The mines and refineries

Alcoa operates two mines: Huntly and Willowdale and three refineries: Kwinana, Pinjarra and Wagerup.

The mines supply bauxite to Alcoa’s three refineries where the bauxite is refined to make alumina. Alcoa also exports bauxite, mostly to China, for them to refine. The export bauxite goes to two ports - Kwinana and Bunbury.

The three refineries get their bauxite supply as follows:

Kwinana refinery - Huntly mine

Pinjarra refinery - Huntly mine

Wagerup refinery - Willowdale mine

Bauxite export - Huntly mine and Willowdale mine.

The proposal

The proposal that would result in part of the Dwellingup Discovery Forest being mined, involves the Huntly mine expanding into two new mining regions called Holyoake and Myara North (Jarrahdale).

The proposed Holyoake mine region is 10,170 hectares. Alcoa typically clears 32% of the forest where-ever they mine.

Alcoa’s proposal seeks approval to increase their production of alumina at the Pinjarra refinery, to continue to export bauxite and to expand the Huntly mine into two new mining regions:

Myara North (2025 to 2030) 17,450 hectares.

Holyoake (2030 to 2035) 10,170 hectares.

Alcoa wants to clear 8,700ha within these two areas. Alcoa has not specified how much forest will be cleared within each mining region, only that the total is 8,700.

32.2% of the forest would be cleared under their proposal.

Alcoa’s proposal equates to 870 hectares of forest clearing per year.

Current operations

Alcoa is currently approved to clear 2824 hectares of forest at Huntly mine from 2020 through to 2024. This equates to 565 hectares per year.

• Current clearing per year: 565 hectares

• Proposed clearing per year: 870 hectares