Environmental Impact Statement

Transcription

1 Environmental Impact Statement for South of Embley Project Section 7 Terrestrial Flora and Fauna

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3 Rio Tinto Alcan Environmental Impact Statement 7 TERRESTRIAL FLORA AND FAUNA 7.1 Biogeographic Setting The Weipa area is located within the Cape York Peninsula Bioregion (after Stanton and Morgan 1977, and Sattler and Williams 1999) which, based on broad vegetation formations and landform, is recognised as one of the distinct biogeographic regions of Australia (Thackway and Cresswell 2006). The Project area and wider Weipa area are located within the Weipa Plateau province (subregion) of the Cape York Peninsula Bioregion (Sattler and Williams 1999). Although the Weipa Plateau province is only one of the six provinces (or subregions) of the Bioregion, it is the most extensive, and covers a large area of the central and north-western portions of the Cape York Peninsula. This area is relatively homogenous in vegetation and landform, and is characterised by large areas of Darwin Stringybark (Eucalyptus tetrodonta) open forests or woodlands, dissected by smaller areas of riparian vegetation, vine thicket patches and pa perba rk swamps. 7.2 Protected Areas, Conservation Areas and Biodiversity Areas Protected Areas There are three protected areas located on northern Cape York comprising (refer Figure 7-1): the western section of the Mungkan Kandju National Park, located approximately 30km to the east of the lower section of the Project area; the Iron Range National Park, located 150km east of the Project area on the east coast of Cape York Peninsula; and, the Heath lands Resources Reserve and Jardine River National Park and Resources Reserve, approximately 125km to the north-east of the study area. None of these reserves are located downstream or within the Project area. There is currently no World Heritage Area (WHA) listed for the northern Cape York Peninsula, although the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) has commissioned preliminary works investigating the extent to which parts of Cape York Peninsula satisfy the criteria for WHA listing (Valentine 2006). The report identifies several scenarios for areas to be nominated for inclusion for WHA listing but it appears that the Mining Lease areas would not be included in any of these nominations. The Uningan Nature Reserve is located across the Embley River at Weipa approximately 10km north of the Project area Other Identified Conservation and Biodiversity Areas Cape York Peninsula Land Use Strategy (CYPLUS) The CYPLUS report (Abrahams et al. 1995) identifies 36 areas across Cape York of regional conservation significance as a result of the presence of outstanding habitat or ecological features, or high wilderness values. In this context, wilderness value comprises a measure of ecological integrity and the extent of recent human induced disturbance. Wilderness value does not ignore the fact that Traditional Owners have occupied and derived an existence from the area for many thousands of years. Within the Project area, an area of 670ha centred on Pera Head is noted for the following natural values: the coast in the Pera Head area has an extensive and aesthetically prominent landscape, comprising cliffs of red bauxite overlying white kaolin; about 60% of the area is of very high wilderness quality; and representative vegetation present in the area includes patches of tussock grassland and bare saltpans with a sparse herbland. Section 7 Terrestrial Flora and Fauna Page 7-1

4 Ct -11 Jardine River Resource Reserve Gulf Heathlands Resource Reserve,- Carpentaria -12, ML 7031 ML 7024 Albatross By Weipa ML Iron Range National:, Park-<' ri Lockhart River Aurukun---- LL cr) LL O 0) Mungkan Kandju \National Park 0) Coen Ct cti -14 RTA Mining Lease boundary I Township Drainage Road/track National Park / Reserve Fig. 7-1: Protected Areas Reef Queensland A km Datum/Projection: GDA94/MGA Zone 54 Date: 01/04/2011

