Data as at 14 September 2026 · from the Queensland EP Act public register
P-EA-100385223 · RIO TINTO EXPLORATION PTY LIMITED
Minerals environmental authority P-EA-100385223 (RIO TINTO EXPLORATION PTY LIMITED), Granted. 63 conditions indexed. No PRC plan.
- Status
- Granted
- Holders
- RIO TINTO EXPLORATION PTY LIMITED
- PRC plan
- None
- How it was read
- Numbered conditions
- Register
- Register record · Instrument PDF
Conditions
63 numbered conditions read from the current instrument. Page numbers link into the register PDF.
- A1
This environmental authority authorises environmental harm referred to in the conditions. Where there is no condition or this environmental authority is silent on a matter, the lack of a condition or silence does not authorise environmental harm.
- A2
The mining activity must not be, carried out in a strategic environmental area, unless-- a) the mining activity is authorised under an environmental authority for a mining activity relating to a mining claim, an environmental authority for a mining activity relating to an exploration permit or an environmental authority for a mining activity relating to a mineral development licence; or b) the mining activity involves alluvial mining and is, or will be, carried out at a place that is not in a designated precinct in a strategic environmental area; or c) the mining activity involves clay pit mining, dimension stone mining, hard rock mining, opal mining or shallow pit mining and is, or will be, carried out at a place that is not in a designated precinct in a strategic environmental area.
- A3
The exploration activity must not, at any one time, cause more than 5000m2 of land to be disturbed at a camp site.
- A4
No more than 20m3 of any substance is, or will be, extracted from each kilometre of a riverine area affected by the exploration activity in a year.
- A5
The holder of the environmental authority must not carry out activities within 100m of a Historical, Archaeological or Ethnographic site.
- A6
Activities involving machinery must not be carried out within 1km of a Category A Environmentally Sensitive Area. Prior to carrying out activities in a Category C Environmentally Sensitive Area, consult with the relevant administering authority. If it is determined through the consultation that additional conditions are necessary, the holder must comply with those conditions.
- A7
Activities involving machinery may be carried out within 500m of a Category B Environmentally Sensitive Area but not within 100m from a watercourse.
- A8
Aside from the activities authorised under Conditions A9 and A10, the holder of this environmental authority must not carry out activities in a Category B Environmentally Sensitive Area.
- A9
The holder of this environmental authority may only carry out activities in a Category B Environmentally Sensitive Area at the locations depicted in Schedule G - Figure 1 and described in Schedule A - Table 1 - Category B Environmentally Sensitive Area Permitted Disturbance. Schedule A - Table 1 - Category B Environmentally Sensitive Area Permitted Disturbance DrillSiteRTX_SiteID Easting Northing Authorised EPM16900_002 274181.0676 7887393.518 Disturbance EPM16900_003 273974.3761 7886979.427 Permit Environmental authority P-EA-100385223 EPM16900_005 273534.5253 7887257.83 30m x 30m Drill pad. EPM16900_001 273865.772 7887639.807 Single loop track EPM16900_006 273513.814 7887819.182 around pad. EPM16900_004 274168.6239 7886991.913
- A10
Any disturbance within the areas depicted in Schedule G - Figures 1 and described in Schedule A- Table 1 must not: a) damage or destroy any mature trees with a trunk diameter of greater than 15cm.
- A11
Any disturbance within the areas depicted in Schedule G - Figure 1 and described in Schedule A-Table 1 must not impact adversely on the surrounding category A or B environmentally sensitive area.
- A12
The mining activity must not, at any one time, cause more than 10ha of land to be significantly disturbed.
- A13
The holder of the environmental authority must ensure that the area and duration of disturbance to land and vegetation is minimised. Not more than 1,000m2 can be disturbed at any one location, excluding campsites.
- A14
The holder of this environmental authority must: a) install all measures, plant, and equipment necessary to ensure compliance with the conditions of this environmental authority; b) maintain such measures, plant, and equipment in a proper and efficient condition; c) operate such measures, plant, and equipment in a proper and efficient manner; d) ensure all instruments and devices used for the measurement or monitoring of any parameter under any condition of this environmental authority are properly calibrated.
- A15
The holder of the environmental authority must ensure that topsoil is removed and stockpiled prior to carrying out any exploration activity. Prevent or minimise the mixing and erosion of topsoil and overburden stockpiles.
- A16
All reasonable and practicable measures must be taken to prevent or minimise environmental harm caused by the activities.
