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Sustainability Report 2015 77
FLORA AND FAUNA
The land surrounding the Jaguar Operation is dominated
by mulga woodlands and floristic associations typical of
the regions ephemeral creek lines. The area surrounding
the Long Operation is dominated by Eucalyptus
woodlands and halophytic low shrub lands associated
with the shores of Lake Lefroy. Both operations are
subject to extreme temperatures and periodic rainfall as is
common to the Goldfields region of Western Australia.
The areas within and surrounding both the Long and
Jaguar operations has been subject to mining activities
for over 35 years. This has resulted in clearing for the
construction of infrastructure, waste dumps, tailings
storage facilities (TSF), processing plants, open pits and
underground mines. The proximity of Long Operation
to the town of Kambalda and the historic public land
use of the surrounding area has also contributed to the
degradation of the local environment.
At the Jaguar Operation, in addition to the historic
impact of past mining activities, the mining leases and
surrounding pastoral properties have been impacted
upon by both cattle grazing and a range of feral animals
and introduced weeds. Of note are the large populations
of introduced goats, dogs, cats and rabbits.
Field fauna survey data at the Jaguar Operations
recorded 57 bird species, eight native and four introduced
mammals, 23 reptiles and four amphibians. A desktop
analysis of potential fauna distributions identified
two mammal, one reptile and eight bird species of
conservation significance that could be present in the
area due to the presence of suitable habitat. However, a
number of these species are now thought to be locally
extinct as there have been no sightings since the early
1980s. Conversely, anecdotal evidence (increased sightings
of breeding pairs) suggests there has been an increase in
the population of birds of prey around Jaguar.
IGO seeks to understand its ongoing impact post-approval
of its mining activity. IGO currently monitors its impacts
on vegetation near to our mining operations by means
of comparative photography at pre-defined photo-
monitoring survey points. Photos collected over the life
of the Jaguar operation have shown no deterioration in
plant health at the established monitoring points. In the
coming two years IGO will complete general flora and
fauna surveys to assess changes that may have occurred
since the last set of surveys.
IGO monitors areas that been rehabilitated to assess the
effectiveness of the works. Specifically, both erosion and
floristic successional processes are monitored. Remedial
action is taken as required.
Tropicana Operation JV is located on the western edge
of the Great Victoria Desert, the region is dominated
by sandplains, sand hills and sand dunes covered with
Marble Gum (
Eucalyptus gongylocarpa
), Mallee (
Eucalyptus
youngiana
) and Spinifex (
Triodia basedowii
).
The sand plain communities surrounding the Tropicana
Operation JV have an extremely high small-vertebrate
diversity with more species of terrestrial reptiles and
mammals per hectare than anywhere else in Western
Australia.
Monitoring of vegetation condition and abundance is
required on an annual basis at Tropicana in accordance
with the mine’s approval conditions. The results
are reported in the Tropicana Operation JV annual
environmental report. The 2014 survey found no decline
in overall vegetation cover or condition.
Tropicana Operation JV also completes an extensive
fauna monitoring program and supports regional fauna
research. The program includes monitoring at both the
site’s six artificial water ponds and the TSF. The artificial
water ponds were established to provide preferential
water sources to the site’s TSF in an effort to minimize
the number of fauna deaths that could potentially occur
given fauna’s use the TSF’s liquor as a water source. The
liquor poses a hazard to fauna given that it contains low
concentrations of a toxic processing reagent (weak acid
dissociable cyanide).
As noted previously, a gas pipeline is being constructed
from Murrin Murrin to Tropicana. This requires the
excavation of a trench into which the gas pipeline is
placed and then buried. Whilst sections of the trench are
only open for a brief period, they act as a pit-fall trap for
native fauna. To minimise the impact, the open sections
of trench are checked daily and the animals that have
been inadvertently captured are then released. Whilst
the potential for negative impacts are real, the situation
provides a notable opportunity to collect an extensive
body of information on the regions fauna.
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLANS
IGO uses site-specific Environmental Management Plans
(EMPs) to define and direct environmental management
activity. This includes environmental statutory compliance,
the identification of environmental aspects and the
monitoring of environmental impacts. Environmental
performance is reported each year to the respective
government departments in the operation-specific Annual
Environmental Reports.
IGO’s land and biodiversity management practices are
compliant with the law and in line with that of other
mining companies. However, we have both the capacity
and intention to improve our performance – particular
in the area of ongoing impact assessments on flora
and fauna. IGO’s impacts are limited and confined, and
represent a tiny fraction of the cumulative impacts
associated with the mining industry as assessed by all
credible metrics.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT