The approval follows a previous annulled original referral decision in March 2012 to evaluate unidentified shipping movements through the Great Barrier Reef.
The Australian Environment Minister Tony Burke stated that conditions are imposed so as to safeguard Great Barrier Reef citing it as a ‘world’s greatest environmental treasures’.
Upon gratification of the implied conditions, Burke said that the company can proceed with the operations at the mine without inducing any environmental affects.
"My decision comes after a rigorous environmental assessment, and the conditions I have placed on the project will ensure that the region is protected," Burke added.
Under the conditions, Rio Tinto through its subsidiary RTA Weipa is mandated to work in line with an agreed marine and shipping management plan, temporary barge plan, dredging management plans and a terrestrial management plan to ensure the safety of species and flora in the region.
"In addition, my conditions require funding of up to A$1.2-million for an Inshore Dolphin Offset Strategy to inform our knowledge of the listed migratory species, the Australian snubfin dolphin and the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin in the Western Cape York region," Burke added.
The South of Embley project is located near the Embley River, about 40km south of Weipa, on the western side of Cape York. The company expects to raise the bauxite production to about 50-million tons a year.
Rio scheduled the production and shipping of the first batch of bauxite from the mine in 2016.