- A17
The holder of the environmental authority must record and notify the administering authority of any emergency or incident which demonstrates non-compliance with conditions of this environmental authority. Notification of emergencies, incidents, and exceptions
- A18
The holder of this environmental authority must notify the administering authority by written notification within 24 hours, after becoming aware of any emergency or incident which results in the release of contaminants not in accordance, or reasonably expected to be not in accordance with, the conditions of this environmental authority.
- A19
Within 10 business days following the initial notification of an emergency or incident, or receipt of monitoring results, whichever is the latter, further written advice must be provided to the administering authority, including the following: a) results and interpretation of any samples taken and analysed; b) outcomes of actions taken at the time to prevent or minimise unlawful environmental harm; Permit Environmental authority P-EA-100385223 c) proposed actions to prevent a recurrence of the emergency or incident. Complaints
- A20
The holder of this environmental authority must record all environmental complaints received about the exploration activities including: a) name, address and contact number for of the complainant; b) time and date of complaint; c) reasons for the complaint; d) investigations undertaken; e) conclusions formed; f) actions taken to resolve the complaint; g) any abatement measures implemented; h) person responsible for resolving the complaint.
- A21
The holder of this environmental authority must, when requested by the administering authority, undertake relevant specified monitoring within a reasonable timeframe nominated or agreed to by the administering authority to investigate any complaint of environmental harm. The results of the investigation (including an analysis and interpretation of the monitoring results) and abatement measures, where implemented, must be provided to the administering authority within 10 business days of completion of the investigation, or no later than 10 business days after the end of the timeframe nominated by the administering authority to undertake the investigation.
- A22
Where a condition of this environmental authority requires compliance with a standard, policy or guideline published externally to this environmental authority and the standard is amended or changed subsequent to the issue of this environmental authority, the holder of this environmental authority must: a) comply with the amended or changed standard, policy, or guideline within two years of the amendment or change being made, unless a different period is specified in the amended standard or relevant legislation. b) until compliance with the amended or changed standard, policy or guideline is achieved, continue to remain in compliance with the corresponding provision that was current immediately prior to the relevant amendment or change.
- A23
This environmental authority does not authorise the carrying out of an environmentally relevant activity to which a section of schedule 2 of the Environmental Protection Regulation 2019 applies. END OF SCHEDULE A Permit Environmental authority P-EA-100385223 Schedule B - Air
- D1
The holder of the environmental authority must prevent the spread of Declared Plants by ensuring that all vehicles and machinery are adequately cleaned before taking the vehicles and machinery out of a Declared Plant Area.
- D2
The holder of the environmental authority must not carry out the following prescribed environmentally relevant activities (ERA) on the mining tenement: a) ERA 61 Waste incineration and thermal treatment at threshold 1 - incinerating waste vegetation, clean paper or cardboard. b) ERA 52 Battery Recycling - operating a facility for receiving, and recycling or reprocessing, any type of battery; and c) ERA 59 Tyre Recycling - operating a facility on a commercial basis for receiving and recycling or receiving and reprocessing 1000 or more equivalent passenger units of tyres, or parts of tyres, in a year. (The relevant activity does not include re-treading tyres).
- D3
The holder of the environmental authority must consult with the landowner prior to establishing any new roads and tracks.
- D4
When constructing new roads and tracks, the holder of the environmental authority must ensure that the area and duration of disturbance to land, vegetation and watercourses is minimised. Appropriate stabilisation of the roads and tracks crossing a watercourse must occur to prevent or minimise sediment erosion
- D5
The holder of the environmental authority must consult with the landowner prior to establishing any new campsites.
- D6
When constructing new campsites, the holder of the environmental authority must ensure that the area and duration of disturbance to land, vegetation and watercourses is minimised.
- D7
The holder of the environmental authority must plan and determine the final position of gridlines and geophysical lines in consultation with the landowner.
- D8
When constructing gridlines and geophysical lines, the holder of the environmental authority must ensure that the area and duration of disturbance to land and vegetation is minimised. Hazardous contaminants
- D9
The holder of the environmental authority must plan and conduct activities on site to prevent any potential or actual release of a hazardous contaminant.
- D10
The holder of the environmental authority must ensure that spills of hazardous contaminants are cleaned up as quickly as practicable. Such spillage must not be cleaned up by hosing, sweeping or otherwise releasing such contaminants to any watercourse, waterway, groundwater, wetland, or lake.
- D11
The holder of the environmental authority must, where practical, separate acid producing waste rock from benign waste rock.
- D12
The holder of the environmental authority must dispose of acid producing waste rock in an excavation or pit and backfill as soon as practical. Backfill the excavation or pit containing acid producing waste rock with benign, low permeability material and seal the excavation or pit with a compacted capping layer at least 1m thick. Waste Management
- D13
The holder of the environmental authority must not directly or indirectly release waste from the project area to any watercourse, waterway, groundwater, wetland or lake. Permit Environmental authority P-EA-100385223
- D14
The holder of the environmental authority must not dispose of more than 50 tonnes of general waste on the mining tenement per year.
