Alcoa Faces Federal Investigation Over Willowdale Mine Land Clearing

Documents released under freedom of information laws reveal that Alcoa’s Willowdale mine in Western Australia is under federal investigation for ongoing land clearing. The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water is examining operations after the miner was previously penalized $55 million for unauthorized clearing between 2019 and 2025. This recent activity, involving 318 hectares, was described as a deliberate repeat breach. Alcoa has agreed to enforceable undertakings, including $40 million for ecological offsets and $15 million for conservation research, while maintaining that its actions align with historical grandfathering provisions under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. Despite these agreements, the company continues mining during an 18-month strategic assessment, drawing sharp criticism from environmental groups. Conservationists argue that allowing continued operations undermines biodiversity protection in the unique northern jarrah forest. They are calling for the immediate revocation of national interest exemptions and greater transparency regarding the ongoing investigation, emphasizing the urgent need to protect this iconic ecosystem from further decline due to mining and climate change.