East Gippsland: Benambra mine reopening call to be made mid 2023
Optimism is building for a high country zinc and copper mine reopening, but locals want action on a key access road beforehand.
The company planning to reopen a zinc and copper mine near Benambra is investigating whether there are viable transport options for moving minerals from the site, as locals raise concerns about the deteriorated state of the Great Alpine Road.
Aeries Resources acquired the Stockman mine earlier this year, with executive chairman Andre Labuschagne visiting the site this week.
A final decision on whether it reopens will be made mid next year.
It operated in the 1990s before closing suddenly when its owners hit financial trouble.
More than 200 workers will be employed to resurrect mine infrastructure with the same number of jobs created when the mine starts production, if it gets the green light from the Aeris board.
When the mine previously operated, trucks used the Great Alpine Road between Omeo and Bairnsdale, but the road’s present poor condition is a major concern of locals.
A possible alternative road out of the mine site is the largely unsealed Benambra-Corryong Road and on to ports on the eastern seaboard via the Hume Freeway, or by rail from terminals in Albury and Wodonga.
“One option is to truck it down to Bairnsdale and put it on a train to the Melbourne port,” Mr Labuschagne.
“There are other options, we are still looking at those, but it has to get to port eventually.”
Mr Labuschagne said constantly evolving technology in mining processes could lessen the amount needed to be transported.
Omeo transport business owner Craig Grinter said the Great Alpine Road was getting worse and needed significant investment to handle more trucks.
“It’s not going to handle the tourist traffic on it this summer,” he said.
“It’s really bad.
“With more traffic on it the soft spots just keep getting pushed out and out.”
Mr Labuschagne said the mine had a potential lifespan of 15-plus years.
“We paid quite a bit of money for this project,” he said.
“In our minds it’s a very good project, has got good grades and got a good reserve.
“When you’ve got a reserve you can put funding around it and develop it.
“There is quite a bit of work to be done, but we’re very confident the project will get up and going.”
Aeries Resources has other mines in NSW, Queensland and Western Australia and made a net profit of $6 million last financial year.
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