5 Rio Tinto Alcan Environmental Impact Statement The HeyEmbley Rivers Area overlaps the northern part of the Project area and is reported to have natural conservation significance because: about 70% of the area is of very high wilderness quality; and about 40% of the area (chiefly the eastern section) is covered by vegetation areas that are amongst the best examples of their vegetation class on the Peninsula. Representative vegetation occurring in the area is predominantly types of Eucalyptus tetrodonta woodlands. Reference to the eastern section of the HeyEmbley Rivers Area suggests an area lying outside of the Project area. It is likely that re-assessment of the Wilderness values of the identified Pera Head area, the portions of the HeyEmbley area within the Project area, and the broader Boyd and Norman Creek areas would produce lower wilderness value rankings given recent exploration activity. Rapid Appraisal of Key and Endangered Sites (RAKES) and Stanton (1976) Stanton (1976) assessed the conservation significance of Cape York and identified key conservation areas. The rapid conservation assessment of Queensland (RAKES) undertaken by Stanton and Morgan (1977) also identified Key and Important Areas in the Cape York Bioregion. Neither of these assessments identified significant conservation areas within or adjacent to the Project area. Biodiversity Planning Assessment There is currently no Biodiversity Planning Assessment undertaken for the Cape York Bioregion by the Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM). International Significance of Cape York Peninsula Vegetation Mackey et al. (2001) completed an assessment of the natural heritage significance of the Cape York Peninsula, and concluded that the savannahs of Cape York Peninsula are of global significance. Woinarski et al. (2007) analysed the state of the world's tropical savannahs and concluded that the largest expanses of tropical savannah woodland remaining in good condition are in Northern Australia, making Australian tropical savannahs of very high conservation value at a global level. The Mackey et al. (2001) and Woinarski et al. (2007) assessments were broad assessments of the whole Cape and did not contain particular information pertaining to the Project area. 7.3 Matters of National Environmental Significance This section identifies the species and communities listed as "matters of national environmental significance" (MNES) under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) (Cwlth) that potentially occur in the vicinity of the Project area. A search of the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (DSEWPC) (formerly the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and Arts (DEWHA)) Protected Matters search tool was conducted. The search area is shown in Figure 7-2 and detailed in Table 7-1. Table 7-1 Boundary Point MNES Search Area Coordinates Latitude Longitude degrees minutes seconds degrees minutes seconds Al A A A Section 7 Terrestrial Flora and Fauna Page 7-3

6 mn ( E Woo!drum 4-17a p `A2 ML 7024 sula Developmental c Point, ML 24-Ap I \I\ River \ ML 7024 / mn Th Po 5km Buffer mn mn RTA Mining Lease boundary Township Road/track I=1 Project area Area of Database Search EPBC Search Area Coordinates Fig. 7-2: Area of Database Search (Terrestrial) 5 0 5km Datum/Projection: GDA941MGA Zone 54 Date: 16/07/2010

7 Rio Tinto Alcan Environmental Impact Statement Table 7-2 summarises the search results with respect to terrestrial ecosystems and species. Detailed discussion of the terrestrial MNES is provided in the following respective vegetation, flora and fauna sections. Table 7-2 MNES Terrestrial Ecosystems Matters of National Environmental Significance (MNES) World Heritage Properties National Heritage Places Threatened Ecological Communities Threatened Species Migratory Species Result for Terrestrial Ecosystems There are no World Heritage Properties within or near the area affected by the proposed development. There are no National Heritage Places within or near the area affected by the proposed development. No endangered ecological communities (EECs) were returned by the database search of the Project area. A review of the regional ecosystem types that are mapped in the Project area indicates EECs are not likely to occur in the Project area. 4 plants 3 birds 3 mammals 17 birds 1 reptile It should be noted that a Protected Matters search of the pre-defined Cape York Natural Resource Management (NRM) region (accessed on the 25/03/2011) identifies the potential occurrence of the threatened ecological community 'The community of native species dependent on natural discharge of groundwater from the Great Artesian Basin'. The threatened ecological community does not occur in the Project area, or Cape York, as the required discharge springs are not present (see Section 5.3.4) 7.4 Overview of Flora Survey Methods The main objectives of the flora survey program was to characterise the flora in the habitats present and also provide considerable coverage of threatened species listed under the EPBC Act, as these are the primary matters of national environmental significance relevant for the Project area (i.e. in the absence of threatened communities or populations). The secondary survey methodology of the Queensland Herbarium (Neldner et al. 2005) was used to characterise main vegetation types, together with extensive targeted survey traverses in likely habitats for threatened species. Surveys were undertaken of vegetation communities and flora within the Project area. Preliminary surveys were undertaken in July 2006 and May 2007 with dedicated surveys for the EIS undertaken in December 2007, May 2008, December 2008 and May The spread of survey events provided survey effort over the two key seasons for detecting vegetation and floristic variability within the Project area, namely mid dry season (July) and late wet season (May). Extensive survey during the wet season was not possible due to the difficulty of access to and within the Project area at this time of heavy rainfall when most track crossings of streams and low lying areas are impassable. Nevertheless, the late wet season surveys in May 2008 and May 2009 were conducted as soon as vehicle access to the Project area was possible and most of the wet season flora was still evident. The two preliminary flora surveys focussed on Eucalyptus tetrodonta dominated communities on the bauxite plateau. These are the communities that occur within the proposed mining areas. Prior to the dedicated EIS surveys, a gap analysis was undertaken to identify vegetation communities requiring further survey effort to adequately describe their structural and floristic attributes. As a result, the May 2008 and May 2009 surveys concentrated survey effort within non Eucalyptus tetrodonta dominated communities occurring predominantly in riparian, seasonally inundated, and beach areas and on vine forest patches occurring on the bauxite plateau. Additional surveys were also undertaken in Eucalyptus tetrodonta dominated communities to extend the distribution of survey sites and coverage throughout the Project area. Section 7 Terrestrial Flora and Fauna Page 7-5