- D15
The holder of the environmental authority must not directly or indirectly release fuels, oils, lubricants or other contaminants to any watercourse, waterway, groundwater, wetland, or lake.
- D16
The holder of the environmental authority must ensure that all chemical, fuel, and oil storage facilities less than 10 000L on a mining tenement, must be designed and operated in accordance with Australian Standard 1940 - `The storage and handling of flammable and combustible liquids', Section 2, Minor Storage.
- D17
The holder of the environmental authority must ensure that: a) all chemical, fuel and oil storage facilities of more than 10 000L on a mining tenement, must be bunded to contain at least one hundred percent of the volume of the largest container, plus twenty-five percent of the storage capacity of the largest container up to a maximum of 10,000L, together with ten percent of the storage capacity beyond 10,000L; and b) the facility must be operated and maintained in accordance with the Australian Standard 1940 - "The Storage and Handling of flammable and combustible liquids". Drilling, Excavating and Sampling
- D18
When drilling, excavating, or sampling, the holder of the environmental authority must ensure that the area and duration of disturbance to land and vegetation is minimised.
- D19
The holder of the environmental authority must ensure: a) all marker pegs are marked with contrasting colour so as to be clearly visible. b) all marker pegs are removed from the tenement at the completion of exploration activities. c) all permanent markers (example, concrete plugs or steel plates) are installed at ground level and made safe. d) The holder of the environmental authority must not directly or indirectly release waste from the project area to any watercourse, waterway, groundwater, wetland, or lake.
- D20
The holder of the environmental authority must not drill, excavate, or clear vegetation: a) in standing waters, wetlands, or lakes; or b) on the sloped banks or within 3m of the top of the bank or 5m of the toe of the bank; or c) within or on the levee banks of the normal flow channel.
- D21
The holder of the environmental authority must decommission all non-artesian drill holes, apart from those still required for monitoring purposes as soon as practical, but no later than 6 months after the hole was drilled by undertaking the following actions: a) where practical dispose of all unused drill chips to the hole or to a sump pit; and b) cap the hole at a depth that is appropriate for the previous land use of the area. (unless the landowner stipulates a future use which requires the cap to be placed deeper); and c) backfill the hole above the cap with soil or material similar to the surrounding soil or material.
- D22
The holder of the environmental authority must isolate non-artesian aquifers where a drill hole intersects more than one water bearing strata by casing or plugging the hole as soon as practical after the hole is no longer required, but no later than 2 months after the hole was drilled, apart from those holes that are still required for monitoring purposes if: a) the flow difference between aquifers exceeds 500 L/hour. b) the difference in electrical conductivity of water is greater than 10% of the lower value.
- D23
The holder of the environmental authority must ensure that exploration drill holes that strike artesian flows of water that exceeds 500 L/hour for seven days must be either: a) decommissioned as soon as practical, but no later than 1 month after the hole was drilled, apart from holes that are still required for monitoring or evaluation purposes. Refer to Report Permit Environmental authority P-EA-100385223 No. SW4 - "Minimum Construction Requirements for Water Bores in Australia ", (ARMCANZ 1997); or b) capped to allow for future conversion into a controlled artesian bore by a licensed water bore driller; or c) converted into a controlled artesian bore by a licensed water bore driller, provided that: i. the landowner has undertaken in writing to accept responsibility for the drill hole. ii. the explorer provides details of the agreement and the drill hole to the Department of Natural Resources and Mines within 30 days of obtaining the landowner's agreement.
- D24
Conditions D22 and D23 do not apply to a non-artesian exploration drill hole if: a) the landowner and the explorer have agreed that it should be left for conversion to a water bore; and b) the landowner gives a written undertaking to accept responsibility for the hole; and c) the details of the agreement and the drill hole (such as its GPS location and the drill logs showing the water bearing strata and flow rates) are provided to the Department of Natural Resources and Mines within 30 days of the landowner giving the undertaking; and d) the hole is temporarily capped so as to prevent possible ingress of surface waters and associated sediments and pollutants.
- D25
The holder of the environmental authority must ensure that exploration drill holes that are to be retained for future mineral resource evaluation purposes are cased and capped. Holes to be retained for more than three years must be capped with steel casing and appropriately identified. Prescribed Environmental Matters
- D26
A flora and fauna impact assessment, prepared by a suitably qualified person, must be completed prior to the clearing of any endangered regional ecosystem to inform appropriate management and mitigation measures to be implemented.
