Iron Road, an Australian exploration and mining development company, is proposing to develop their Central Eyre Iron Project (CEIP) mining and infrastructure project centred on a large magnetite deposit at Warramboo, 25 km south of Wudinna on central Eyre Peninsula.
In November 2015 Iron Road made applications for:
- A mining lease under the Mining Act 1971 for an open cut magnetite iron ore mine and processing plant
- Development approval under the Development Act 1993 for
- a new deep water port facility in Spencer Gulf 7 km south of Port Neill
- a new 145 km heavy haul rail line from the mine to the port
- a new water supply borefield
- new electricity supply infrastructure
- an accommodation village located in the township of Wudinna..
- Commonwealth environmental approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) (EPBC Act) regarding potential impacts on Southern Right whales from shipping movements in the Spencer Gulf.
The formal lodgement by Iron Road of the mining proposal (MP) and environmental impact statement (EIS) initiated the South Australian Government processes under the Mining Act, Development Act and Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPCB) Act.
The South Australian Government's statutory consultation process commenced on 19 November 2015 and concluded on 2 February 2016. The Government received 105 submissions.
Iron Road was required to consider all the public submissions received and prepare response documents on the issues raised in relation to the MP and EIS.
Following acceptance of the response document, Government initiated the comprehensive technical assessment of each application, including information provided in the initial proposals, public submissions, and the response document.
On 3 May 2017, after detailed assessment by technical experts working for and within the South Australian Government, the delegate for the Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy and the Governor formally approved, with conditions, development of:
- an open pit mine, a processing plant and waste storage landform facility
- a heavy-duty railway, port, bore field and workers' accommodation village.
Under Commonwealth Law, the decision on actions which may impact Matters of National Environmental Significance is carried out by the Minister for the Environment and Energy or his delegate.