8 Rio Tinto Alcan Environmental Impact Statement The location of vegetation survey sites and traverses undertaken within the Project area is indicated in Figure 7-3. Table 7-3 details the survey effort employed during all surveys in the Project area. A detailed description of the flora survey methods is provided in Appendix 7A. Table 7-3 Vegetation and Flora Survey Effort Survey Effort Survey Level Vegetation Community and Floristics Targeted Threatened Flora Searches No. of survey days Secondary 134 n/a* No. of survey sites Tertiary 6 n/a* Quaternary 847 n/a* * Targeted threatened flora searches comprised traverses and broad searches for target species. 7.5 Vegetation Community Vegetation Units Vegetation unit mapping for the Project area is provided in Figures 7-4 to 7-4d. Thirty-two of the vegetation (land) units defined by Godwin (1985) and Gunness et al. (1987) were mapped in the Project area, with three of these further divided into sub-units, for a total of 38 vegetation units. Subdivision was required to adequately describe the vegetation variation evident in the Project area that was not present in the Weipa area where the vegetation unit scheme was originally derived. Table 7-4 lists the vegetation units present and indicates the mapped area of each within the Project area. Of these, unit 2b (Eucalyptus tetrodonta / Corymbia nesophila Tall Woodland on lateritic red earths) is clearly the most widespread vegetation unit within the Project area (85,941ha), accounting for approximately 86% of the vegetation within the Project area and occurring almost exclusively upon the bauxite plateau areas (which is the area where mining is proposed). The remaining vegetation units are of much smaller spatial extent within the Project area and associated predominantly with drainage systems and coastal complexes that are peripheral to the bauxite plateau. The vegetation units and their equivalent REs are described in Table 7-5, and detailed descriptions of the vegetation of the Project area relating vegetation units to REs are provided in Section and Appendix 7B. Figure 7-5 illustrates the typical sequence of vegetation types from the bauxite plateau to a middle freshwater reach of one of the major streams such as Norman Creek. This sequence of vegetation units is aligned with the changes in topography and substrate that occur from the top of the plateau, through the gentle sloping surfaces on the margins of the bauxite plateau, onto colluvial/alluvial flats, and finally into the moderately incised stream channel. The length and complexity of this vegetation sequence is generally less in upper reaches of drainage systems with more complex and extensive sequences occurring in downstream areas where greater incision of the bauxite plateau has typically occurred. One of the key determinants of vegetation pattern within the Project area is the widespread occurrence of shallow groundwater discharge at the margins of drainage lines that dissect the laterite plateau. The shallow aquifer release occurs as a result of seepage of infiltrated rainfall that passes slowly through the surface strata and discharges from the sloping surfaces between the bauxite plateau and stream channels. This discharge may occur for an extended period after wet season rainfall has ceased. In-stream spring heads mark the commencement of riparian gallery forest, including rainforest species (units 4a2, 4a3), which extends downstream; lateral seepage of shallow groundwater onto the landward margin of drainage corridors during and following the wet season promotes a swampy low woodland vegetation dominated by Banksia dentate with a sedge ground cover (units 5j1, 5j2, 5j3, 5j4, 7d). The rainforest/palm vegetation patches associated with head springs are very small and have affinities with unit 4a2 (refer Table 7-4 and Figure 7-8). Where discharge is most persistent and of greater magnitude (typically in lower reaches) resultant elevated streamflows and lateral discharge has given rise to semi-permanent Melaleuca wetlands with associated sedgelands (units 3b, 12a, 12b). Section 7 Terrestrial Flora and Fauna Page 7-6

