Lake Roe Gold Mining Pty Ltd. has proposed to develop and operate a greenfield open-cut gold mine in the eastern Goldfields region of Western Australia.
The proposed mine site is located on the western margin of Lake Roe and mining will occur below groundwater level requiring dewatering of the open pit and underground mines.
Lake Roe Gold Mining, a subsidiary of Ramelius Resources, has applied to the Environmental Protection Authority for approval.
According to the referral documents, the development will initially focus on three open pits: Bombora 1800, 1100, and 700.
As the open-cut resources are exhausted, the company plans to transition into underground mining by establishing three declines within the Bombora 1800 pit.
The project is expected to extract approximately 7.85 million tonnes of ore over an initial nine-year mine life.
In a move to streamline operations, the company intends to transport the mined ore 65 kilometres south-west to its existing Rebecca processing hub for treatment.
The project footprint comprises a proposed 557-hectare disturbance area within a broader 1,543-hectare development envelope.
Plans include the construction of waste rock landforms, administration offices, workshops, and a 50-kilometre service corridor to link the site with essential regional infrastructure.
As mining will occur below the groundwater level, dewatering will be required. Lake Roe Gold Mining has committed to a sustainable approach, utilising abstracted water for dust suppression and construction.
Any surplus water will be directed to lined evaporation ponds, with the company explicitly stating there will be no discharge into the Lake Roe salt lake system itself.
The project is currently under consideration with the EPA and public comments are open.
