Kerry Stokes-backed BCI Minerals has lodged significant amendments with the environmental watchdog to expand its $1.2 billion Mardie Project in a bid to increase production capacity.
In November, Environment Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson gave BCI Minerals subsidiary Mardie Minerals the green light to develop a greenfields salt and sulphate of potash project and export facility at Mardie, about 80 kilometres south-west of Karratha.
The approval included permission from the EPA to clear 11,000 hectares to make way for the mine, which was set to produce 5.35 million tonnes of salt and 140,000 tonnes sulphate of potash annually over the next 60 years.
But today, the EPA released Mardie Minerals’ significant amendments to the plan, including increasing the development envelope by almost 4,000 hectares, expanding concentrator ponds, a new secondary seawater intake option, a port facility laydown area and a quarry.
According to the environmental documents, the increase in project throughput includes increasing seawater intake to 180 gigaliters annually, increasing brine discharge from 3.6 to 5.5 gigaliters annually and increasing export volumes.
Other proposed modifications to the existing approval include alterations to the dredge footprint and the establishment of a quarry adjacent to Mardie Road.
The proposed amendments have been released for a seven-day public consultation period.
The latest iteration of the proposal comes after stricter conditions were placed on the project following opposition by MG Kailis Group, the WA Fishing Industry Council and environmental advocacy body Protect Ningaloo.
The three parties lodged the appeal over concerns it would threaten flora, fauna and vegetation – including local prawns – and inland waterways that could not be offset.
In a statement released at the time of approval, BCI indicated the construction of the project would start early this year.
