Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority (NTEPA)
The Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority (NTEPA) has completed the environmental impact assessment of Core LithiumLimiteds Grants Lithium Project and concluded it can proceed in anenvironmentally acceptable manner by implementing recommendations made in theAssessment Report.
The Report is provided to the Northern Territory Ministerfor Environment and Natural Resources (the Minister) and to the Minister forPrimary Industry and Resources (the Responsible Minister) for consideration toguide the development of conditions and approvals under the Mining ManagementAct 2001 (MM Act).
Core LithiumLimited proposes to develop and operate the Grants Lithium Project on minerallease 31726 on the Cox Peninsula, approximately 36km by road west of BerrySprings and 25km south of Darwin.
Themine-site footprint encompasses 217 hectares of the 768 hectare mineral leasewhich is located on vacant crown land.
The proposalconsists of an open cut lithium mine and ancillary infrastructure, with aproposed mine life of three to four years.
The orewould be mined and processed locally to produce lithium oxide concentrate forexport.
Lithium rawmaterials are used for lithium ion batteries in electric vehicles and energystorages.
NT EPAacting chairperson, Ms Janice van Reyk, said the NT EPA identified potential significantimpacts and risks associated with the project and made 17 recommendations toavoid and mitigate these.
With a minelife of only 3 to 4 years, Core Lithium Limited must further evaluate allclosure and rehabilitation options in developing and finalising its MineClosure Plan prior to mining commencing, with particular attention on achievingrigorous mine closure objectives, Ms van Reyk said.
Where itcannot demonstrate it can achieve these objectives, the NT EPA has recommendedthat the proponent must backfill the mine pit.
Theproposed mines impact on surface and ground water is predicted to be minimal. Nevertheless,the NT EPA has recommended that any mine-affected water is captured andcontained within the mine site until monitoring and treatment indicates thatcontrolled discharges, if necessary, can occur without adverse impacts.
While thereis potential for significant environmental impacts to develop over the life ofthe project, the NT EPA considers that there are acceptable solutions to managesuch impacts and uncertainties should they arise during or post-mining.
To obtain a copy of the assessment report please visit www.ntepa.nt.gov.au/environmental-assessments/register/grants-lithium-project
