They are critical minerals needed for renewable technologies, but a plan to dig them up in Victoria’s food bowl has been met with fierce resistance from farmers who fear it will kick up radioactive dust and damage the landscape.
But mining company VHM Limited insists its proposal is safe and the mineral sands and rare earths it intends to extract are crucial for the development of technologies used in renewable energy projects.
Farmland near the proposed mine site. Credit: Jason South
VHM wants to build the 1534 hectare Goschen Rare Earth and Mineral Sands Project about 25 kilometres south-west of Swan Hill, about 300 kilometres north-west of Melbourne. It intends to mine and process 5 million tonnes of heavy mineral sands annually.
The company is on a collision course with some farmers who argue contaminated dust from the project may drift across their crops – and onto the rooftops that provide their drinking water. Opponents are also concerned the project will drive a wedge in the community between those who support it and those who don’t.
The project includes two areas that would be mined over 20 to 25 years. The mine products would be transported in sealed containers on trucks to a freight terminal and then by rail to Port Melbourne for overseas export.
The mining would be carried out in blocks that would be mined and rehabilitated within two to three years, the company said. Mining and processing would operate 24 hours a day.
Farmer Tony Fox is worried about the proposed Goschen Project near his land. Credit: Jason South
Grain farmer Tony Fox, whose property is near the proposed mine site, said dust drifting onto his land from mining operations was among his biggest concerns.
The broadacre farmer, who grows wheat, barley, peas and lentils, said having a mine nearby risked the “clean and green” reputation of local food production.
“Even the perception of having taint or toxicity in our grain is a real risk,” he said.
In its environmental effects statement, VHM said radiation occurred at varying levels “everywhere within the environment”, but Fox is among farmers who worry processing materials on the Goschen project will elevate radiation levels.
Fox also worries that agricultural land used for mining would not be rehabilitated and returned to its original stateand that farmers may leave if they became fed up with the dust, traffic and noise.
“When the community fractures, it becomes very hard to run things like fire brigades, footy clubs and local organisations,” he said.
But VHM said that after mining, it would rehabilitate the land to a standard comparable “or even better” than it was before.
A company spokesman said the Goschen project was aligned with net-zero carbon emissions aspirations because electric-vehicle and wind-turbine manufacturers needed new sources of rare earths to build their equipment.
He said VHM had monitored background radiation at the site since 2018 and modelling showed the impact of the project on humans and the environment would be well below international limits.
Tony Fox on his land. Credit: Jason South
He said the Goschen deposit also contained zircon and rutile, which is essential for titanium production. The spokesman rejected suggestions the project would be divisive or even encourage some people to leave.
“The skilled and unskilled jobs created will attract people back to the Loddon-Mallee region,” he said.
The state government is assessing a final report on the project by an inquiry and advisory committee. A government spokeswoman said any project would be assessed on its merits, including impacts on the environment or community.
In its environmental effects statement summary, VHM says it designed the project to “avoid, minimise and manage” environmental impacts as much as possible.
But Mine Free Mallee Farms secretary Craige Kennedy said farmland and farming operations should not be disrupted for the sake of mining.
“Food production and sustainable businesses shouldn’t be tossed aside for these finite resources to be dug up for no real local benefit,” he said.
Kennedy said he also held fears about the volume of waste the mine and processing operations would produce.
Minerals Council Australia Victoria executive director James Sorahan said mineral sands were essential for ceramics, paint, wind-turbine magnets and electric-vehicle batteries.
He said a mine could not be approved in Victoria until a full rehabilitation plan was completed and financial bonds lodged to guarantee rehabilitation at the end of its life.
Sorahan said there were two mines in the planning approval stage in Victoria and one at the earth resources work approval stage.
“Collectively, there are tens of millions of dollars of capital investment in the pipeline in coming years if mines are approved by the state government which would be of enormous benefit to regional Victoria,” he said.
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