Editions

Contents

Lighting the path for industry and community Pioneers of Fluid Intelligence World-proven shotcrete technology, tailored for Australian conditions Driving safety and profitability Modec connect solution Vansite hire fleet now in WA Explorex Caravans Comfort that makes you forget you’re at work Take control of your blasting process with Protoblast Tailored solutions for challenging environments Hard rock shouldn’t be hard work From fabrication to full-scale construction, Murchison Mining Services delivers exceptional results Tyre Doctor Marc Laboratory solutions Maximise Your Productivity Blue Spec Drilling Pty Ltd The hidden cost of legacy systems Mining maintenance that stands out Access meteorological support for tropical cyclone season Doing it the right way May Drilling SBR Contracting Rapp-it Sydney Rope Supplies Quietaire Australia Truflo Electric Pumps DMC Conveyor Services: Delivering the right people to the right places Orica secures Hydrogen Headstart funding When failure is not an option Suppressing dust using innovative misting systems Aussie Hydrostatic Tester Breakthrough! Driving mine safety and power Keep your crew cool Collaboration more than just a theme at IMARC 2025 ACU-TECH PIPING SYSTEMS Innovative technology The Safeguard Mechanism Engineering solutions for field applications Speed Queen’s stack washer/dryer is mining’s most wanted, why? Partnering for Sustainability EcoQuip solar towers Solar-powered, relocatable boom gates Trusted fencing solutions The Dufty Civil difference Environmental solutions for lasting impact Industrial pipes engineered to perform Alpha’s turnkey solutions for mine sites Critical minerals conference 2025 Steuler expands your horizons FleetCrew drives results Gold, gold, gold The Safeguard Mechanism Rethinking hydration You need tough equipment for tough environments RetroGUARD your workplace The new Flender One industrial gear unit SPM launches a new era in process optimisation Titeline Drilling: Automating the future The Metal Specialists Every weld better than the last Strategy that moves your mine forward Kicking the dust Custom engineered accessibility Rox in the fast lane What we can’t grow or recycle, we must mine How can crypto revolutionise the mining industry? FY26 RISK RADAR Record attendance at PNG Expo Coal hard truth Mining matters Collaboration more than just a theme at IMARC 2025 High Priority Australia’s only copper conference Salt of the earth Securing the global green energy future Exploring digitalisation in mining Australia gets strategic with rare earths Written in the stars A welcome addition The Australian Mining Review August 2025 Edition

Partnering for Sustainability

O2 Marine’s Role in the Mardie Salt Project

Partnering for sustainability

In Australia’s remote northwest, a world-class industrial development is taking shape: BCI Minerals Mardie Salt Operation and Potash Project. Since 2018, O2 Marine has been a trusted environmental partner on this ambitious venture, applying deep expertise in marine and coastal science to support responsible development and long-term environmental stewardship.

O2 Marine (O2M) is an Australian-owned environmental and oceanographic consultancy specialising in coastal and marine services. With a focus on applied science and engineering, regulatory strategy and innovative monitoring solutions, we work across the mining, energy, ports and infrastructure sectors — delivering practical, technically robust outcomes. We operate nationally and internationally from our head office in Fremantle, WA.

A long-term partnership: from greenfield to operations

Our journey with the Mardie Salt Project began in 2018, when the site was an undeveloped stretch of salt-encrusted tidal flats, algal mats, and mangrove coastline. At that early stage, BCI Minerals required comprehensive environmental baseline data to support feasibility studies and secure approvals.

Working alongside BCI Minerals and its engineering partners, O2 Marine led the design and delivery of a multi-year marine and coastal environmental assessment program. Our role has since expanded to support all stages of the project lifecycle — from approvals and construction through to early operations.

Scope of work

The Mardie Salt Project spans a diverse coastal and marine environment, requiring a multidisciplinary approach to understand and manage potential environmental impacts. O2 Marine’s scope of work has included:

  • Environmental impact assessments for State and Federal approvals
  • Habitat mapping of seagrass, macroalgae, coral, mangrove and algal mat communities
  • Ecological health surveys, including mangrove condition, seagrass, and coral health monitoring
  • Sawfish and fish surveys, using passive acoustic and net-based sampling
  • Marine environmental quality monitoring, including water and sediment sampling for baseline assessments
  • Remote water quality monitoring via autonomous sensors across the project area
  • Acoustic whale monitoring to track marine mammal activity and migration
  • Metocean data acquisition, including wave, tide and current data for modelling and design
  • Hydrodynamic and dredge plume modelling for intake, outfall, and dredging strategies
  • Hydrographic surveys to support infrastructure design and environmental planning
  • Development of environmental management plans, including construction, dredging, and operations EMPs

Enabling responsible development

The Mardie Salt Operation is a tier one solar evaporation project that will supply high-quality industrial salt and sulphate of potash (SOP) for more than 60 years. It harnesses seawater, sun, and wind — with minimal freshwater or external energy input. However, its ecological setting requires careful planning and safeguards.

O2 Marine’s work has been instrumental in helping BCI Minerals secure approvals under the WA Environmental Protection Act and the Commonwealth Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. Our science-based approach, local knowledge, and regulatory experience enabled the project to demonstrate environmental accountability while achieving critical development milestones.

We continue to work with BCI to ensure environmental monitoring and management remains adaptive and responsive — providing confidence to regulators, Traditional Owners and the community.

Benefits to the mining industry

The Mardie Operation exemplifies how integrated environmental science and impact management can enable sustainable industrial development. For the mining and resources sector, O2 Marine’s work illustrates the benefits of early-stage investment in environmental understanding, including:

  • Approvals certainty: High-quality baseline data and assessments reduce delays and compliance risks
  • Optimised design: Modelling and monitoring inform infrastructure siting and dredging strategies
  • Community and regulator confidence: Transparent, science-backed reporting builds trust
  • Operational continuity: Real-time monitoring supports proactive risk management

In remote or sensitive locations like Mardie, these capabilities are not just valuable — they’re essential.

Innovation and technology

O2 Marine has introduced several innovative technologies to support the Mardie Operation. Our telemetered, real-time water quality monitoring systems provide BCI with continuous environmental visibility, even in remote areas. Our use of passive acoustic sensors for marine fauna monitoring enables detailed ecological insights without intrusive methods.

By applying smart technologies and data systems, we’ve helped shift environmental monitoring from a compliance task to a proactive project management tool.

Looking ahead

As the Mardie Salt Project transitions from construction to full operation, O2 Marine remains a key environmental advisor and monitoring partner. We continue to evolve our services to support BCI Minerals with adaptive management, long-term performance tracking and digital reporting solutions.

This partnership demonstrates the value of early, integrated and science-driven environmental support — a model that can be applied to major projects across Australia’s mining and resources landscape.

To learn more about O2 Marine’s services, visit www.o2marine.com.au.