Environmentalists won't rule out blockading an iron ore mine approved for Tasmania's Tarkine but say more court action will come first.
Environment minister Mark Butler has given the green light to a $20 million Shree Minerals' iron ore mine at Nelson Bay River, in the northwest region.
It's the second time the proposal has received federal approval but work on the mine was halted two weeks ago by the Federal Court, which found former minister Tony Burke had failed to consider advice about the impact on the Tasmanian devil.
Mr Butler says the development is subject to 30 strict conditions.
But green group Save The Tarkine says it is essentially the same permit, only with weaker provisions for the clean-up at the end of the mine's life.
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"On the face of it there is nothing in this set of conditions that is different enough from the previous set that we wouldn't expect to go back to court and get the same result," Save The Tarkine's Scott Jordan told reporters in Hobart.
Mr Jordan said the new minister may have considered the advice this time around but his failure to heed it contravened laws about endangered species.
Mr Butler, though, was confident the new approval could withstand a second legal challenge.
"It's clear from Minister Burke's last decision that he did have the plight of the Tasmanian devil front of mind but he hadn't considered a particular document," Mr Butler told ABC radio.
"Now I've considered that."
The Tarkine contains one of the last populations of devils free of the facial tumour disease that has wiped out up to 80 per cent of the species.
Environmentalists had previously promised another Franklin River-style blockade and are not ruling out action at the site.
"We're committed to stopping this project, have no doubt about that," Mr Jordan said.
"We will be looking at whatever options are available to us."
The Australian Workers' Union, which ran a pro-mining campaign in northwest Tasmania, warned green groups to accept the umpire's decision.
"I strongly urge the Tarkine Coalition to accept the fact that mining is not inherently incompatible with environmentalism," AWU Tasmanian secretary Ian Wakefield said in a statement.
The mining industry welcomed the decision but said the conditions, which include a $350,000 contribution to research on the tumour disease, were too harsh.
"We believe these are political conditions, imposed in response to the eco-warriors, rather than being necessary on a scientific basis," Tasmanian Minerals Council chief executive Terry Long said.
Shree said the project would be undertaken with the interests of the community and environment in mind.
