Western Desert Resources Limited (WDRL) proposes to construct and operate an
iron ore mine within the Roper Bar Iron Ore Province, located in the Gulf Region of
the Northern Territory, 50 km inland from the Gulf of Carpentaria at its closest point.
Mine sites have the potential to create or exacerbate mosquito breeding. Mine sites also have the potential to introduce new mosquito species into the Northern Territory, such as the dengue mosquito Aedes aegypti from North Queensland. As part of the environmental process, all major developments in the NT are required
to consider mosquitoes during the preparation of Environmental Impact Statements or Public Environmental Reports, to ensure new development does not create new
mosquito breeding sites, and also to protect the health of workers. Medical
Entomology, of the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), Northern Territory Department
of Health (DOH) was subsequently commissioned by EcOz Environmental Services
to conduct a Biting Insect Assessment of the mine site. The biting insect assessment
was to include monthly trapping over a 12 month period, and a field investigation to
identify actual or potential mosquito breeding sites.