South of the Embley Project (Amrun)

Project overview*

EIS status	Approved with conditions
Description	New bauxite mining operation, initially producing 22.8 million dry product tonnes per annum (mdpt/a) with the potential to increase to 50 mdpt/a.
Proponent	RTA Weipa Pty Ltd (a subsidiary of Rio Tinto Aluminium within the Rio Tinto Alcan Group)
Location/s	40 km south of Weipa and 40 km north of Aurukun, western Cape York Peninsula. Map
Local government/s	Cook Shire Council Aurukun Shire Council
Key features	open-cut bauxite mine processing plant bauxite stockpiles ancillary infrastructure port development

* Project information supplied by proponent and subject to change.

Environmental impact statement (EIS) process

Date	Activity
23 May 2016	The Coordinator-General extended the currency period for the Evaluation Report to 24 May 2019.
14 May 2013	Commonwealth Minister for the Environment's approval of 'controlled action', subject to conditions.
23 May 2012	Coordinator-General's report on EIS ( 2.49 MB) released.
9 February 2012	Supplementary information to EIS released.
1 August 2011 to 12 September 2011	Public consultation on EIS EIS - Summary ( 1.51 MB) Complete EIS.
29 October 2010	Project deemed a 'controlled action' by Commonwealth Minister for the Environment. Project to be assessed under a parallel process. (Note: this decision overrides the minister's previous decision of 2 October 2008).
13 September 2010	Project re-referred to Commonwealth Minister for the Environment, due to changes to the port component of the project.
1 April 2009	Terms of reference for EIS ( 401 KB) released.
17 January 2009 to 16 February 2009	Public consultation on draft terms of reference for EIS.
21 November 2008	Gazettal of 'significant project' declaration ( 196 KB).
2 October 2008	Project deemed a 'controlled action' by Commonwealth Minister for the Environment. Project to be assessed under bilateral agreement.
3 September 2008	Project referred to Commonwealth Minister for the Environment.
11 July 2008	Application, including initial advice statement ( 446 KB) submitted. IAS – Figure 1.1 ( 1.71 MB) IAS – Figure 1.2 ( 484 KB) IAS – Figure 2.1 ( 310 KB) IAS – Figure 2.2 ( 164 KB) IAS – Figure 3.1 ( 471 KB) IAS – Figure 3.2 ( 1.06 MB)

Social impact management plan

As part of its EIS, the South of the Embley Project (Amrun) prepared a social impact management plan.

Project changes

Since the publication of the Coordinator-General's report on the EIS, RTA Weipa Pty Ltd has applied for changes to the project.

Media releases

Rio Tinto approves US$1.9 billion Amrun (South of Embley) bauxite project (27 November 2015)
Green light for major Cape mine (23 May 2012)

Further information

For more information, visit the Amrun project web page.

Last updated: 16 Mar 2023