Environment

The Cape Preston landscape is more than 2.5 billion years old. CITIC Pacific Mining is committed to sustainability and ensuring our operations are environmentally responsible for the life of our project and beyond.

CPM has an Environmental Management System that facilitates compliance with our approvals and obligations to prevent or mitigate adverse environmental impacts and promote continuous improvement. We believe that effective environmental performance is an integral part of well-managed, socially-responsible operations.

CPM is focused on fostering a sustainable and environmentally responsible culture within the company. SinoSAFE Environment is an important initiative in promoting this culture, where environmental risks are identified and appropriate management actions incorporated into everyday operations.

As the operator of Sino Iron, CPM implements the requirements endorsed by the Minister for Environment (issued in Ministerial Statements: MS635 in 2003, MS822 in 2009 and MS1066 in 2017).

Sino Iron’s management plans contain specific standards that apply to the project. Commitment to these standards is essential to our success. CPM works closely with relevant government agencies in fulfilling its requirements including audits and inspections, submissions of annual compliance reports, and maintaining environmental licences.

Below are the Environment Policy and Management Plans related to the project.

• Environment Policy
• Sino Iron Project - Operational Environment Management Plan
• Operational Environment Management Plan - Appendix A
• Operational Environment Management Plan - Appendix B
• Operational Environment Management Plan - Appendix C (Part 1)
• Operational Environment Management Plan - Appendix C (Part 2)

Mining and processing of magnetite is an energy-intensive process. CPM has minimised its energy consumption for the operation of the Sino Iron through utilisation of a 480 megawatt combined-cycle power station. It was the first of its kind in the Pilbara and recognised by the Energy Efficiency Council as the ‘Best Industrial Energy Efficiency Project’ in 2012. In a combined-cycle plant, lost energy is captured and used to heat water to generate steam power energy. Recovery and reuse of this heat through the steam process creates a more efficient power plant with reduced greenhouse emissions.

Over the full steel production cycle there’s a net expected carbon emission benefit of using magnetite concentrate compared to the (standard Platts 62) hematite fines, typical of what is mined in the Pilbara. From mine pit ot blast furnace, Cape Preston Concentrate can deliver up to a 10 per cent saving in carbon emission intensity. This high-grade product requires less energy and produces fewer emissions at the ironmaking stage. Click here for more information

Australia has an emission reduction target of 43 per cent below 2005, by 2030 and net zero by 2050 to meet the Global Paris Agreement. As a responsible business, CPM accepts Australia's greenhouse gas emission targets. Emission reduction for industrial facilities such as Sino Iron are covered and legislated under the Safeguard Rule of the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007. CITIC Pacific Mining has a net zero by 2050 target. Emission reduction action plans are being developed to achieve this target.