Environment

Glencore's ambition is to be a leader in environmental performance and to minimise harm to the environment. From project design to operational closure, we focus on reducing our impact on the land and waters where we operate.

As part of the process to gain environmental approval from the government, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) has been prepared for the Aurukun Bauxite Project.

The EIS describes the ways in which the project plans to avoid or minimise its environmental impacts, and how environmental impacts will be managed and monitored if the project receives approval.

If you have a question, you can contact our project team via our feedback portal.

Since our first visit to Aurukun in 2013, regular and comprehensive consultation has been part of both our broader stakeholder engagement program and our preparation of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

The EIS feedback consultation and public exhibition of the program has included:

• issue scoping consultation in 2019 with stakeholders (including Traditional Owners, Aurukun community members, regional stakeholders and government agencies) to provide information on the project and approval process (PDF 1MB)
• issue response consultation in 2020 which provided stakeholders with a summary of issues raised (PDF 1MB) and responded to feedback
• public exhibition of the EIS Draft Terms of Reference in July 2020
• EIS feedback consultation and public exhibition occurred between August and November 2023.

As part of the EIS preparation, Traditional Owners were also consulted about those elements within the EIS that were of most importance to them.  An independent consultant was engaged by Traditional Owners in 2020-21 to review and provide information in relation to information contained in the draft EIS.

The Traditional Owner EIS Review identified priority areas including rehabilitation, marine ecology, surface water, cultural heritage and project commitments.  Based on the review undertaken by Traditional Owners, feedback was provided to Glencore that informed revisions in the EIS or enabled further information to be provided to Traditional Owners.

Traditional Owners also undertook a thorough and constructive submission as part of the public submission period which has been responded to in the Revised EIS. 

Working with Traditional Owners is an important part of building an informed consent that can support and sustain project development and operation.

The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Executive Summary (PDF 12MB) provides a high-level overview of the project, the project impact assessment process, and the key findings of the EIS.

The full EIS was first made available for download at the start of public submission period in September 2023.

During this public submission period (Monday 11 September to Monday 13 November 2023), written submissions in relation to the EIS were made to the chief executive of the Department of Environment and Science. 

These comprised:

• seventeen submissions from various government departments, agencies or government owned corporations 
• four submissions from local stakeholders
• two submissions from regional non-government organisations. 

Glencore has now prepared its response to submissions received and made revisions to its EIS. The Revised EIS is available for download below. This includes a new appendix (Appendix AB) that provides Glencore’s detailed response to the submissions received. In response to a request for further information, an additional appendix (Appendix AC) has been prepared with a Further Revised EIS (January 2025) available for download below. 

If you have a question or would like more information, you can contact our project team directly via our feedback portal.

At Glencore, planning for mine closure and rehabilitation starts well before any mining activities commence.

An important feature of planning for the Aurukun Bauxite Project is developing a Progressive Rehabilitation and Closure Plan as required under Queensland legislation.

This involves early discussions with Traditional Owners regarding their aspirations for post-mining land uses and developing plans that seek to achieve those outcomes.

We respect the unique relationship the Indigenous people have with their land and waters, and their sense of responsibility for its protection.

Through their close involvement and participation in our project, we hope to support their fulfilment of that responsibility, which has been passed through their families for thousands of years.

The project proposes to re-establish a free-draining final landform, with no significant changes to existing catchment boundaries. In line with the aspirations of traditional owners post mine land uses would comprise native vegetation for the majority of disturbed areas on the project site, and the retention of landowner/community roads.