Yilgarn Operations Dust Management Plan

August 2015

Yilgarn Operations Cliffs Asia Pacific Iron Ore Pty Ltd Dust Management Plan August 2015 (Revision 7)

Document History

Revision Author Status Date Distribution

P Ecologia Final October 2003 Cliffs, DEC, DMP, DoSEWPC

A G Barrett Revised Draft December 2008 Cliffs

B G Barrett Revised Draft February 2009 Cliffs

C G Barrett Revised Draft April 2009 EPA, DMP, DoSEWPC

D G Barrett Final May 2009 Cliffs

E S Hawkins Final April 2011 EPA, DMP, DoSEWPC

6 J Shepherdson Final August 2013 Cliffs

7 B Madigan Final August 2015 Cliffs

Yilgarn Operations Cliffs Asia Pacific Iron Ore Pty Ltd Dust Management Plan August 2015 (Revision 7)

1

1. PURPOSE OF THIS PLAN

Cliffs Asia Pacific Iron Ore Pty Ltd’s (Cliffs) Yilgarn Operations includes mineral exploration and mine operations at the Koolyanobbing Range, Mt Jackson Range, Windarling Range and the Johnston Range (Deception Deposit), ore processing at Koolyanobbing, and road and rail transport between these operations and the Port of Esperance where the processed ore is exported to international customers. The location of the mine operations is identified in Figure 1. This management plan is one of a series of plans that outlines how Cliffs manages the environmental aspects of its mine operations. The purpose of this plan is to outline the management actions that Cliffs will implement with regards to the prevention, minimisation and monitoring of dust emissions from Cliffs’ mine operations.

2. POLICY AND STANDARDS

Cliffs’ mine operations are undertaken in accordance with Cliffs’ Environmental Policy. The Environmental Policy outlines Cliffs’ overarching objectives for environmental protection and continual improvement in environmental performance. Cliffs’ Environmental Policy is implemented through Cliffs’ Environmental Management System (EMS), which is certified and maintained to Australian and New Zealand Standard ISO 14001:2004. Cliffs’ EMS includes a range of Environmental Management Plans (EMP) for key environmental aspects and impacts related to mine operations, which are supported by various Environmental Operating Procedures (EOP) and Forms (ENVF). This EMP forms part of Cliffs’ EMS.

Cliffs has obtained various environmental and mining approvals to undertake its mine operations. These approvals have been obtained under various State and Commonwealth legislation, including the Environmental Protection Act 1986, Mining Act 1978 (WA) and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (C’th). Where relevant, this EMP has been prepared to meet the requirements of these approvals.

Yilgarn Operations Cliffs Asia Pacific Iron Ore Pty Ltd Dust Management Plan August 2015 (Revision 7)

2

Figure 1: Location of the mine operations.

Yilgarn Operations Cliffs Asia Pacific Iron Ore Pty Ltd Dust Management Plan August 2015 (Revision 7)

3

Figure 2: Mining Exclusion Areas A and B

Yilgarn Operations Cliffs Asia Pacific Iron Ore Pty Ltd Dust Management Plan August 2015 (Revision 7)

4

3. POTENTIAL IMPACTS

Mining is an inherently dust-generating activity due to the need for land clearing, blasting, excavation and movement of ore and waste rock. Dust can also be generated through wind erosion from disturbed areas such as cleared land, materials stockpiles, waste rock landforms and mine pits as well as through crushing and screening of ore. A desktop study has identified that approximately 65% of dust generated from mine operations arises from the waste rock (loading, hauling, unloading and wind erosion of the waste rock landform). Monitoring of dust from Cliffs’ mine pits has identified that dust deposition decreases with increasing distance, with the dust deposition in summer approximately more than double the dust deposition of the wetter months. Flora has been identified by Cliffs as a potentially sensitive dust receptor. Dust settling on flora has potential to reduce the intensity of light required for plant photosynthesis, influence gaseous exchange required for plant respiration, increase leaf temperature and impact plant transpiration. Accordingly, dust emissions from mine operations are minimised in order to reduce the potential for impact to adjacent vegetation.

