Environment
Emissions and Wastes
Overview
Our most significant emissions to air are:
- carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide and nitrous oxides from burning fuel, generating power, mining, processing and transport associated with our sites.
- sulphur dioxide and associated emissions from our smelting operations at Kalgoorlie in Western Australia and Olympic Dam in South Australia.
- sulphur dioxide emissions from our acid plant at Mount Isa in Queensland which utilises sulphur dioxide from Xstrata's near-by copper smelter as a feed gas for producing sulphuric acid.
- carbon dioxide by-product emissions from our fertilizer manufacturing operation at Phosphate Hill in Queensland, from our nickel refinery at Kwinana in Western Australia and from Olympic Dam.
- fluoride emissions from our fertilizer manufacturing operation. Follow this link to the QFO Site Sustainability Report.
Our significant air emissions are controlled through operating licences. Generally, our licences require routine monitoring and reporting of emissions to the responsible statutory authorities. Emissions of priority pollutants that exceed threshold levels are reported to the Department of the Environment and Heritage, which publishes them in the National Pollutant Inventory.
