Lake Wells Potash Project

Project
Proponent
Australian Potash Limited
Proposal description

Australian Potash Limited proposes to abstract brine resources to produce a sulfate of potash (SOP) product at the Lake Wells Potash Project.

The proposal area is located on and adjacent to the Lake Wells Playa Lake system (salt lake terrain), approximately 160km north-northeast of Laverton in Western Australia.

The proposal would include construction of an SOP processing plant, brine abstraction bores, evaporation ponds, raw water bore field, accommodation village and other associated infrastructure.

Disturbance associated with the proposal would be up to 2466 hectares on Playa and up to 746 hectares off Playa. Groundwater abstraction for the proposal would be up to 40 Gigalitres per annum of brine and up to 1.8 Gigalitres per annum of fresh/brackish water.

Assessment Number
2144
Region
Goldfields Esperance
Referred under EP Act
s38
Industry sector
Industrial
Last updated
Current Status
Ministerial Statement published
1. Referral
Comment on this referral
Lake Wells Potash Project
Referral documentation
Referral Form.pdf (PDF, 1.21 MB)
Supporting Document (PDF, 5 MB)
Appendix 1 - Stakeholder Engagement Register.pdf (PDF, 64.41 KB)
Appendix 2 - Survey Summary.pdf (PDF, 37.06 KB)
Appendix 3 - Hydraulic Study.pdf (PDF, 2.25 MB)
Appendix 4 - Hydrogeological Review.pdf (PDF, 1.66 MB)
Appendix 5 - Level 1 Flora Survey.pdf (PDF, 6.59 MB)
Appendix 6 - Level 2 Flora Survey.pdf (PDF, 10.26 MB)
Appendix 7 - Detailed Flora Report.pdf (PDF, 10.27 MB)
Appendix 8 - GDE Memo.pdf (PDF, 2.15 MB)
Appendix 9 - Fauna Assessment Report.pdf (PDF, 2 MB)
Appendix 10 - Level 2 Fauna Survey.pdf (PDF, 4.6 MB)
Appendix 11 - Lake Ecology Baseline Survey.pdf (PDF, 2.45 MB)
Appendix 12 - Subterranean Fauna Assesment.pdf (PDF, 2.79 MB)
2. Decision on whether to assess this proposal
Chair's Determination
Assess - Environmental review - No public review
Extract of determination
Lake Wells Potash Project (PDF, 191.25 KB)
Preliminary Environmental Factors
Flora and Vegetation
Subterranean Fauna
Terrestrial Fauna
Hydrological Processes
Date published
3. Assessment
Scoping
Environmental scoping document
Lake Wells - Environmental Scoping Document (PDF, 1.87 MB)
Approved
Environmental Review
Environmental Review documentation
Environmental Review Document.pdf (PDF, 35.39 MB)
Environmental Scoping Document Revision 2 - Final.pdf (PDF, 1.87 MB)
Mine Closure Plan FINAL.pdf (PDF, 8.13 MB)
Appendix 3A Lake Wells Potash Project Detailed Flora and Vegetation Survey.pdf (PDF, 16.84 MB)
Appendix 3B Lake Wells Potash Project Detailed Flora and Vegetation Survey 2017.pdf (PDF, 13.29 MB)
Appendix 3C Targeted Samphire Survey Memorandum.pdf (PDF, 2.31 MB)
Appendix 3D Lake Wells NDVI, NDWI and ET Calculations Memorandum.pdf (PDF, 1.09 MB)
Appendix 3E Australian Potash Lake Wells Level 2 Fauna Survey Report.pdf (PDF, 5.06 MB)
Appendix 3F Lake Wells Project Level 2 Fauna Survey Report.pdf (PDF, 4.52 MB)
Appendix 3G Lake Wells Lake Ecology Baseline Survey Report.pdf (PDF, 2.54 MB)
Appendix 3H Lake Wells SRE Survey Report.pdf (PDF, 6.35 MB)
Appendix 3I - Lake Wells subterranean fauna report_final.pdf (PDF, 3.61 MB)
Appendix 3J Lake Wells Hydraulic Study Dec 2017.pdf (PDF, 2.67 MB)
Appendix 3K Lake Wells Hydrology Study Summary.pdf (PDF, 614.82 KB)
Appendix 3L Lake Wells H1 Potable & Process Water Report.pdf (PDF, 14.65 MB)
Appendix 3M Lake Wells H3 Report.pdf (PDF, 28.86 MB)
Appendix 3N Lake Wells Lakebed Sediment Characterisation Report.pdf (PDF, 1.85 MB)
Appendix 3Q Additional Sampling for Aquatic Invertebrates, Tiger Beetles and Shorebirds at Lake Wells.pdf (PDF, 1.84 MB)
Appendix 3R Lake Wells Potash Project Surface Water Assessment.pdf (PDF, 6.44 MB)
Date Published (Environmental Review documentation)
Minor or preliminary work under s. 41A(3)
s. 41A(3) notice
CMS16262-S41A Notice-060520.pdf (PDF, 317.45 KB)
Date of approval s. 41A(3)
Change to proposal during assessment under s. 43A
s. 43A notice
CMS16262 - S43A Notice - 160518.pdf (PDF, 1.01 MB)
CMS16262 - S43A - 070820.pdf (PDF, 1.82 MB)
Date of approval s. 43A
4. EPA Report on assessment
EPA Report Number
1688
EPA Report
EPA Report 1688 - Lake Wells Potash Project - assessment report.pdf (PDF, 6.13 MB)
Date published
Appeals close
5. Decision on proposal and implementation of proposal
Ministerial Statement
Date of approval
Ministerial Statement
Statement 1162.pdf (PDF, 1.6 MB)
Post-assessment changes
s. 45C amendments

Attachment 1 to Statement 1162 - Changes:
• Realignment of the on-playa development envelope and operations resulting in 498 ha increase in the development envelope and reduction of disturbance by 1,015 ha • Realignment of the off-playa development envelope and operations resulting in 2,199 ha reduction in development envelope and reduction in clearing of 247 ha • Increase the rate of brine abstraction in the first 16 years to 21.3 GL per annum with abstraction rates dropping during years 17 to 30, resulting in an overall abstraction of up to 597 GL over the life of the project • Increase in process/potable water abstraction by 0.3 GL per annum.

Changes approved under S45c on 25 January 2022

Date of approval s. 45C
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