United States mining giant Alcoa has come under increased scrutiny over its mining operations in environmentally vulnerable jarrah forests in Western Australia.
Key points:
- A group of scientists has voiced concern over Alcoa's mining operations in WA
- The Leewin Group wants mining in jarrah forests to stop
- Alcoa has refuted the group's claims about inadequate rehabilitation and low animal return
Alcoa has mined bauxite in WA's South West forests for 60 years.
A group of scientists, including Professor Fiona Stanley and Professor Kingsley Dixon, today called for a halt to operations in order to avoid what they described as "an extinction catastrophe".
The statement was supported by more than 150 signatories, including high-profile environmentalist Professor Tim Flannery, and published in a full-page advertisement in The West Australian newspaper
Alcoa has disputed the group's claims and said it stood by its mine site rehabilitation.
'Losing a jarrah forest'
Former Kings Park director of science Kingsley Dixon told ABC Radio Perth that jarrah forest was fast disappearing.
He said eight square kilometres a year was being cleared, a claim that Alcoa refuted.
"We've seen an almost doubling to trebling of the areas cleared and, with climate change, that's had huge impacts," Mr Dixon said.
"We are losing a jarrah forest before our very eyes."
The Leeuwin group of scientists said despite 60 years of research, no rehabilitated areas had been adequately restored to a standard to be accepted by the state government.
Alcoa refuted this and said it had handed back two areas totalling 1,355 hectares at its previous Jarrahdale mine.
Doubts that science can solve problem
Professor Dixon said it was not possible to fully rehabilitate jarrah forest that had been felled for the mining of bauxite.
"The very material you require for aluminium is bauxite, and the bauxite is the material that our jarrah forest fundamentally requires to reach the majestic size that it does in the northern Jarrah forest region, where we have some of the highest grade bauxite in Australia," he said.
"Science and the capacity of science to solve this is now highly doubtful."
Professor Dixon said the northern jarrah forests were the world's most biodiverse temperate forest, home to more 800 plant species and 10 endangered animal species.
"We're losing the integrity of the forest. We're losing our animals, and we're losing that functional capability that this magnificent forest has had for probably the last 5 to 10 million years."
Alcoa refutes criticisms
An Alcoa spokesman rejected the scientists' claims and said it was aware of the need to balance environmental and economic factors.
He said in recent years much less than eight square kilometres per annum had been cleared.
"We understand we are are one of the very few mining companies in WA to have handed back rehabilitated land to the state," the spokesman said.
"To date we have handed back two areas totalling 1,355 hectares at our previous Jarrahdale mine, for which we have received two certificates of acceptance from the state, stating the areas met appropriate areas for completed rehabilitation."
The spokesperson said a lack of hand-back did not equate to a failure of rehabilitation.
He said the process took time, as the company wanted to hand back mature areas of rehabilitation.
"Many of the areas we have rehabilitated, that are yet to be handed back, support self-sustaining forest ecosystems," the spokesman said.
The company also refuted the scientists' claim there had been limited sign of animals returning.
He said third party research found that in 15-year rehabilitated areas, animals had returned.
"100 per cent of mammals and 90 per cent of birds and reptile species had returned, including several endangered or threatened species.
"As we move forward, we will maintain our focus on continuous improvement of our rehabilitation efforts to ensure ongoing success and restoration of the jarrah forest ecosystem."
Restoration and rehabilitation differences
A spokesman for Environment Minister Reece Whitby said the state government had high expectations that Alcoa met its environmental obligations.
"However, it's important to understand there is a difference between rehabilitation and complete restoration," he said.
"Unlike rehabilitation, which includes landscaping, seeding and overburden and topsoil return, complete restoration involves re-establishing forest ecosystems.
"Depending on the extent of mining that's taken place, this can take decades to achieve.
"It's up to Alcoa to meet the high expectations set for it by the state government and the people of WA."