9 I I Gulf Wooldrum( Point u NapranTim Township 0 Hey\ Point Sao Peninsula.1' Developmental River 8k90 of Carpentaria Construction Camp P Boyd Infrastructure Boyd e. Boyd Area Point, 4. ; :...3 fi't Tg 1 Fem. jiii4s0 I Stockpiles Infrastructure Corridor Hea..". Bay, 41 ''14"111 z z Pik.0.1. )pr.1.,--e. --% c " _01 Dam C c<=3 I rini\ 6024 \ ML 7024 / \ / / mn Thud Point orman Creek Infrastructure Area False Peru Head mn Pump Worbody Point Aurukun mn f"-::1 RTA Mining Lease boundary Township Road/track Freshwater dam Tailings storage facility Mining Years 1-13 Mining Years Vegetation Site Type Secondary (134 locations) Tertiary (6 locations) Quaternary (847 locations) Fig. 7-3: Vegetation Survey Sites 5 0 5km Datum/Projection: GDA94IMGA Zone 54 Date: 16/07/2010

10 I I 8 Kerr a'weipa mn Point T7 Wooldrum Point - apranur ML "" Laterite / Bauxite Plateau and Eroding Edges Tall woodland with Molloy red box on plains massive sandy loams of Carpentaria IHey Point 'Mining Area Tall Darwin stringybark woodland on lateritic red earths Tall Darwin stringybark woodland on yellow earths/eroding slopes (broader gentle sloped areas Tall Darwin stringybark woodland on yellow earths/eroding slopes (typically on outer margins of drainage corridors) Notophyll vine forest on lateritic or bauxitic red earths Grassy woodland on undulating plains and erosional slopes yellow earths Grassy woodland on eroding slopes on colluvium yellow and gleyed podzolics Semi-evergreen vine thicket on calcareous sand[1] Seepage zone along footslopes or outer margin of drainage lines Freshwater Drainage Lines, Wetlands and Streams mn Thud Point Boyd / Pera Mining\Arei 4a1 4a2 4a3 5e 5j1 5j2 5j3 Melaleuca swamp; zone at the most consistent water level Narrow mesic gallery along watercourse with Cape York red gum Riparian gallery rainforest Paperbark dominated riparian gallery with rainforest understorey Swamp forest/woodland and palm forest on gleyed podzolics close to water table. Sclerophyll fern forest on low lying alluvial terraces, humic gleys. C. polycarpa/ E. brassiana Woodland on colluvial upper reaches of broad drainage basins - yellow podzolics With Swamp Mahogany (Lophostemon suaveolens) and Watergum (Syzygium angophoroides) outer fringe of permanent watercourses With Broad-leaved Paperbark (Melaleuca viridiflora) on floodplains With Swamp Box (Lophostemon suaveolens) and Cabbage Palm (Livistonia muellerii) on gentle low slope (eg western boundary of Norman Creek near eastuary) With Broad-leaved Paperbark (Melaleuca viridiflora), Lineament Tree (Asteromyrtus lysicarpa) -)/- Hard Tea-tree (Melaleuca clarksoniana) on margins of sinkholes Melaleuca/Swamp mahogany on the outer margins of drainage depressions Sedgeland in the drainage lines of permanent swamps Sedgeland in basins of seasonally flooded swamps and drainage depressions Coastal and Beach Ecosystems mn V Norman Creek M iinng Area 3a 5a 5c 5d 7a Semi-evergreen notophyll vine forest or thicket on coastal dunes Layered woodland on plains massive sandy loams Woodland on low beach dunes with horse-tail she oak Paperbark woodland fringing sandy swales Mixed shrubby woodland (Sclerophyll vine woodland) on dunefields 7c Woodland with Paperbark on sandy swales 1 12c Grassland/herbland on dunefield /I Estuary and Saltpan Ecosystems LL 3d 8c 9a Mangrove; Rhizophora zone Mangrove; Landward zone, freshwater conditions (including looking glass mangrove) Mangroves; Ceriops zone Closed scrub in saline strips in estuarine plains yellow podzolics 1 Mangrove; highly saline landward zone (mixed species) Grasslands on low level terraces (narrow bands) Saltpan, sparse herbfield Seasonally flooded saline marine plains mn Worbody I j,111ec / Point I.f RTA Mining Lease boundary Township Road/track Drainage Freshwater dam Tailings storage facility Other Areas Not Mapped as part or project sand rock ZIL r Fig. 7-4: Vegetation Units (Ground Surveyed) 5 0 5km Datum/Projection: GDA941MGA Zone 54 Date: 21/07/2010

