Vol. No. Vol. 2818No. 1 27
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Wednesday, January 2016 Wednesday, July13, 2, 2025
FUTURE IN FOCUS: Warracknabeal students Emelia Martin, Sanduni Vandenaallen, RubieJane Crisp and Darcy Kirk try nursing with Federation University’s Carmel Page at the Western Victorian Careers Expo yesterday. Thousands descended on the Wimmera Events Centre at Longerenong to gather information and try hands-on activities that gave an insight into various career paths. Story and pictures, page 19. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
Minyip mine angst R
BY LAUREN HENRY
esources Victoria’s approval of a work plan for Astron Corporation’s Donald Rare Earth and Mineral Sands Project marked a significant step in giving the green light to construct one of the world’s largest rare-earth mines,
The State Government work plan approval will enable the mining of 7.5 million tonnes of mineral sands each year for 19 years. Operations will include the mining of rare-earth elements ilmenite, monazite, rutile and zircon, which help manufacture a range of products including batteries and magnets in wind turbines The Donald mine is located between Minyip and Donald, about 15 kilometres east of Minyip, off Minyip-Rich Avon Road, on the mining licence area MIN5532 – an area where mineral sand deposits were first discovered in the 1980s. The Donald Project, trad-
ing as Donald Mineral Sands, DMS, is a joint venture between Astron Corporation and United States critical minerals company Energy Fuels Inc. The work plan details the mining methods and sequencing across the 1143-hectare work plan, within the overall 2778-hectare site; processing operations and facilities layout; environmental management strategies, including for dust, noise, water, and rehabilitation; detailed soil and landform-management protocols, surface and groundwater management approaches; community engagement commitments; and progressive rehabilitation method. But the work plan approval has angered and upset affected and surrounding landowners, who found out about the approval via the media – not Astron or the government – last week. Ryan Milgate, whose farm neighbours the land set to be mined and is a member of the Dunmunkle Land Protection Group, DLPG, said it was the
biggest announcement since the Donald Project’s Environmental Effects Statement, EES, approval in 2008. He said Astron had failed to directly notify those most affected. “ It’s probably a poor analogy, but it’s kind of like you’ve had the test and you’re awaiting a diagnosis and you think it’s cancer, but it’s not until you really get told, and this is kind of what it is to these people,” he said. “To find out secondhand that their lives are going to change forever is just absolutely disgusting.” Mr Milgate, also Victorian Farmers Federation grains president, said he and many others in the community were concerned about the environmental effects – dust, radiation, noise and water use – as well as the impact of more trucks on local roads. “It should be going on rail, at the railing siding at Minyip, is my view. It shouldn’t be going on local roads,” he said. “We’ve got an intermodal freight
hub designed to get it off roads in the Wimmera at Dooen and we’ve got one company who wants to dig it up and the other one wants to clog it up with mineral sands.” Mr Milgate said rehabilitation of the land was a key concern of the community, as was the extra pressure on services such as healthcare. “We don’t believe rehabilitation can be done. And looking at Douglas and Ouyen – we’ve gone and seen it for ourselves with our own eyes and it hasn’t been done,” he said. “And in terms of community benefit, if you ask Balmoral what mining has brought to their town, they’ll say heartache.” Mr Milgate said the mine would use water from the Wimmera-Mallee Pipeline, which DMS paid an entitlement for in 2012. “ I don’t think it passes the test and the community benefit for what they’re going to do with it,” he said. “Things have probably changed a bit
since then too … even the EES was done in 2008 – community expectations has changed a lot in 15 years.” DMS managing director Tiger Brown said the work plan marked the final major regulatory approval required to allow the construction and operation of phase one of the project. “It is the result of years of planning, environmental assessment, and community engagement,” he said. “It enables the finalisation of critical activities, including arrangements for debt and equity financing, before a capital development submission is made to the Astron board and the board of the Donald Project Joint Venture. “We are committed to responsible environmental practice in the development and operation of the Donald Project – and excited for the regional growth, benefits, and opportunities it will generate over the decades.” Continued page 9.
IN THIS ISSUE • Dyurrite plan update • Wind farm protest at Tatyoon • Cougars cause upset Phone: 03 5382 1351 Read it online: www.theweeklyadvertiser.com.au
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