Fears race for renewables will see mining locked out

Vast parts of Queensland are at risk of having mining locked out, according to industry experts, who are calling for better policies and mapping of renewable energy projects.

The race for renewables risks undermining the exploration of critical minerals, with vast parts of Queensland at risk of having mining locked out.

Industry experts say the increasing number of large renewable energy projects rapidly being built in areas undergoing critical mineral exploration was sterilising the land without its full mining potential being understood.

This story is part of The Courier-Mail’s special Future Queensland: Resources series that reveals the truth about the contribution the much-maligned resources industry makes to Queensland. You can read all of our coverage on the special topic page here.

They are calling for better upfront land coexistence policies and mapping of renewable energy projects so prime critical minerals land is not locked out of exploration and investment is not driven out of the state.

An analysis of the state government’s geological data mapping has identified at least two wind farms that have and could lock out further exploration of their sites.

The Mount Emerald Wind Farm, located 25km northwest of Atherton, is comprised of 53 wind turbines.

The Mount Emerald Wind Farm.

It’s understood the area was subject to previous mining tenements that are no longer being pursued and there are mining leases for minerals including bismuth, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, tin, vanadium, tungsten, zinc, silver and gold 16km north west of the farm.

At another site 66km west of Warwick, the under construction Macintyre Wind Farm sits within the boundaries of four approved exploration permits, which would be scrapped once the project is operational.

MacIntyre Wind Farm outside Warwick. Picture: Supplied

Elements identified in that land include gold, copper, silver, arsenic, alunite, rare earths and tourmaline.

Association of Mining and Exploration Companies CEO Warren Pearce said while the energy transition was strongly supported more planning was needed to be done to ensure the resource and renewable energy projects could “thrive off the back of one another”.

“AMEC has continually called for parity in how a renewable energy proponent is required to access land … or a clear multi land-use policy — one that deals adequately with agriculture, resources and renewable energy,” he said.

AMEC CEO Warren Pearce.

“If the government is serious about the energy transition, it should ensure explorers and miners aren’t locked out of land that could contain critical minerals vital to the transition.

“Locking out access to land with critical minerals vital to the energy transition only disadvantages the state and its net zero target of 2050.”

Bowen Coking Coal executive chairman Nick Jorss said more work was needed to ensure the speed in which renewable projects got approved and their inherently large footprints did not negate any critical minerals investment opportunities.

“I’m a big fan of all minerals and I think that there is a massive mining boom potentially coming, driven by a continued demand for steel and other commodities around the world,” he said.

“We can take advantage of that, but we need to be careful we don’t squander that.”

Vecco Group managing director Tom Northcott said renewables were not a threat to developing critical minerals, but there were was a need to improve mapping of renewable energy projects in Queensland “so constraints can be understood as well as greater awareness of new projects where there is an interest in the land”.

In June, the state government passed reforms to strengthen relationships between the resources, agricultural and renewable energy sectors, and established Coexistence Queensland.

“Coexistence Queensland is actively engaging with stakeholders across the energy sector to understand the challenges and opportunities posed by renewable energy development,” Resources and Critical Minerals minister Scott Stewart said.

“We will continue to engage with Coexistence Queensland, the resources industry and peak bodies on this moving forward.”

He said the state government was also continuing to invest in the Geological Survey of Queensland, which helps identify potential resources deposits.