Mining and rehabilitation

In addition to its forest and water resources, the jarrah forest of the Darling Plateau is richly endowed with minerals. The occurrence of alumina-rich latente, or bauxite, was first reported by Government geologists in 1902 (Simpson 1951). Investigation of the commercial potential of these deposits commenced in 1957 and by 1963 Alcoa of Australia Limited had established a small integrated bauxite mining and a lumina refining operation based on a mine at Jarrahdale. Alcoa expanded rapidly with new mines opening near Dwellingup in 1972 and 1974 and at Willowdale in 1984. Another company, Worsley Alumina Pty. Ltd., also commenced bauxite mining in 1984 near Mt Saddleback. Western Australia now produces more than 20% of the western world’s aluminina.