11 / 3a' t' a Boyd a<=, g,-,ros,-, :-,--,----- Lo Point ness 8 --, p..c,- Boyd2b..0. Bay Product Stockpile 9/i Boyd Plan Site 5e mn Product Stockpiles Process Water Pond j5c Tailings Storage Facility ock,-c6o-f_,1r2a Pera, Head 2c 2b 7 (_ 2a 2c mn 2I 4a Dam C /- 3b C8 6\10 ckg 6c 2b mn rock sa,56 rock d 12f 7d 2fr 7b 5j1 5j C' 2 rock 3d 3d 6cf. \? 4-29f s and 2b 3d / "(' T ilings Storage Facility ak Norman Creek Plant Area mn Lu Ct o_ RTA Mining Lease boundary f".";:i,..- Freshwater dam Tailings storage facility Mining Years 1-13 Mining Years Culverts For Vegetation Unit Descriptions See Fig 7-4 Fig. 7-4a: Vegetation Units (Boyd/Pera Mining Area) N km Datum/Projection: GDA941MGA Zone 54 Date: 16/07/2010

12 W LO mn Hey Point mn L ML 6024 Hey River Terminal ML mn z z.".e 0\,o f"-" RTA Mining Lease boundary Mining Years Culverts For Vegetation Unit Descriptions See Fig 7-4 Fig. 7-4b: Vegetation Units (Hey Point Mining Area)./N km Datum/Projection: GDA941MGA Zone 54 Date: 16/07/2010

13 RTA Mining Lease boundary Mining Years Culverts For Vegetation Unit Descriptions See Fig 7-4 Fig. 7-4c: Vegetation Units (Norman Creek East Mining Area) 1 0 1km Datum/Projection: GDA94/MGA Zone 54 Date: 18/01/2011

14 C13 C11/ w a Gov /c Ta lings Storage Facility Norman Creek Plant Area 5c mn 5 cil,111 cl2b-ed False Pera Head sand e 111 5j1 2c2 2b mn 5j ML c2 Pump Station mn E 5j 3b7,42,2_, 5j2 2 rid A 3b 12I 7r,Nr_172es 7d1 ', 4 3, 3b5 5j2') 3b mn 2c2.$12f 3dff2c2 24gd 6c,12by o 12e4c 12d A,f, I o_ RTA Mining Lease boundary - Freshwater dam Tailings storage facility Mining Years Culverts For Vegetation Unit Descriptions See Fig d O-43c1^7,=636N I Fig. 7-4d Vegetation Units (Norman Creek Mining Area) km _ Datum/Projection: GDA94/MGA Zone 54 Date: 16/07/2010