- D27
Significant residual impacts to prescribed environmental matters, are not authorised under this environmental authority or the Environmental Offsets Act 2014.
- D28
An environmental offset must be made in accordance with the Environmental Offsets Act 2014 and Queensland Environmental Offsets Policy, where a significant residual impact occurs to a prescribed environmental matter.
- D29
Records demonstrating that each impact to a prescribed environmental matter did not, or is not likely to, result in a significant residual impact to that matter must be: a) completed by an appropriately qualified person. b) kept for the life of the environmental authority. Rehabilitation
- D30
In Riverine Areas, the holder of the environmental authority must complete the rehabilitation processes on all areas disturbed by mining activities, apart from those areas currently being utilised for mining activities, as soon as practical and prior to the onset of the wet season.
- D31
For all other areas on the mining tenement, the holder of the environmental authority must complete the rehabilitation processes on all areas disturbed by mining activities, apart from those areas currently being utilised for mining activities, as soon as practical and at least within six months of the completion of works in those areas.
- D32
The holder of the environmental authority must backfill all, excavations, drill holes or sampling sites as soon as practical following the completion of exploration activities.
- D33
Condition D32 does not apply to any excavations, drill holes or sampling sites that are to remain after the completion of exploration activities, by agreement with the landowner. Permit Environmental authority P-EA-100385223
- D34
The holder of the environmental authority must rehabilitate areas disturbed by mining activities to a stable landform similar to that of surrounding undisturbed areas.
- D35
The holder of the environmental authority must spread seeds or plant species that will promote vegetation of a similar species and density of cover to that of the surrounding undisturbed areas or vegetation that is appropriate for providing erosion control and stabilisation of the disturbed areas.
- D36
The holder of the environmental authority must complete rehabilitation of disturbed areas to the satisfaction of the administering authority.
- D37
The holder of the environmental authority must conduct biannual monitoring of the rehabilitation of activities within Environmentally Sensitive Areas for a minimum of two years. END OF SCHEDULE D Permit Environmental authority P-EA-100385223 Schedule E - Water
- E1
Contaminants must not be released directly or indirectly to any waters or groundwaters as a result of the authorised mining activities. Stormwater and water sediment controls
- E2
The holder of the environmental authority must design, install, and maintain adequate banks and/or diversion drains to minimise the potential for storm water runoff to enter disturbed areas.
- E3
The holder of the environmental authority must design, install, and maintain adequate erosion and sediment control structures wherever necessary to prevent or minimise erosion of disturbed areas and the sedimentation of any watercourse, waterway, wetland, or lake. END OF SCHEDULE E Permit Environmental authority P-EA-100385223 Schedule F - Definitions Key terms and/or phrases used in this document are defined in this section. Where a term is not defined, the definition in the Environmental Protection Act 1994, its regulations or environmental protection policies must be used. If a word remains undefined it has its ordinary meaning. 'acid rock drainage' means any contaminated discharge emanating from a mining activity formed through a series of chemical and biological reactions when geological strata are disturbed and exposed to oxygen and moisture. 'administering authority' is the agency that administers the environmental authority provisions under the Environmental Protection Act 1994. 'archaeological site' is a site that has physical evidence of the past, which has the potential to increase our knowledge of earlier human occupation, activities, and events. 'artesian drill hole' is an exploration drill hole from which water freely flows at a rate of greater than 500 L/hour for at least 7 days after being drilled. 'banks' means the feature which confines major flows within a watercourse. They are steeper than a terrace and are generally of a slope greater than 1:1 on outer bends. 'bund' is: a) An earth mound or similar structure (e.g., a concrete block wall), whether impervious or not, b) constructed to contain spilled material (e.g., petrol, diesel, oil etc.); or c) a structure to prevent or reduce soil erosion. 'campsite' is the area encompassing any dwelling, amenities (e.g., toilet block, power generator), sewage or general waste disposal facility and includes the office area and vehicle parking areas associated with a temporary or permanent mining camp. 'chemical' means: a) an agricultural chemical product or veterinary chemical product within the meaning of the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code Act 1994 (Commonwealth), or b) a dangerous good under the Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail approved by the Australian Transport Council, or c) a lead hazardous substance within the meaning of the Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 1997, or d) a drug or poison in the Standard for the Uniform Scheduling- g of Drugs and Poisons prepared by the Australian Health Ministers ' Advisory Council and published by the Commonwealth, or e) any substance used as, or intended for use as: i. a pesticide, insecticide, fungicide, herbicide, rodenticide, nematicide, miticide, fumigant or related product, or