Approvals, assessments and advisory support for South32’s Worsley Alumina Mine Expansion, including ERD preparation and responses to 600+ submissions.
Confidential Client
Confidential Location
CDM Smith coordinated the complex approvals process, preparing the Environmental Review Document, leading technical study reviews and developing responses to extensive public and agency submissions. We worked closely with South32 to address environmental and social impacts, develop management plans and guide the project through the accredited bilateral assessment across State and Commonwealth jurisdictions.
We delivered the Environmental Review Document and coordinated discipline-specific studies covering both environmental and social factors. This ensured the Revised Proposal fully aligned with EPA guidance and addressed all Matters of National Environmental Significance relevant to continued mining operations.
Our team collaborated with South32 to prepare detailed, transparent and evidence-based responses to more than 600 submissions from community members and regulatory authorities, strengthening the assessment’s credibility and supporting an informed regulatory decision.
We provided strategic guidance throughout the approvals process, including regulator engagement, peer review, policy interpretation and development of compliant Environmental Management Plans, ensuring the Revised Proposal met evolving requirements across jurisdictions.
CDM Smith’s Water Team completed a peer review of the groundwater modelling to validate hydrological predictions for future mining phases, providing confidence in the assessment of groundwater behavior and potential impacts.
South32’s Worsley Alumina Mine Expansion Revised Proposal covers the next phase of mining within the Worsley Mining Development Envelope, the Bauxite Transport Corridor linking existing and future mining areas, and a Contingency Bauxite Mining Envelope to ensure ongoing supply to the refinery. CDM Smith supported the complete Part IV approvals process, preparing the Environmental Review Document for public review and coordinating responses to more than 600 agency and community submissions. We worked with South32 to complete assessments for Matters of National Environmental Significance, undertake gap analyses, coordinate technical specialist inputs and draft Environmental Management Plans aligned with current EPA guidance. We also supported biodiversity offset documentation, strategic advisory, regulator engagement and peer review. As an accredited bilateral assessment, our work met both State and Commonwealth environmental requirements, supported by specialist groundwater modelling review from our Water Team.
Confidential Client
Confidential Location
Selected projects illustrating our technical and delivery experience.
