Surefire Resources NL (ASX:SRN) has welcomed results from a desktop subterranean fauna study for the Victory Bore Vanadium Project in Western Australia’s Mid-West that confirmed there is no risk of significant impact to subterranean fauna from the project and that it is unlikely that they occur in the area.
These outcomes mean that the company may avoid a lengthy and expensive approvals process for its flagship project as subterranean fauna presence can impede development and significantly slow the environmental approval process.
Umwelt completes study
Following a detailed flora and vegetation survey and a desktop fauna survey completed in 2023, Surefire engaged Umwelt (Australia) Pty Ltd to provide specialist environmental support for the project, including advising the most appropriate approvals pathway for project.
Umwelt is a leading Australian environmental and social consultancy, delivering projects in each state and territory.
Their experience spans key sectors including resources, renewables, Defence, infrastructure and policy advisory services. In Western Australia, Umwelt has experience with approvals for mineral resources including vanadium projects.
“Positive completion”
Managing director Paul Burton said: “The positive completion of this specific environmental survey work is important in the overall approvals process for the project.
"We are pleased that the area has no subterranean fauna in the project area which has provided challenges for other projects seeking approval and again shows the Victory Bore project is a standout vanadium resource.”
Increasing EPA focus area
During consultations with Umwelt, it was determined it would be important for the company to understand at this stage of the project’s development if there was any likelihood of subterranean fauna habitat in the project area.
Subterranean fauna is an increasing focus by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) on mineral resource projects.
The presence of subterranean fauna within a mineral resource project area is a trigger for major environmental approvals and assessment by the EPA which can add considerable cost and time for project approvals, in some instances several years.
Umwelt subsequently engaged experienced consultants Bennelongia to undertake a desktop subterranean fauna assessment of the project area to determine the likelihood of subterranean habitat occurring within or near the project area.
Bennelongia has many years of experience of environmental fieldwork, subterranean fauna identification, invertebrate identification, taxonomy, DNA techniques, scientific research and environmental assessment.
No subterranean fauna values
This assessment, which considered previous biological records and geological and hydrogeological information, followed EPA Technical Guidance – Subterranean fauna surveys for environmental impact assessment (EPA 2021).
The desktop assessment determined no subterranean fauna values (ie, habitat and populations) are expected to be impacted by the project based on:
- Groundwater drawdown modelling conducted by Rockwater (2023);
- The absence of prospective habitat for subterranean fauna in the project area; and
- The absence of subterranean fauna records in the project area.
With the assessment confirming that there is no risk of significant impact to subterranean fauna from the project, it is not expected that subterranean fauna will be a reason to trigger assessment of the project by EPA.
If EPA assessment is not required, lengthy and expensive project approvals may be avoided by the company. This will be confirmed through further review of baseline flora and terrestrial fauna studies by Umwelt as part of an approvals strategy.
"We will update shareholders with more news on the project’s development in due course,” Burton added.