White Rock Quarry -  Government request for more information on proposed operations.

In late December 2020, quarry owner Hanson sought regulatory approval from the Department for Energy and Mining, under the Mining Act 1971, to extend the operational life of their White Rock Quarry within their existing quarry’s ‘private mine’ tenement boundary. White Rock Quarry is located in Skye’s Horsnell Gully. As is standard for private mines, a detailed mining operations plan review (MOP review) must be submitted to government for assessment for any new operational activity.

A comprehensive technical assessment of the proposed scope of operations for the quarry has been undertaken by technical specialists the from Department for Energy and Mining (DEM), the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and the Department for Environment and Water (DEW).

The assessment determined that significant alterations are required to Hanson’s MOP prior to any further assessment by Government regulators. In late July 2021, Hanson received a formal request for information (RFI) from the South Australian Government.

Hanson must clarify the scope of their proposed operations and provide risk analysis and evidence relevant to that scope. This involves analysing potential areas of impact including: air quality, noise, blasting, public safety, Aboriginal and non-aboriginal heritage, native vegetation and fauna, groundwater, surface water, hours of operation, visual Amenity, traffic impacts at the mine access points, and third-party property.

Hanson’s proposed operations cannot be undertaken without regulatory approval. Hanson will need to respond to all requirements and submit an amended MOP review for re-assessment. Government has provided a six-month period to Hanson for completion of this work. Once this has been received, government will then determine if the updated MOP review can be assessed or requires further changes.

DEM acknowledges community concerns regarding White Rock Quarry. Significant alterations and further information have been requested from Hanson. The complete request for information is available on the Department for Energy and Mining website:  https://energymining.sa.gov.au/minerals/mining/mines_and_quarries/white_rock_quarry

DEM's regulatory objective is to ensure Hanson’s proposed operations can be undertaken safely and without unacceptable impact to the environment or the community. DEM will enforce compliance with these objectives.

Quarries have successfully coexisted with, and supported, communities across metropolitan and regional South Australian for decades.

31 July 2021