but with conditions that would need to be included in any permit granted by the council.

“Various environmental issues were considered in the assessment, particularly the management of mine water and waste rock,” Mr Paul said.

“Conditions have been imposed to ensure that regular water quality monitoring is undertaken, with investigations required should monitoring results show levels elevated above certain thresholds.

“Waste rock will be required to be managed under revised plans, with limits placed on the amount of potentially acid-forming material that can be placed in a new waste rock dump.”

Grange Resources Chief Operating Officer Ben Maynard. Picture: Supplied.

Grange Resources COO Ben Maynard said the EPA’s conditions were reasonable and well-considered.

“The development will be a change, particularly for the mining side of the operation and process side,” Mr Maynard said.

“In terms of concentration and pelletising, it will stay the same. But we’ll have the ability to improve our production capacity.

“The change will be a transition in terms of what we’ve traditionally done in terms of open-cut mining - with open-cut equipment and very large gear - to a very different mode of operating.

“Some of those skills are very transferable, but some of those are new things that we need to learn.”

Mr Maynard said the development would set up the business for the next 15 years.

“It also will support a significant reduction in carbon emissions

“That’s exciting for us as well look at how we support a 57-year-old mining operation and look for the next period of life.”