WA's mining industry has called for full review of resource development in the Kimberley after Premier Colin Barnett appeared to rule out the development of a massive bauxite resource in the region owned by Rio Tinto and Alcoa.
Mr Simon Bennison CEO of Association of Mining and Exploration Companies said that the Kimberley was mineral rich and approvals and planning should not be done on an ad-hoc basis. The Kimberley region is very prospective from a mining and exploration viewpoint. If the State Government is going to restrict mining within the region then a proper consultation and review process needs to take place with industry."
Mr Barnett said that he believed that Rio and Alcoa's huge bauxite deposit, which is surrounded by national parks 115km south-west of Kalumburu, would never be developed, due to its remote location and sensitive status.
He also flagged Rio and Alcoa potentially returning the resource to taxpayers in the future. There is no serious plan to go ahead with development there and in fact I'll say I don't think the bauxite resource will ever be developed. The global giants want 2 to 3 year extension on their State Agreement over the big bauxite deposit. The Government must decide by the end of this month.
He said that Environs Kimberley director Martin Pritchard said Mr Barnett rather than hinting, needed to formalize a ban on bauxite mining in the area as it had done with coal in Margaret River. I think the Premier needs to decide once and for all whether there should be bauxite mining on the Mitchell Plateau or not.
