Sandy Ridge regulatory approval progress update – WA EPA recommends project approval subject to conditions

• WA EPA has released the Sandy Ridge Report and Recommendation to the WA Minister for Environment
• The WA EPA supports the concept of Australia’s first dual open-cut kaolin mine and near-surface geological waste repository
• The WA EPA recognises site selection as the most critical consideration for a near-surface geological waste repository. The Sandy Ridge site-specific characteristics are suitable
• The WA EPA concludes the proposal is environmentally acceptable and therefore recommends that the proposal may be implemented subject to conditions
• The project involves mining up to 290,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) of kaolin clay and receiving up to a maximum of 100,000 tpa of Class IV and V waste for approximately 25 years
• The next step is for the WA Minister for Environment to consider the EPA’s report and make his determination

Tellus Holdings Ltd (Tellus) is pleased to announce that the Western Australian (WA) Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has released its advice and recommendations to the WA Minister for Environment regarding Tellus’ proposed Sandy Ridge Project. The WA EPA supports the concept of Australia’s first dual open-cut kaolin mine and near-surface geological waste repository. The report concludes that the proposal is environmentally acceptable and recommends the proposal for implementation subject to conditions.

The proposal would involve mining up to 290,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) of kaolin clay, and receiving up to 100 000 tpa of waste from all over Australia, including the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone for approximately 25 years.

The proposal involves clearing up to 202.3 hectares of native vegetation for kaolin mining pits/ waste cells and 75 hectares for associated infrastructure within a 1,004.2 hectare development envelope.

The proposal was referred to the EPA in May 2016 under section 38 of the Environmental Protection Act 1986. The EPA deemed that the Project be assessed by way of a Public Environmental Review (PER), the highest level of assessment. Tellus’ PER was published for public comment in December 2016. Public comments closed on 7 March, 2017. The PER received 16 submissions. Tellus responded to those comments in a Response to Submissions Report that was submitted in August 2017.

The EPA has completed its assessment of the environmental impacts of the Project, releasing its findings and recommended conditions today. The Report marks the end of the assessment process by the WA EPA. The EPA’s report can be found here:

http://www.epa.wa.gov.au/proposals/sandy-ridge-project

The EPA recognises that site selection is the most critical consideration for a near-surface geological waste repository.

The EPA has also taken the following into account in its assessment of the proposal as a whole:

• The site’s characteristics of geological stability, deep impermeable clay soils, low rainfall, low land erosion potential and remoteness;
• The presence of a similar waste facility in the region since 1991, that has demonstrated the suitability of the localities characteristics.;
• The absence of a discernible water table;
• The impacts to the key environmental factors including Terrestrial Environmental Quality, Flora and Vegetation, Human Health, Terrestrial Fauna, and Inland Waters Environmental Quality;
• The EPA’s confidence in the proponent’s proposed mitigation measures, including the preparation and implementation of a Construction Environmental Management Plan;
• The relevant EP Act principles, including the precautionary principle, principles relating to improved valuation, pricing and incentive mechanisms and the principle of waste minimisation;
• The EPA’s environmental objectives for Terrestrial Environmental Quality, Flora and Vegetation, Human Health, Terrestrial Fauna, and Inland Waters Environmental Quality; and
• The EPA’s view that the impacts to the Terrestrial Environmental Quality, Flora and Vegetation, Human Health, Terrestrial Fauna, and Inland Waters Environmental Quality are manageable, provided the recommended conditions are imposed.

Given the above, the EPA has concluded that the proposal is environmentally acceptable and therefore recommends the proposal for implementation subject to the conditions recommended in Appendix 5 of the EPA report.

The next step is the WA Minister for the Environment will consider the EPA’s report and recommendations in making his decision as to whether to approve the Project.

“We have worked tirelessly and openly over five years and spent millions of dollars to complete a thorough environmental, social, economic benefits and impacts assessment of the Sandy Ridge Project,” said Tellus Managing Director, Duncan van der Merwe.

“Tellus recognises the professionalism of the Federal, State and Local Government decision making authorities, community, non-governmental organisations and business stakeholders during the PER process. Tellus remains committed to our policy of “buy local and hire local” where possible, and our plan is to create 90 jobs during the build phase and 46 jobs during the operations phase. Tellus sees waste as a valuable resource where we should find ways for it to re-enter the circular economy or stored safely until it can be reused or recycled. This in turn generates additional jobs and local and regional business opportunities. We look forward to a positive decision from the Environment Minister in the coming months.”

About Tellus Holdings:
Tellus Holdings Ltd (“Tellus”) is an infrastructure development company in the business of creating economic, social and environmental value from waste, clay and salt resources. This dual revenue model involves mining the commodities kaolin clay and rock salt in thick dry remote beds which creates world’s best practice geological repositories. The voids created by mining are then used to store equipment, archives and waste using a multi- barrier system as part of an integrated safety case. Tellus plans to permanently isolate hazardous waste using environmentally sound management (ESM) principles that protect the environment and human health. Tellus also uses long-term storage that supports the circular economy by placing like-with-like materials for operational safety reasons and to create opportunities for the future recovery of valuable materials. Tellus’ business model mirrors overseas solutions operating in the UK, Europe and North America. Tellus is developing the proposed Sandy Ridge facility in Western Australia (WA) and the proposed Chandler facility in the Northern Territory (NT). Both Sandy Ridge and Chandler were awarded Major Project Facilitation Service by the Australian Government and Chandler was awarded Major Project Status by the NT Government.

For further information:
Visit: www.tellusholdings.com.au or contact:

Duncan van der Merwe
Managing Director
Tel: +61 (0)2 8257 3395

Cameron Morse
FTI Consulting (Media)
Tel: +61 (0)8 9485 8888