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Astron Corporation's Donald Project given green light by Victorian government
The tiny western Victorian town of Minyip is set to host one of the world's largest rare earth mines after the Victorian government gave the project the green light on Wednesday.
Mining company Astron Corporation's Donald Project will be the fourth-largest rare earth project in the world outside China and the second-largest in Australia once it gets up and running in 2027.
Astron Corporation managing director Tiger Brown said the work plan issued by the Victorian government was "the result of years of planning, environmental assessment, and community engagement".
A Victorian work plan is the final regulatory hurdle the company needed to clear before mining can get underway.
More than 1,000 hectares of prime farmland will be excavated and at least one home rendered uninhabitable to make way for the mine.
Between now and 2068, the company plans to mine more than 1,140 hectares for critical minerals, like zirconium and titanium, along with rare earth elements, including neodymium and praseodymium.
Rare earth elements are vital to the production of technologies, such as wind turbines and electric vehicles, while zirconium and titanium are used in medical devices and household items, such as paint.
Trace amounts of uranium will also be extracted from the ore once it is shipped to the United States, making the mine a source of a commercial quantity of uranium for the first time in Victoria's history, despite a state ban on uranium mining.
Economic analysis by the company predicts the project will contribute $205 million annually to the regional economy and employ around 200 people.
The mine is a joint venture between Hong Kong-based Astron Corporation and US uranium giant Energy Fuels, which is providing $183 million in funding.
About 7,000 tonnes of heavy mineral and rare earth concentrate mined will be shipped to the US annually and processed by Energy Fuels in Utah.
It marks the end of the road for farming families who have fought the development, but will now be powerless to stop the excavation of their land.
For two years, farmers facing the loss of their land have fought against the mine.
One of them is Sarah Trotter, whose newly renovated family home will be demolished to make way for the mine.
She learned of the work plan approval when the ABC contacted her on Wednesday.
"They have long claimed to be transparent and committed to keeping landowners informed, but this is clearly not the case."
The Trotter family stands to lose up to 500 hectares of its land to mining.
Ms Trotter said the toll on her young family was immense.
"Tonight, I have to sit down and tell our four children that the mine has been approved," she said.
"They've stood beside us every step of the way, and I know their hearts will break.
Neighbouring farmer Ryan Milgate also learned of the work plan approval from the ABC.
He labelled it "a disgrace".
"If they [Astron Corporation] were serious about community engagement, the least they could do is come and give the people impacted the heads up that it's been approved," he said.
Mr Milgate said local farmers had serious doubts about whether the land would ever be rehabilitated to its current form.
"First and foremost is rehabilitation — we're now staring down the barrel of prime Wimmera cropping land that may never be the same again," he said.
He also said the region's roads — infamous in western Victoria for their poor standard — would not hold up to the extra truck movements.
Mr Brown said rehabilitation processes would return the mined area to productive farmland.
"The way that we separate topsoil and subsoil means we will meet the obligations of rehabilitation, and we're confident in that," he said.
He said involuntary land acquisition would not be required initially, but said it might be required if people refused to sell or lease their land as the mine footprint expanded.
"We have all the farmland we need under contract or acquired in the [current] work plan area," he said.
"Our preference has always been and will always be to enter into voluntary compensation agreements."
An environmental review committee will also be established, with representatives from the community, local and state government, and Aboriginal corporation the Barengi Gadjn Land Council, the company said.
Astron Corporation said it had already donated almost $200,000 to local community groups and would continue to provide grants through a community partnerships initiative.
The Victorian government was contacted for comment.
