Ginkgo Mine MOD 14 - Extension

The EPA's advice is attached.

Crown Lands has reviewed the proposal documentation and note that many of the environmental criteria and issues considered in relation to proposed activities on Crown land have been satisfactorily addressed in the Modification Report (prepared by Tronox- November 2020). Items for consideration are further detailed:
Crown land licences
A Crown land licence (issued under the Crown Lands Management Act 2016) may be required by the department to authorise activities and associated infrastructure over the affected land tenures (Western Lands Lease [WLL] 17 and 4083). A licence may be required for any easements or additional infrastructure that will be positioned or traverse the land outside of the Mining Lease (ML) 1504.
Easements and Acquisitions
Easements can take up to 12 months to complete the required survey and registration. If early occupation and use of the land is required; the proponent may apply for a Crown lands licence over the affected area(s). Once the easement is registered, the licence would then be terminated.
It is a departmental requirement that any and all easements (or respective licence), that have not already been approved by the department or are not wholly contained within the ML 1504, must be obtained prior to any activity occurring.
Construction Methods
Section 2.1 (Page 8) of the Modification Report states that the extension of the existing/approved Ginkgo deposit mine path and associated supporting infrastructure will be within existing ML 1504. However, it should be noted that any proposed works to be undertaken on Crown land outside of the ML will likely require to be approved under a Crown land licence.
Dust and Air Quality
Should dust suppression be needed throughout the preparation, construction and operational phase of the site extension, the proponent will need to ensure that the water used will not lead to dryland salinization. This includes where the bore water is used for dust suppression of access tracks, mine site, hardstand areas and vegetated areas etc.
Overburden stockpiles
Section 3.2.2 (Page 10) of the Modification Report states that storage of overburden materials has been assessed as non-acid forming and unlikely to generate environmentally harmful leachate when oxidised. Consideration should be given to the method of stockpiling (overburden or waste rock) and the impact on soils and subsoils. Additionally, potential contamination of surrounding land by runoff of soils and water from the stockpiles will need to be investigated, if this has not already happened.
Topsoil Stockpiles
All topsoil stockpiles should be appropriately designed, placed and managed to ensure long-term use of the soil is achieved (including protection against erosion). Efforts should be made to have stockpiles sown with locally endemic native plant species and should not be located in an area that may be exposed to potentially contaminated soils and materials.
Biodiversity and Native vegetation offsets
Section 6.3 (Page 38) of the Modification Report mentions that Tronox will relinquish an undisturbed portion of the approved surface development area at the Gingko mine that has been determined can be avoided.
If you have any further queries in regards to these comments, please do not hesitate to contact Philipa Sokol, Senior Natural Resource Management Officer, on (02) 6883 3356 or via email at [email protected].

Further comments are as follows:-
All Crown land (including Western Land Leases) and Crown roads within a Mining Lease (with surface rights), subject to mining or mining related activity, must be subject to a Compensation Agreement issued under Section 265 of the Mining Act 1992, to be agreed and executed prior to any mining activity taking place. The Compensation Agreement may include conditions requiring the Mining Lease Holder to purchase Crown land impacted on by mining activity.

All Crown land (including Western Land Leases) and Crown roads located within an Exploration Licence, subject to exploration activity, must be subject to an Access Arrangement issued under Section 141 of the Mining Act 1992, to be agreed and executed prior to any exploration activity taking place.

All Crown land (including Western Land Leases) and Crown roads within a Mining Lease (with sub-surface rights only) must be subject to a Section 81 Consent under the Mining Act 1992 where surface activities are proposed, to be agreed and executed prior to any surface activity taking place.

If you have any further queries regarding these comments, please do not hesitate to contact David Baber, Projects Manager Regional Projects, on (02) 6883 3326 or via email at [email protected].

Heritage NSW comments on the modification report relating to Aboriginal cultural heritage matters attached.

See attached file.

Please see attached response

No Objection

BCD comments attached

Attached.