EPA assessments open for public comment soon

As Alcoa transitions future mining activities to the more contemporary Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) assessment and approvals process, two assessments are expected to be opened for public comment soon.

In 2020 we referred our plans to transition our Huntly Bauxite Mine, south of Perth, to new areas allowing continued operations and to increase alumina production at the Pinjarra Refinery by 5 per cent. This aligns with growing global demand for aluminium, which is a critical metal for renewable energy infrastructure and many everyday products.

Since that initial referral, we have made several changes to the proposal to reduce potential impacts. These changes reflect study outcomes, listening to stakeholder feedback and our commitment to continuous improvement. Examples of these improvements include:

• Increasing the distance between Jarrahdale townsite and future proposed mining by creating an approximate 2,600-hectare mining avoidance zone
• Significantly reducing the size of the Myara North and Holyoake infrastructure corridors
• Deferring plans to mine within the Reservoir Protection Zones in Myara North and Holyoake, with only limited areas being accessed for infrastructure
• Maintaining public access to many recreational facilities and surrounding tracks and trails
• Ensuring 100 per cent of bauxite mined is refined at our WA refineries to support local jobs and economies

We more recently incorporated additional areas from a previously accessed region known as O’Neil into the mine plan.

Parts of our current mining operations at both Huntly and Willowdale are also being assessed by the EPA to ensure they meet modern environmental standards and minimise impacts on the environment and surrounding communities.

We expect the EPA will shortly seek public comment on our Environmental Review Documents (ERD) for these proposals, with each ERD describing the social and environmental factors, potential impacts of our activities and the ways we will avoid, manage and mitigate risks.

During the public comment period, we will provide information to help people better understand our mine transition plans and our current mining operations. 

This will include community information sessions, with further details available soon.

You can find out more about the approvals process on our website.