4. MANAGEMENT ACTIONS

Cliffs will ensure that the following actions are implemented:

Management Actions Timing Responsibilities

Minimisation

1. Undertake land clearing only when necessary to minimise areas that may generate dust through wind erosion.

Ongoing Head of Production

2. Avoid land clearing and handling of topsoil in windy conditions

Ongoing Head of Production

3. Implement dust suppression on roads and other open areas using water trucks to minimise dust generation.

Ongoing Head of Production

4. Ensure water sprays on the Koolyanobbing Ore Handling Plant are operational and effective.

Ongoing Head of Production

5. Carry out progressive rehabilitation to minimise areas that may generate dust through wind erosion.

Ongoing Head of Production

Environmental Superintendent

Windarling Range W3/5 Deposit Mine Pit Blasting

6. Complete ENVF06 W3/5 Blast Planning Checklist prior to any blast at the Windarling Range W3/5 Deposit Mine Pit to assess wind conditions.

Ongoing Head of Production

Environmental Superintendent

7. Do not undertake any blast where the size of the blast, location of the blast (spatial and depth) and wind direction are considered likely to result in significant dust deposition to the rare flora species Tetratheca paynterae (Mining Exclusion Areas A and B, Figure 2).

Ongoing Head of Production

Environmental Superintendent

Monitoring

Yilgarn Operations Cliffs Asia Pacific Iron Ore Pty Ltd Dust Management Plan August 2015 (Revision 7)

5

Management Actions Timing Responsibilities

8. Record dust deposition from the dust deposition gauges located adjacent to the Windarling Range W3/5 Deposit Mine Pit in accordance with EOP28.

Monthly Environmental Superintendent

9. Record data from the Osiris air quality meter located adjacent to the Windarling Range W3/5 Deposit Mine Pit.

Ongoing Environmental Superintendent

10. Monitor the health condition of rare flora within 100m of active mine operations. Where a decline in condition is identified, compare the condition with Rare Flora distant from mine operations.

Annually Environmental Superintendent

11. Monitor the health condition of vegetation adjacent to the haul road in accordance with Keighery (1994) and ENVF037 Haul Road Vegetation Monitoring to detect any potential impacts caused by dust deposition or from saline water used in dust suppression. Where a decline in condition is identified, the health condition will be compared against that of similar vegetation distant from the haul road and appropriate remedial action will be taken if necessary.

Annually Environmental Superintendent

Training

12. Information on the potential impacts of dust and the use of saline water for dust minimisation will be provided in the environmental induction delivered to all mine personnel.

Ongoing Environmental Superintendent

5. MONITORING

The monitoring frequencies for the dust deposition gauges, Osiris air quality monitor, rare flora and vegetation monitoring are identified above. In the event of significant impacts to rare flora or vegetation being recorded, increased monitoring frequencies may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

6. PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

The following performance indicators are applicable to this EMP:

• mine personnel are trained on potential impacts of dust and the use of saline water for dust minimisation

• condition of rare flora and vegetation is maintained • monitoring is undertaken at the required frequency • blast checklists are completed.

7. RECORDS AND REPORTING

All monitoring results will be recorded and retained.

Yilgarn Operations Cliffs Asia Pacific Iron Ore Pty Ltd Dust Management Plan August 2015 (Revision 7)

2

Completed blasting checklists will be retained. Where a decline in the condition of Rare Flora or vegetation is recorded, where appropriate, the decline will be reported to the relevant government authorities as soon as practicable.

8. CONSULTATION

The management actions outlined in this EMP have previously been subject to review by the Environmental Protection Authority (WA), Department of Environmental Regulation (WA), Department of Mines and Petroleum (WA) and the Department of the Environment (C’th).

9. REVIEW

Cliffs will review and update the management actions contained in this EMP from time to time for currency with legislation, standards, guidelines and/or operational requirements. Any changes to this EMP that results in a significant change to environmental outcome will be referred to the relevant regulatory authorities prior to implementation of such changes.

10. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

The following documents support this EMP:

• EOP05 Dust Management • EOP14 Topsoil Movements • EOP28 Dust Monitoring • ENVF06 W3/5 Blast Planning Checklist • ENVF08 Mining Inspection Checklist • ENVF16 W3/5 Water Cart Movement • ENVF037 Haul Road Vegetation Monitoring