Science & Tech · Science & Environment · 3 hrs ago
Alcoa faces wider buffers around Perth water and cockatoo habitat
Western Australia has tightened rules for Alcoa's bauxite mining in jarrah forest south-east of Perth.
The miner must now stay at least two kilometres from water reservoirs, twice the previous distance.
The rules also increase the buffer around black cockatoo nesting and other significant trees from 10 metres to 50 metres.
Alcoa must survey planned mining areas, record and mark protected trees, and meet other monitoring requirements.
The changes aim to protect drinking water and wildlife while allowing the company to keep operating under an exemption during an environmental assessment.
The Greens say the rules remain too weak and plan to introduce a bill in November to ban mining in forests.
The government says further conditions may follow as it works to bring Alcoa under a more modern environmental protection system.
Western Australia has ordered Alcoa to stay at least two kilometres from water reservoirs, doubling the previous one-kilometre buffer.
The new rules also increase the buffer around black cockatoo nesting trees and other significant trees from 10 metres to 50 metres.
Alcoa must survey planned mining areas, record and mark protected trees, and comply with other monitoring requirements.
The state says the measures strengthen protections while recognising Alcoa’s contribution to local jobs.
Greens spokesperson Jess Beckerling says the conditions do not go far enough and plans to introduce a bill to ban forest mining.
- Who
- The Western Australian government has imposed new conditions on US mining company Alcoa. The WA Greens have criticised the measures.
- What
- Alcoa must keep further from water reservoirs and trees, and meet new survey and monitoring requirements.
- When
- The new order was announced on October 29, 2026.
- Where
- Alcoa’s bauxite mining operations in the jarrah forest of south-west Western Australia, near Perth’s water supply.
- Why
- The government says the conditions will strengthen protections for drinking water and wildlife. Water Corporation had advocated for a larger buffer around reservoirs.
Western Australian government
WA Greens
Water and tree protections
Western Australian government
The government says the new conditions strengthen protections, including larger buffers around reservoirs and trees.
WA Greens
The Greens say the conditions are inadequate and do not prevent potentially serious harm to forests, wildlife and water.
Alcoa’s operations
Western Australian government
The government says the measures recognise the jobs Alcoa provides while strengthening environmental protections.
WA Greens
The Greens say Alcoa has received another exemption from nature laws and should not continue forest mining.
The Western Australian government granted Alcoa an exemption that allowed mining to continue under conditions.
The state government announced it would update Alcoa’s exemption order to reflect a new mining plan.
The government announced a new order with larger buffers and additional requirements for Alcoa.
Jess Beckerling said she would introduce a bill to Parliament to ban forest mining.
- Water reservoir buffer
- 2 kilometres, up from 1 kilometre
- Tree buffer
- 50 metres, up from 10 metres
- Company
- Alcoa
- Mining area
- Jarrah forest in south-west Western Australia
- Proposed legislation
- Jess Beckerling said she would introduce a forest-mining ban bill in November
2 sources
What people are saying
a free pass to operate with impunity in WA’s forests
While a 50-metre buffer is better than a 10-metre buffer, it still doesn't guarantee the survival of these critically important trees
We are committed to operating in line with our stringent operational requirements which provide strong protections for the environment
We'll continue to work with Alcoa around modernising their state agreement which will further bring them into a modern environmental protection regime