Sconi project (withdrawn)

Project summary

On 9 September 2015 Nornico Pty Ltd (the proponent) voluntarily withdrew the Sconi Project (the project) from the environmental impact statement (EIS) process.

The project had proposed the construction and operation of an open-cut nickel, cobalt and scandium mine at the former Greenvale Nickel Mine near the township of Greenvale in northern Queensland, located approximately 205 kilometres north-west of Charters Towers. The expected mine life would have been a minimum of 20 years.

The project had proposed open cut mining for the development of nickel laterite deposits on:

  • Mining Lease Application (MLA) 10368 (Greenvale) over 3360 hectares (ha)
  • MLA 10366 (Lucknow) over 269ha
  • MLA 10342 (Kokomo) over 1819ha.

Queensland assessment process

Environmental Protection Act 1994 (Queensland)

On 20 August 2012 the proponent submitted a draft Terms of Reference (TOR) under section 41 of the Environmental Protection Act 1994 for carrying out an EIS.

On 18 January 2013 the department prepared and published the final TOR for the project.

On 9 September 2015 the proponent voluntarily withdrew the project from the EIS process.

Commonwealth assessment process

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Commonwealth)

The proposed activities for this project had been referred (EPBC 2012/6304) to the then Commonwealth Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (SEWPaC). SEWPaC had decided that the project was not a controlled action under the Commonwealth’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Documents

Further information

For further information regarding the EIS process for this project, please contact the EIS coordinator by phoning 13 QGOV (13 74 68) or by emailing eis@des.qld.gov.au.