In Western Australia, ministerial consent represents the state government’s primary environmental approval.

The Ministerial Statement 1051 (MS 1051), which approves the proposal, consolidates several Western Australian government approvals into one revised proposal – including the previous approval to mine the Centipede and Lake Way deposits, establish a processing plant at the Centipede mine site and associated infrastructure with approvals to mine the Millipede (located adjacent to Centipede) and Lake Maitland deposits, construct a haul road between Lake Maitland and the approved processing facility at Centipede and develop associated infrastructure.

The assessment of the extension to the Wiluna uranium project was progressed through a rigorous, comprehensive and professional public environmental review process coordinated by the Office of the Environmental Protection Authority (OEPA). The assessment included the consideration of substantive scientific studies addressing key environmental factors identified by both government and the community. The process included the submission of an environmental scoping document and a two week public comment period, a public environmental review report and a 12 week public comment period, a response to public comments from Toro to the OEPA and an appeals process to EPA Report 1580 and its recommended environmental conditions that included further consultation with appellants and Toro.

Toro will now seek to complete the federal government assessment process by March 2017.