4 • The mining of a new open pit near the existing Processing Plant, centred over Gladstone Hill, the Gladstone Open Pit (GOP). This pit will be converted to a tailings storage facility on completion of mining; • A new tailings storage facility to the east of existing TSF1A, called TSF3; • New rock stack (NRS) at the Northern Stockpile area adjacent to the existing TSF2; and • Changes to the layout of the existing Processing Plant to enable ore processing up to 2.25 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), up from 1.25 MTPA currently. The project requires upgrades to the existing WTP to manage the significant increase in water treatment demand. As such, the existing WTP will be expanded by adding new treatment streams. No change to the discharge limits of treated water to the Ohinemuri River is anticipated.,. 2.3 Ecological Context The WNP site is located within the Ohinemuri River, Otahu River and Ramarama Stream catchments. The Ohinemuri River is a tributary of the Waihou River and within the Waihi Ecological District (ED). As outlined above, major tributaries of the Ohinemuri River include the Mataura River, Ruahorehore Stream and Mangatoetoe Stream. The Ramarama Stream discharges to the sea north of Whiritoa. Major tributaries to the Otahu River include the Waiharakeke and the Wharekirauponga Streams and their minor tributaries. The Otahu River discharges to the sea south of Whangamata. Waihi Ecological District includes the land from Whangamata south to Waihi Beach and encompasses the entire project area. With the exception of CFP land, much of the vegetation in Waihi ED has been modified through farming and urban development. Native forest within Waihi ED comprises tawa-dominated forest with emergent northern rata, rimu, totara, miro, pukatea and kauri (Kessels & Associates, 2010). The land surrounding the existing mine operations, excluding the Martha Pit, is generally open with predominantly grazed pasture with some areas of plantation pine, native vegetation and low-density rural dwellings. The land is typically low-lying with some rolling hills and small ridges. Large significant natural areas (SNAs) within the wider Waihi area include Ngatikoi Domain / Black Hill Reserve (SNA 165), located west of TSF1A and the Northern and Southern Fragment of SNA 166, both northeast of TSF1A. The ecological values of these are described in Bioresearches (2021).
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