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Australia's South32 secures approval for Worsley Alumina mine extension

Australian miner South32 said on Friday that it had actually received approval from Western Australia's minister of environment to extend the life of its Worsley Alumina operations.

The miner stated it anticipates to protect the federal government's. approval for the project in early 2025. South32 owns 86% of. Worsley Alumina, which began operations around 40 years earlier and. is one of the world's greatest alumina refineries.

South32 started the ecological approval process. with the Western Australian Environmental Management Authority. ( WA EPA) in 2019, intending to get the green light to mine more. bauxite in the native forest south of Perth.

The ecological regulator in early July approved the. proposal for the development of the mine but consisted of a swathe. of conditions on mining in the environmentally-sensitive forest. location.

South32 then lodged an appeal concerning the EPA's assessment. and declared that a few of the proposed conditions would cause. operating difficulties.

Last week, the Western Australian minister for environment. identified the appeal result for the Worsley task. South32. stated the minister's determination was a positive result for. Worsley Alumina.

We are pleased to advise that the Minister has identified. after thinking about offered information, that the EPA's. evaluation and total conclusion that the project may be. implemented, subject to conditions, is affordable, the business. said in a declaration recently.

The Perth-headquartered company produced 5.1 million tonnes. of alumina in fiscal 2024, according to its yearly report, and. the commodity added to around 19% of the group's annual. EBITDA.

(source: Reuters)