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South32 Ltd on Friday said Western Australia has approved the proposed expansion of its alumina refining operation Worsley. Following the state approval, the Perth-based mining group now expects the Australian federal government to decide on the Worsley mine development project in early calendar year 2025. The Western Australian minister for environment, Reece Whitby, gave the green light to the project on Friday after the Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority in July recommended the Worsley project be approved, subject to conditions. South32 then appealed this recommendation, arguing that several proposed conditions would create operating challenges, and went beyond reasonable measures for managing environmental risks. Last week, Whitby agreed with recommendations to amend conditions of the Worsley project. The appeals committee report to the minister for environment last week recommended that certain conditions should be altered ‘based on the arguments put forward on appeal’. The diversified miner said on Friday it welcomed the approval after an extensive environmental assessment, consultation and review process, which commenced in 2019. ‘The project will enable access to bauxite to sustain production at Worsley Alumina, maintain its competitive position in the global alumina sector, and continue its significant contribution to the South West,’ the company said. The mining group said conditions are a ‘positive outcome’ for Worsley Alumina and represent an improved position compared to the Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority’s assessment report published in July. In Johannesburg, they were up 0.9% to R 38.16 each. They closed down 0.6% to A$3.34 in Sydney. Copyright 2024 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
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