The project will directly impact on 46 individuals of Cycas megacarpa , which is listed as endangered under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992 ( NC Act ). The proponent intends to mitigate unavoidable impacts to the species by translocating those individuals directly impacted by the project to a nearby recipient site. The site has been under mining tenures for since at least 1935 and the general area where the impacted Cycas megacarpa are located has been determined to be “Not in the Wild” by the Author who is under the NC Act as a Suitably Qualified Person (SQP) to make such determinations. Qualifications can be found in Appendix A. A protected plant harvesting licence will be applied for if required but due to the “Not in the Wild” status this is not currently necessary.
Proposed development
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The project will involve the excavation and treatment of historical Acid Rock Drainage (ARD) generating mine waste and redeposition of processed tailings into the Sandstone Gully Tailings Storage Facility (TSF), Open Cut Pit (OCP) and the Upper Mundic Gully Tailings Storage Facility (TSF). This will result in the removal of the source of ARD generating material from across the site reducing recharge of and seepage from mine waste structures. This will reduce impacts from the Mount Morgan Mine to the receiving environment including the Dee River in accordance with the State’s Rehabilitation Plan (Unger et al, 2003) and Phase 2 Agreement. The Project includes a new disturbance area to provide additional tailings storage in a facility known as Upper Mundic Gully TSF. Operation of the Mundic Gully TSF is required to future proof the site wide tailings/water balance capacity and reduce environmental impacts due to uncontrollable releases to as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP). The proposed location of the Upper Mundic Gully TSF is displayed in Figure 2 . The Upper Mundic Gully is a highly disturbed and modified environment that no longer free drains due to the historical placement of waste rock material and operation of a human made tunnel. A waste rock dump, referred to as the ‘Western Dump’ occupies a significant portion of the Upper Mundic Gully valley. There is no evidence that rehabilitation methods have been applied to this feature, and it is likely that the Western Dump is contributing ARD seepage into the environment. The Upper Mundic Gully TSF is proposed to tie into portions of the Western Dump to an extent that is practicable which will ultimately seal the currently exposed rock face and further reduce potential ARD seepage into the surrounding environment.
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Mundic Gully TSF Translocation Project - Cycas megacarpa
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