South of the Embley

Project overview*

EIS status	EIS active
Description	New bauxite mining operation, initially producing 22.5 million dry product tonnes per annum (mdpt/a) with the potential to increase to 50 mdpt/a.
Proponent	RTA Weipa Pty Ltd (a subsidiary of Rio Tinto Aluminium within the Rio Tinto Alcan Group)
Location/s	40km south of Weipa and 40km north of Aurukun, western Cape York Peninsula. Map
Local government/s	Cook Shire Council
Investment	$1.45 billion
Key features	open-cut bauxite mine processing plant bauxite stockpiles ancillary infrastructure port development
Expected completion	2015
Jobs	630 (construction) 1275 (operational)

Environmental impact statement (EIS) process

Date	Activity
Pending	Coordinator-General's report on EIS.
9 February 2012	Supplementary EIS released.
1 August 2011 to 12 September 2011	Public consultation on EIS EIS - Summary (PDF, 1.47 MB) Complete EIS.
29 October 2010	Project deemed a ‘controlled action’ by federal environment minister. Project to be assessed under a parallel process. (Note: this decision overrides the minister’s previous decision of 2 October 2008) For more information, visit the federal environment department’s project referral web page.
13 September 2010	Project re-referred to federal environment minister, due to changes to the port component of the project. For more information, visit the federal environment department’s project referral web page.
1 April 2009	Terms of reference for EIS (PDF, 396 KB) released.
17 January 2009 to 16 February 2009	Public consultation on draft terms of reference for EIS.
21 November 2008	Gazettal of ‘significant project’ declaration.
2 October 2008	Project deemed a ‘controlled action’ by federal environment minister. Project to be assessed under bilateral agreement.
3 September 2008	Project referred to federal environment minister.
11 July 2008	Application, including initial advice statement (PDF, 441 KB) submitted. Initial advice statement – Figure 1.1 (PDF, 1.66 MB) Initial advice statement – Figure 1.2 (PDF, 478 KB) Initial advice statement – Figure 2.1 (PDF, 304 KB) Initial advice statement – Figure 2.2 (PDF, 158 KB) Initial advice statement – Figure 3.1 (PDF, 465 KB) Initial advice statement – Figure 3.2 (PDF, 1.02 MB)

Read more about the EIS process.

Media releases

• South of the Embley EIS released for comment (8 July 2011)
• Have your say on Rio Tinto's South of the Embley (16 January 2009)
• Rio's South of the Embley declared significant (21 November 2008)

Further information

For more information, visit the South of Embley project webpage.

* Project information supplied by proponent and subject to change.