Alcoa proactively referred our plans for the Huntly Bauxite Mine and Pinjarra Alumina Refinery for environmental assessment by State and Commonwealth regulators in mid-2020.
Securing these approvals will help sustain operations at our Huntly mine and Pinjarra and Kwinana refineries for approximately 10 years.
The Proposal* has two components:
- Mine: transition of the Huntly Mine to the Myara North and Holyoake mine regions (see map); and
- Refinery: Increase alumina production from 5 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) to 5.25 Mtpa, and clearing for additional water storage ponds and associated borrow pits
What is being proposed and why?
Huntly Bauxite Mine
Relocate mining operations
100 per cent of the bauxite currently mined from the Myara region at Huntly mine (being 27 Mtpa) is supplied to Pinjarra and Kwinana refineries.
Mining in this area is coming to an end, requiring us to transition our operations to the proposed Myara North and Holyoake mine regions.
Pinjarra Refinery
Increase production
Pinjarra refinery currently produces about 4.7 Mtpa of alumina and has approval to produce up to 5 Mtpa. To allow for incremental growth, we are seeking approval to increase the alumina production limit by 5 per cent to 5.25 Mtpa and the development of water storage ponds and associated borrow pits.
*An Amendment to the Proposal has been submitted to the regulators. This seeks to remove bauxite export from the assessment, and make several changes to the Myara North and Holyoake Development Envelopes aimed at reducing potential environmental and social impacts.
FAST FACTS
Propose
clearing ~8,300 hectares
Provides
Around 10 years supply of bauxite to Pinjarra and Kwinana refineries
Creates
~300 construction jobs
Sustains
More than 3,000 jobs across Huntly mine, and Pinjarra and Kwinana refineries
