Zinc miner wins federal green tick to triple size of wind farm, slash crippling gas costs

Upsized plans to build a 144 megawatt (MW) wind farm to help power a massive zinc mine in the remote north-west of Queensland have been waived through the federal environmental assessment process, after the proposed project was deemed not a controlled action.

Zinc miner MMG is proposing to develop the wind farm as part of efforts to reduce its reliance on expensive and emissions-intensive gas-fired power at the Dugald River zinc mine – one of the largest zinc mines in the world.

Having already doubled the size of a solar farm at the mine site to 88 MW, MMG late last year opted to make the wind component bigger too, tripling it;s proposed capacity to 24 turbines and 144 MW, up from eight turbines and 48 MW.

The decision this week, signed off by federal environment minister Tanya Plibersek, means the wind farm does not need to undergo full assessments under the EPBC Act, leaving just state approvals to be cleared. State environmental approval for the wind farm was awarded last year.

“Energy is one of the highest operating costs for mining operations at the [Dugald River Mine] and is subject to pricing variability,” an updated referral to the federal EPBC Act says.

“The purpose of the Project is to generate renewable energy using the available wind resource associated with the Knapdale Range. Generated power will service mining operations at the DRM with additional energy generation to be sold into the North West Power System (NWPS).

“The Project will … reduce operational costs and stabilise price volatility whilst providing positive environmental outcomes in the form of reduced emissions.”

MMG says the Dugald River solar farm has already reduced the mine’s reliance on the gas-fired Diamantina Power Station by 33 per cent and the up to 24 turbine wind project is expected to cut it by a further 40%, helping the company to meet its 2050 net zero emissions targets.

MMG also has its eyes on the proposed Copperstring 2.0 transmission link from Townsville to near Mt Isa, which is expected to open up more large mineral provinces, and boost demand for renewable energy.

The Dugald River wind farm will be sited on the Knapdale Range that overlooks the mine, around 63 km northwest of Cloncurry. It will feature Goldwind turbines. A battery storage system is also flagged as a future addition.