Region: Western Australia (Pilbara)

Resource: Manganese

MBS have been assisting Consolidated Minerals Limited at their Woodie Woodie manganese operations, located in the East Pilbara, since 1997.  After initially gaining approvals for the recommencement of mining in 1998, MBS Environmental has provided corporate environmental support and ongoing site management services, including:

  • Numerous environmental approvals for satellite pits and expansions, in-pit tailings storage facilities and supporting infrastructure to facilitate ongoing operations including mining proposals, clearing permits and works approvals.
  • Ongoing monitoring and compliance reporting to meet tenement and environmental licence conditions including water and vegetation monitoring and biannual/annual reporting.
  • Environmental management assistance including preparation of environmental management plans and compliance auditing.
  • Baseline and targeted ecological surveys (flora, fauna, stygofauna) to support environmental approvals for expansions of the Woodie Woodie operations and regional Greenfields prospects including scoping, co-ordination and management of surveys and specialist teams.
  • Soil, waste rock and tailings characterisation.
  • Environmental engineering support and designs for management of difficult wastes, surface water and tailings including waste landform designs, water containment and diversion measures and tailings discharge management.
  • Development and obtaining approval of site-wide mine closure plan.
  • Rehabilitation monitoring and facilitation of research to address key closure liabilities.
  • Provision of bridging corporate and site support personnel.

During this time MBS Environmental has assisted in the transfer of knowledge and provision of operational continuity as Consolidated Minerals during periods of transition through one change of ownership, at least three major changes in corporate management and four changes in environmental managers.