Mine Free Glenaladale held a successful information evening in Bairnsdale with 170 people attending.
Guest speakers cautioned the community about the consequences of a mineral sands mine in this location.
Robyn Grant, a spokesperson for MFG, said “Once again the East Gippsland community is facing the challenge of opposing the Fingerboards project; developed by a company that refused to concede defeat of their project following an extensive Environmental Effects Statement process, a company that has never mined and that has a CEO who referred to the project as a ‘GIG’.”
Ms Grant stressed a company name change from Kalbar Resources to Gippsland Critical Minerals does not change the fact that this is still the same company. It is also not a new project as it is in the same location and posing the same impacts and threats to human health, the agricultural and horticultural industries, Cultural Heritage, biodiversity, the Perry and Mitchell Rivers and the Gippsland Lakes.
She also gave an overview of the project based on information released by the company and changes Gippsland Critical Minerals have made to the original Kalbar proposal.
The planned test pit proposed by Gippsland Critical Minerals was also a concern as it would present the same impacts as the large scale open cut mining in the area. Situated between two major gullies it would pose a threat to the Mitchell River from any run off from the test pit site.
MC for the evening was Ian Campbell, the former Economic Development Officer with the Wellington Shire and the former Gippsland “Voice” to Regional Development Victoria.
He spoke about his economic development work and the risk of any mine abandonment and the affects this has on the environment and the community. He outlined the flow on affects of ground and surface water contamination and reiterated concerns of disturbing the complex ground water system by any mining.
Kane Busch from Busch Organics (one of the top five organic producers in Australia) and a member of the Lindenow Valley Growers has opposed this mine for many years.
Kane said dust and water contamination were the two main threats that would impact Busch Organics certification, the Organic Industry does not tolerate any contamination whatsoever.
He said as young farmers we have heavily invested in the future in the Lindenow Valley and a mineral sands mine here would put paid to this.
Ecologist Lincoln Kern spoke about the importance of aquifers which replenish Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems and said little is known about the interaction of surface water and groundwater in the Fingerboards landscape. He emphasized that further research was necessary before mining is given the go ahead.
Lincoln was also very concerned about the destruction of 700 mature trees and threatened grasslands that support biodiversity in the Glenaladale area. He said these mature trees support diverse populations of birds, insects, reptiles and mammals.
The mining process was explained by Nick Barton a well accredited agricultural scientist who also expressed concern for the affect mining in this area would have on surface and groundwater and the consequential impacts on the Perry River and its unique Chain of Ponds and the Mitchell River. Nick emphasized the dangers of flocculants used in the separation process and dewatering tailings. He said these remained inert but under certain conditions these flocculants break down and become toxic to aquatic life and are carcinogenic.
Rod Campbell, from the Australia Institute and MFG economic expert during the Environmental Effects Statement hearing, still maintains that the Fingerboards project is economically questionable. He said the figures don’t add up and with a reduction of 27% of the project area, it made the economic viability even more doubtful and the mine would jeopardise the commercial future of existing industries in the Lindenow Valley and surrounds.
Sharon Clerk, long term campaigner against the Fingerboards mine proposal and a local resident of Glenaladale, raised concerns for community unity and wellbeing of residents who will be affected by any mining in the area. She also expressed her disgust at the treatment of the community by the mining company. The community’s first interaction with Kalbar Resources was following the devastating Mt Ray fire in 2014 which burnt in excess of 6,000 hectares, three houses and farming infrastructure and hundreds of head of livestock. As landholders were attempting to come to terms with this desolation, the mining company arrived wanting to mine their land, showing no empathy for a community in distress. Sharon also expressed her concern for the loss of biodiversity, threatened fauna and flora and the picturesque landscape if the mine was approved.
Guest speakers were unanimous in their assessment of the project that this proposal should not proceed.
The East Gippsland community is still strongly opposed to this proposed mineral sands mine in this inappropriate location.