What’s going on here?

Whilst the geology of the region does not support Coal Seam Gas or Coal mining, the Mid North Coast region is being explored and mined for its vast mineral wealth, especially Gold and Antimony which are fetching record amounts on world markets and are both in high demand for export.

Unfortunately most of these mineral deposits are in extremely sensitive and high rainfall environments that border on the river catchments of the Nambucca, Macleay and Coffs Harbour regions. These mining projects will produce vast amounts of toxic substances such as Arsenic and Antimony which pose a great risk to both the environment and water supply for these regions.

Lock the Nambucca Valley

website: http://www.lockthenambuccavalley.com.au/
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-the-Nambucca-Valley-from-Mining/133268240187926

Save our Macleay River

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-Our-Macleay-River/545047238839682

Coffs Catchment Coalition

Website:  http://coffscatchmentcoalition.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoffsCatchmentCoalition 

Where can I get a sign?

Lock the Gate Signs for Nambucca Valley, Taylors Arm, Bellingen and Macleay can be purchased from the following retail outlets below. The Corflute Triangle signs are 30cm x 30cm and costs $5 each.

• IGA Bowra
• CTC Bowra
• Norco Bowra
• Norco Macksville
• Cafe au’ Lait Macksville
• Harriet’s Macksville
• Nambucca Building and Hardware
• Eungai Rail General Store and Eungai Creek Store
• Valla Beach cafe
• Bellingen signs are at Kombu Health Foods
• Macleay Valley signs are at Kempsey Health Food Store

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The post Local Groups concerned about mining appeared first on Lock the Mid North Coast.

Yesterday morning Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott told Alan Jones that landholders should have the right to say no to mining companies coming on to their land. He said:

“Miners should not go onto farms, if they’re not wanted.

“It’s very wrong and they shouldn’t be going onto land where the relevant land owners don’t want them. And it is as simple as that.”

You can listen to his comments here

We want to make sure the Federal Coalition makes good on this important commitment. Will you help us by contacting your local MP?

You can find the contact details for your local Federal MP here.

If your MP is a Coalition member, ask them how the Coalition plans to put a landholder’s right to say no in legislation.

If your MP is a Labor member, ask them if they support a landholder’s right to say no to mining.

It is time for our politicians to join us in protecting our nation’s land and water from inappropriate mining.

We’ve locked our gates, and town by town we are declaring our communities mining free. In March this year we launched our Call to Country, an 8 point plan for national reform on coal and gas mining. Mapping we released shows that more than half of Australia is already is covered by coal and gas licences or applications.

It is important that we demand national reform on mining and make sure our politicians keep their promises. Let’s lock in a landholder’s right to say no to mining. Join us by calling your federal MP today. Hit reply to let us know how your conversation goes. 

If you missed Tony Abbott’s comments to Alan Jones yesterday, listen here: https://soundcloud.com/lockthegatealliance/alan-jones-interviews-tony

 And here is Ian Macfarlane’s comments at Cecil Plains on the same topic: https://soundcloud.com/lockthegatealliance/ian-macfarlane-at-cecil-plains

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The post Lock the Gate – Latest Media Release appeared first on Lock the Mid North Coast.

Local anti-antimony mining group Lock the Nambucca Valley is stepping up its activities following a strategic planning workshop with consultant Kerry Grace and the formation of key Action Groups. High on the agenda is raising community awareness and increasing community engagement with the campaign to prevent antimony mining in the valley.

Precious Metal Resources (PMR), a Chinese backed company now has its 2 yr Exploration Licence and will soon commence exploration activities in the upper reaches of Taylors Arm, South Arm, Buckra Bendinni and North Arm. LNV has written to PMR and is awaiting a response to a number of questions. Local residents and landowners have been alerted about their property rights and the access agreement process.

