Under threat from mining - again - and yet again!
Last Updated: 28 September 2024
It seems only yesterday that we got rid of the last mining exploration licence over our beautiful valley. But the NSW Mining Act, which states explicitly that it is there to facilitate the exploitation of resources, allows anyone to apply for a mining licence over almost all of the state. Nowhere is safe as long as this Act remains in its present form, creating uncertainty and fear in communities.
There have been three new Exploration Licence Applications (ELA) in our area over the last few years. The ones over Valla and Tewinga, and over Urunga, have been surrendered - for now.
Only one, EL9235 , was progressed to an Exploration Licence (EL) in 2023. This EL covers an area in the south of Nambucca and into the north of Kempsey shires. However, Lock the Nambucca Valley (LNV) was quick to contact local residents and organise a public meeting with representatives of the exploration company, Summit Minerals. The representatives came away from the meeting with a clear message that they had no social licence to despoil our valley and river systems.
Imagine our surprise when. in June 2024 in preparation for an LNV meeting, we discovered that EL9235 had disappeared from MinView and the same general area was now covered by Bullseye Gold Pty Ltd (EL9668, an Exploration Licence) which has just recently been acquired by another company, Emerald Resources Nominees Ltd, a West Australian company which operates mines in Western Australia, USA and Cambodia.
Then, in late September, we discovered that there is another application, ELA6802, that covers Bowraville, Macksville, and Valla. This is shown in the map below that can be accessed via MinView.
When an ELA or EL is granted, the company is required to get landowner consent to enter their land. As the Lock the Gate movement as pointed out from day one, if you do not want mining to occur on your land, and the holder of an ELA comes knocking, do not engage with them. Do not talk to them other than to refuse to allow them on your land. Contact us instead. They will try to get you to sign a Access Agreement. Once you sign you will not be able to rescind it.
What Can You and I Do?
The best thing to do, at this stage, is to send a very polite letter or email to the NSW Department of Planning and Environment explaining why you love living here, what you like about this area, and why you find the idea of a toxic, noisy gold or silver or antimony mine incompatible with your vision of your community now and into the future.
We encourage people to write (email) the Mining, Exploration and Geoscience Department of Regional NSW at resource.operations@planning.nsw.gov.au. Please be polite, positive, and firm. The more feedback they get against these Exploration Licence Applications the better will be the outcome. Cite the ELA number in your correspondence. We have been assured that all public comments will be included in the file of the appropriate Licence Application.
We also have "Lock The Gate" signs if you would like to publicly state your position. For more information please email us at ruralvalla@gmail.com.
We can educate ourselves about the Mining Act and how we can legally resist the imposition of destructive mining on our land by reading the following document by the Environmental Defenders Office (EDO). In particular, do not sign an Access Agreement unless you fully understand what you are agreeing to. Once signed such an agreement can not be revoked.
We have seen off the mining companies before, as in 2014, and again in 2023, and we can do it again.
There are a number of other documents that can be accessed in the "Mining Documents" tab in the menu header above. These include: Critical minerals and high-tech metals strategy, which highlights how the NSW Government is working to fast-track the development of the mining of minerals perceived to be important for the move to the electrification of the economy; and, Guideline for community consultation requirements for exploration by the NSW Government which lays out how communities should be consulted in the leadup to mining operations; and, Inquiry into Current and Potential Impacts of Gold, Silver, Lead and Zinc Mining on Human Health, Land, Air and Water Quality in NSW by Dr Alison Ziller which details how mining companies tend to minimise the social and environmental impacts of their operations.
Finally, there is the NSW Mining Act which guides how mining is supposed to operate in NSW.
EL 9668 - Taylors Arm; ELA 6802 - Macksville, Bowraville, Valla
EL9668 and ELA 6802. Note that if you look on MinView (click on the image) there is a separate portion of EL9668 (not shown here) that is situated over the Macleay River.
Links to articles and sites that may be of interest
Government websites
A link to the Australian Government website explaining how the state is encouraging mining exploration and development.
Another NSW Government website that explains the Critical Mineral strategy.
A NSW Government Resources Regulator site about Exploration.
This information about Access Agreements is important to know if mining companies come knocking at your door. In short, do not sign it without getting advice. A Land Access Agreement template will look like this. It is only a template. You can negotiate for better conditions if you get advice first. Talk to us and the EDO. In particular, you may have made Significant Improvements on your land that need to be considered.
If you want to know how the Mining Industry is advising the mining companies about how to negotiate with you then here is their document.
A NSW Government information document about Antimony resources.
News Reports
A link to a map showing the proposed Great Koala National Park, and the logging being carried out within it. We are exploring the links between logging and mining in the sense that one facilitates the other.
A 2024 article with details of the NSW Government budget announcement of the Critical Minerals Strategy.
An ABC News article: Rural communities feeling anxious as NSW government pursues Critical Minerals Strategy.
A 15-11-2024 article: The Hillgrove gold-antimony project in NSW has received the endorsement of the US Department of Defense.
A 2009 CSIRO article: Bioaccumulation of antimony and arsenic in a highly contaminated stream adjacent to the Hillgrove Mine, NSW, Australia
Mining Industry Promotions
A 4-11-2024 article in Bullseye Analytics about Triggs Minerals plans to mine for Antimony in Wild Cattle Creek.
Another article, 2-10-2024, about Triggs Minerals spruiking the potential for Antimony mining at Taylors Arm.
A 12/11/2024 article in Australian Mining about "Digging Deep for Antimony", again mentioning Trigg Minerals.
A slick promotion by Trigg Minerals on YouTube.
Silver Mining in the Nambucca Valley
There is a long history of precious metal exploration and mining in our area given its volcanic history. There are no active mines in the area, probably because they have proved uneconomic. However, with global economic uncertainty people tend to shift investments to "safe" commodities such as gold and silver. Gold is up 65% over the past five years and silver 53%.
There are a couple of public reports of silver mining in Tewinga, west of Nambucca Heads. One from 1967 and one from 1977. It becomes apparent that gold and silver are found in conjunction with lots of arsenic as well as significant amounts of antimony and molybdenum.