15 Rio Tinto Alcan Environmental Impact Statement Table 7-4 Vegetation Units Mapped in the Project Area Veg. Unit Description Key Species Mapped Area of Vegetation in Project Area (ha) Laterite/bauxite plateau and eroding edges 2a Tall woodland with Molloy red box on plains massive sandy barns Molloy Red Box (Eucalyptus leptophleba) Darwin Stringybark (E. tetrodonta) Proportion of Vegetation' in Project Area 1,039 1% 2b Tall Darwin Stringybark woodland on lateritic red earths Darwin Stringybark (E. tetrodonta) 2c 2c1 Tall Darwin Stringybark woodland on yellow earths/eroding slopes Tall Darwin Stringybark woodland on yellow earths/eroding slopes (broader gentle sloped areas Melville Island Bloodwood (Corymbia nesophila) Darwin Stringybark (E tetrodonta) Melville Island bloodwood (C nesophila) Long-fruited Bloodwood (C polycarpa) Molly Red Box (E leptophleba) 85,941 86% 1, % 2c2 Tall Darwin Stringybark woodland on yellow earths/eroding slopes (typically on outer margins of drainage corridors) Darwin Stringybark (E tetrodonta) Melville Island bloodwood (C nesophila Long-fruited Bloodwood (C polycarpa) 2, % 3c Notophyll vine forest on lateritic or bauxite red earths 56 <0.1% 5b Grassy woodland on undulating plains and erosional slopes yellow earths Cullen's Ironbark (E cullenr) Darwin Stringybark (E tetrodonta) Cape York Ironwood (Erythrophleum chlorostachys) 37 <0.1% 5f Grassy woodland on eroding slopes on colluvium yellow and gleyed podzolics Broad-leaved Carbeen (C confertiflora) % Freshwater drainage lines, wetlands and streams 3b Melaleuca swamp; zone at the most consistent water level Melaleuca spp. Swamp Mahogany (Lophostemon suaveolens) 4a Riparian gallery forest along permanent and semi-permanent watercourses 4a1 Narrow mesic gallery along watercourse with Cape York red gum Cape York Red Gum (E brassiana) Swamp Mahogany (Lophostemon suaveolens) Weeping Tea Tree (Melaleuca leucadendra) Acacia aulacocarpa Asteromyrtus symphiocarpa 1, % %

16 Rio Tinto Alcan Environmental Impact Statement Veg. Unit Description Key Species Mapped Area of Vegetation in Project Area (ha) 4a2 Riparian gallery rainforest (note: the small areas of closed forest associated with semi-permanent springs/seepages shown in Figure 7-8. These have affinities with Unit 4a2). See below for key species. These closed forest patches are variable and range from rainforest with vines and palms, to riparian gallery forests, to ferny swamp forest with rainforest species. Syzygium angophoroides Swamp Mahogany (Lophostemon suaveolens) Buchanania arborescens Gmelina dallympleana Diospyros geminata Dillenia alata Proportion of Vegetation' in Project Area 28 <0.1% Rainforest / palm forest associated with semi-permanent springs/seepages Canopy: Syzygium angophoroides, Lophostemon suaveolens, Deplanchea tefraphylla Sub canopy: Cara llia brachiata, Dillenia alata, Calophyllum sil, Hydr /astele wendlandiana Ground cover/shrubs/vines: Melastoma polyanthum Blechnum indicum, Flagellaria indica, Lygodium microphyllum 4a3 Paperbark dominated riparian gallery with rainforest understorey Weeping Tea Tree (M. leucadendra) Carallia brachiata 4b Swamp forest / woodland and palm forest on gleyed podzolics close to water table Weeping Tea Tree (M. leucadendra) Swamp Mahogany (Lophostemon suaveolens) Carallia brachiata Diospyros geminata Strychnos lucida Dillenia alata 4c Sclerophyll fern forest on low lying alluvial terraces, humic gleys. Blechnum indicum 5e C. polycarpa/ E. brassiana Woodland on colluvial upper reaches of broad drainage basins yellow podzolics Lygodium microphyllum Clarksons Bloodwood (C polycarpa) Cape York Red Gum (E brassiana) % 1.6 <0.1% 0.4 <0.1% % 5j BloodwoodBanksia in upper parts of broad basins A2 horizon present 5j1 With Swamp Box (Lophostemon suaveolens) and Lily Pily (Syzygium angophoroides) outer fringe of permanent watercourses Long-fruited Bloodwood (Cpolycarpa) Toothed Banksia (Banksia dentata) Swamp Box (L. suaveolens) 1, % Lily Pily (Syzygium angophoroides) 5j2 With Broad-leaved Paperbark (Melaleuca vfridiflora) on floodplains Long-fruited Bloodwood (Cpolycarpa) Toothed Banksia (B. dentata) Broad-leaved Paperbark (M. vfridiflora) %

