The Mulga East Iron Ore Project (MEIOP) that is being developed by Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd (HPPL) is located in the Chichester Ranges to the north of Lower Fortescue river valley.

JBS&G was appointed by HPPL in mid-2018 to deliver the primary and secondary environmental approvals for the MEIOP. The MEIOP will potentially comprise multi-open pits over 30km of the valley supported by multiple ROM and waste rock landforms, an ore processing facility, tailings storage facility and mine infrastructure including rail load out facilities, workshops, access and service roads, accommodation and airport. The MEIOP will also include a 50km transport corridor to connect with the existing Roy Hill rail line.

Since commencing work in 2018 the JBS&G team has worked with the HPPL team to complete/undertake Phases 1 and 2 which has included:

• Identification of key risks and environmental factors
• Management of the delivery of the baseline environmental surveys for flora and vegetation, terrestrial fauna (including SRE), subterranean fauna, surface water, groundwater, material characterisation, air quality and noise by a team of specialist sub-consultants
• Approvals mapping and approvals strategy development
• Stakeholder and regulator mapping and strategy development
• Environmental Impact Assessment, digital delivery of survey data and approval preparation
• Project management.

Significant aspects of the MEIOP to date include:

• Completion of the 12-month baseline for key environmental factors: flora and vegetation, terrestrial fauna, surface water and groundwater, air quality and noise
• Completion of an extensive groundwater drilling programme including the installation of 51 monitoring bores, five test bores and completion of five week-long pumping tests.

Work is now moving into Phases 3 and 4 as HPPL progress the early stages of the project engineering design.