New alert over Rio Tinto threat to Great Barrier Reef

RIO Tinto's $1.4 billion bauxite mine expansion on Cape York has become the latest flash point over the threats caused by increased shipping in the Great Barrier Reef due to the mining boom.

The federal government has been forced to reopen consideration of Rio Tinto's South of Embley project and may put new conditions on it to protect the reef.

Environment groups have called for Rio to be prosecuted for failing to raise threats posed to the reef by an additional 700 ships a year carrying bauxite from Cape York to the Gladstone alumina refinery in its application for environmental approval.

They have accused the federal and state governments and Rio Tinto of cutting corners and failing the nation's World Heritage obligations.

A spokesman for Rio confirmed the South of Embley project would result in 700 extra ships a year when running at full capacity, but said there would be "no increase in ship movements through the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park".

He said the mine would supply bauxite to domestic and export markets and that Rio "strongly rejects claims of false and misleading conduct" made against the company.

The UN has recently expressed alarm at the threat posed to the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage area by increased mining and shipping along the Queensland coastline.

A delegation from UNESCO's head office in Paris is due to visit Australia in March for briefings from the federal and Queensland governments on what is being done to safeguard the reef's heritage values.

The South of Embley project will produce up to 50 million tonnes of bauxite a year and represents an expansion of Rio Tinto's long-standing operations between Weipa and Aurukun on Cape York peninsula.

The mine is scheduled to begin production in 2015 and create 630 jobs during construction and between 500 and 1200 jobs during its 40-year life. The project received conditional approval from the federal government in October 2010. It has already run into environmental problems with the discovery of a new species of crab.

Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke has been forced to reopen consideration after claims the initial process was flawed because it did not include potential impacts on the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, World Heritage properties and National Heritage Places.

The deadline for public submissions on conditions on the mine expires tomorrow. A spokeswoman said the minister or his delegate must then reconsider his original decision.

Wilderness Society campaigner Glenn Walker said Rio's original environmental application failed to highlight that shipping to Gladstone through the Great Barrier Reef would increase greatly: "There are a number of standard questions that ask if there will be any impact on the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Great Barrier Reef Heritage area and national heritage places and Rio said no to all of those," Mr Walker said.