17 Rio Tinto Alcan Environmental Impact Statement Veg. Unit Description Key Species Mapped Area of Vegetation in Project Area (ha) 5j3 5j4 With Swamp Box (Lophostemon suaveolens) and Cabbage Palm (Livistonia muelleni) on gentle low slope (e.g. western boundary of Norman Creek near estuary) With Broad-leaved Paperbark (Melaleuca vindiflora), Lineament Tree (Asteromyrtus lysicarpa) +1 Hard Tea-tree (Melaleuca clarksoniana) on margins of sinkholes Long-fruited Bloodwood (C polycarpa) Toothed Banksia (B. dentata) Swamp Box (L. suaveolens) Cabbage Palm (Livistonia muelleni) Long-fruited Bloodwood (C polycarpa) Toothed Banksia (B. dentata) Broad-leaved Paperbark (M. vindiflora) Lineament Tree (Asteromyrtus lysicarpa) +/- Hard Tea-tree (M. clarksoniana) Proportion of Vegetation' in Project Area % 17 <0.1% 7b Melaleuca / Swamp mahogany on the outer margins of drainage depressions Broad-leaved Tea Tree (M. vindiflora) Swamp mahogany (L. suaveolens) 1, % 7d Seepage zone along footslopes or outer margins of drainage lines with grassy ground cover and scattered low paperbark Blady grass (Imperata cylindrica) Broad-leaved Tea Tree (M. vindiflora) % 12a Sedgeland in the drainage lines of permanent swamps Melaleucaspp. Sword Grass (Gahnia sieberiana) 12b Sedgeland in basins of seasonally flooded swamps and drainage depressions 'Bulkuru' spike rush (Eleocharis dulcis) Fimbristylis sp. Coastal and beach ecosystems 3a Semi-evergreen notophyll vine forest or thicket on coastal dunes Ficus spp. Indian Beech (Pongamia pinata) 5a Layered woodland on plains massive sandy loams Clarksons Bloodwood (C polycarpa) Cape York Ironwood (E chlorostachys) % % % 2 <0.1% 5c Woodland on low beach dunes with horse-tail she oak Horse-tail She Oak (Casuarina equisetifolia) % 5d Paperbark woodland fringing sandy swales Silver Paperbark (M. dealbata) 6 <0.1% 6a Semi-evergreen vine thicket on calcareous sandy 0 7a Mixed shrubby woodland (Sclerophyll vine woodland) on dunefields Lancewood (Acacia crassicarpa) Scrub Turpentine (Canarium australianum) Beach Tamarind (Cupaniopsis anacardioides) % 7c Woodland with Paperbark on sandy swales 2 Broad-leaved Tea Tree (M. vindiflora) 0 Lancewood (Acacia crassicarpa) 12c Grassland/herbland on dunefield Sand Spinifex (Spinifex hirsutus) 2 <0.1%

18 Rio Tinto Alcan Environmental Impact Statement Veg. Unit Description Key Species Mapped Area of Vegetation in Project Area (ha) Estuary and saltpan ecosystems Proportion of Vegetation' in Project Area 3d Mangrove; Rhizophora zone Rhizophoraspp % 3e Mangrove; Landward zone, freshwater conditions (including looking glass mangrove) Milky Mangrove (Excoecarya aga / /ocha) Cajuput (M. cajupub) 6c Mangroves; Ceriops zone Spur Mangroves (Ceriopsspp.) Grey Mangrove (Avicennia eucalypbfolia) % % 8c Closed scrub in saline strips in estuarine plains yellow podzolics 2 M. acacioides 0 9a Mangrove; highly saline landward zone (mixed species) Club Mangrove (Aegialitis annulata) Milky Mangrove (Excoecarya aga / /ocha) 12d Grasslands on low level terraces (narrow bands) Broad-leaved Tea Tree (M. vfridiflora) Screw Pine (Pandanus sp.) Vetiver Grass (Vetiveria elongata) 15 <0.1% % 12e Saltpan, sparse herbfield Samphire (Arthrocnemumspp.) % 12f Seasonally flooded saline marine plains 'Bulkuru' spike rush (E du /cis) Fimbristylis sp % Totals 100, % Notes: 1. A total of 100,367ha of terrestrial, wetland and estuarine vegetation was mapped within the Project area.