Geography ATAR 12 Excursion to Alcoa Huntly Mine site

The Year 12 Geography course looks at human impact on the land and how we can fix these problems. On Wednesday 3 April the ATAR Geography class visited the Alcoa Huntly Mine in North Dandalup to investigate the mining process and Alcoa's rehabilitation strategies.

Alcoa's mining lease covers 7,129 square kilometres in the South West and is the second largest bauxite mine in the world. In 2017 the Huntly mine supplied 26 million tonnes of bauxite to refineries in Pinjarra and Kwinana. Bauxite ore is use to produce aluminium which is used in cans, planes, roofing and deodorant.
Alcoa clears, mines and rehabilitates an average 600 hectares of regrowth forest each year. This involves surveying areas of environmental and historical importance, clearing trees, removing topsoil and digging out the bauxite ore 4-8 metres below the surface. When mining has finished topsoil is replaced and the area is replanted and monitored to ensure plants and animals return to the area. It takes about 50 years from first survey to full regrowth.

The size of the trucks, scale of the mine as well as the level of security and safety gear that had to worn surprised the students. Student comments included:

"I couldn't believe that every 10 years they walk that massive crusher 15 kilometres down the road"

"I honestly thought Mr Plimmer was going to drive us into the dam"

"I look really stupid in this hat"

Mr Alex Plimmer
Year 12 ATAR Geography Teacher

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