Projects
Albemarle Kemerton Lithium
In 2022 Albemarle Kemerton Lithium began processing spodumene at their Kemerton lithium processing plant located approximately 23 km from the regional centre of Bunbury in southwestern WA. The plant produces lithium hydroxide from spodumene concentrate which is mined at the Greenbushes mine approximately 100 km to the southeast.
Lithium Tailings Storage Human Health and Environmental Risk Assessment
Due to a lack of tailings storage facilities at the Kemerton site lithium tailings are currently being stored in a historic iron ore pit at Koolyanobbing which is located 568 km northeast of the Kemerton site near the town of Southern Cross. This was considered by Albemarle to be a temporary storage option as the volume of tailings produced at the plant would eventually exceed the capacity at Koolyanobbing. Because of this Albemarle identified two additional tailings storage facilities at North Bannister and Sandy Ridge also near the town of Southern Cross.
In order to assess the viability of all three storage options MBS Environmental was engaged to conduct a human health and environmental risk assessment (HHERA). This assessment aimed to determine whether the planned tailings disposal would pose any unacceptable risks to both human and environmental receptors in adjacent areas. The areas in which MBS assisted included:
- Collating relevant geochemical data on the lithium tailings to identify contaminants of potential concern.
- Identifying all relevant human and environmental receptors that may come into contact with either the tailings material, dust or leachates for each of the proposed disposal options.
- Performing a Tier 1 (High Level) Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) and Tier 1 (High Level) Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA).
- Performing a landfill waste disposal classification (DWER 2019) assessment on the lithium tailings to outline the appropriate facilities to dispose of the tailings.
- Preparing a HHERA report which summarised the key findings of both assessments for use in approval processes.
Drinking Water Quality Management Plan & Potable Water Monitoring Program
MBS Environmental (MBS) was commissioned by Albemarle to prepare a drinking water quality management plan (DWQMP) to ensure that Albemarle provides drinking water of a quality that meets the guidelines set out in the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines ((ADWG) NHMRC 2011) and Minesites and Exploration Camps Drinking Water Quality Monitoring Requirements (DoH 2011). Following the opening of the plant MBS also assisted with the conduction of a potable water monitoring program to monitor the quality of potable water being provided to persons on site. The areas MBS assisted in were:
- The preparation of a DWQMP document which outlined:
- The environmental setting of the site
- The proposed water treatment process
- The selection of monitoring locations based on the design of the plant and expected potable water requirements.
- The design of a monitoring program to ensure that drinking water quality is maintained and that any issues can be detected and fixed rapidly. This included both the timing of sample collection plus outlining the desired laboratory analyses.
- A water sampling procedure so that representative, contamination-free samples can be collected for laboratory analysis.
- Relevant duty of care and troubleshooting procedures in case exceedances are observed.
- Conducting potable water sampling at the Kemerton site and also organising for samples to be transported from site to NATA accredited laboratories (within acceptable holding periods) for microbial and chemical analyses.
- Preparing quarterly progress reports for the WA Department of Health (DoH) regarding the ongoing quality of water provided for drinking within the plant.