LNV’s main concern relates to the very real threat of arsenic and other heavy metal pollution of the river system and floodplains, as has happened in the Macleay, with the inevitable negative impacts to our local economy and environment. Further public meetings and face to face doorknocking are planned. Signs and stickers are available from Norco Bowra, Harriet’s Gourmet Foods Macksville, Nambucca hardware and LNV members.

Website

http://www.lockthenambuccavalley.com.au/

The Nambucca Valley has fertile farming lands and pristine water  - why would we risk losing this ?

Why we are alarmed

In Nov 2012 a Group1 mineral exploration license was granted to Precious Metal Resources Pty Ltd to explore for Antimony and Gold in a 330 sq/k area of the Nambucca Valley.

Potential problems for Water Catchment & public health

There is a high degree of risk that during a high-rainfall event leaching of arsenic, cyanide and other chemicals will occur, which could pollute the Nambucca Valley catchment area and therefore the PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY. This could become a major public health issue!

Loss of Real Estate Values

There is growing evidence across regional Australia that once mining operations commence in a community there is an immediate & drastic drop in land and real estate values.

Legal costs and disruption for land owners

There is potential for land owners to end up in expensive legal cases and have the trouble and expense of fighting to keep the amenity of their land free from mining impacts. 

Negative Impacts on Economic Development

Agricultural produce industries   (vegetable crops, meat, dairy) will be totally threatened if toxicity is found in the produce. Downstream, the oyster industry would be at risk. Under such a cloud many of these industries will cease to attract investment and economic growth in these industries will decline.

Precious Metal Resources is partly foreign-owned

Most of the mineral resources are being traded on the stock exchange as a commodity that attracts mostly offshore investment so there is little economic benefit to the local economy, especially as fly-in/ fly-out workers are likely to be used.

How to contact us:

We are a group of local residents opposing destructive mining activities in the Nambucca Valley – we need your help!

Postal: PO Box 31, Macksville NSW 2447

Phone: President, Rudy VanDrie (65642244) or Secretary, Doug Blackwell (65684426) 

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The post Lock the Nambucca Valley Cranks Up a Gear appeared first on Lock the Mid North Coast.

Coal Seam Gas Public Forum in Armidale

Hillgrove Deal Signed: a gold mine for jobs

Straits Completes Sale of the Hillgrove Antimony Mine

Straits Receives Final $1M Option Fee for Hillgrove

No Exploration Activities Carried Out In Karangi EL Last 3 Months.

Anchor Resources Preparing Further Exploration at Blicks Project.

New Exploration Licence Application No 4731 North West of Dorrigo

GOOD NEWS! Bobo Project EL 7462 To Be Relinguished.

China’s Appetite For Gold Good News For Local Explorers

Protect The Laws That Protect The Places You Love

Straits Resources Announces 5 Key Objectives

Sovereign Receives Exploration Funding Boost

Glenugie Community Stands Strong Against Coal Seam Gas Drilling

Call To Put Mining On Hold In Wake Of Latest ICAC Hearing

Police Order Protestors To Step Aside at CSG Site

Metgasco Starts Drilling Near Grafton

Uranium Exploration Submissions Received

Urunga Antimony Contaminated Site Public Meeting

DEW Press Release November

Hillgrove Sale Process

NSW Aboriginal Land Council lodges CSG  Application(PSPAA 56) in our Region.

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The post Latest News from Dorrigo Environment Watch appeared first on Lock the Mid North Coast.

Mining exploration will soon commence in the Nambucca Valley.  On 23rd November the NSW Department of Energy and Resources granted Precious Metal Resources Pty Ltd an exploration license to look for antimony and gold in the Nambucca Valley. 

The exploration license (EL 8016) covers an area of 330square km in the areas around Taylors Arm, Thumb Creek, Argents Hill, Girralong, Burrapine and  Buckra Bendinni. It borders on the New England National Park and several state conservation areas.

On Saturday over 50 people attended a meeting at Taylors Arm Hall to learn more about the exploration project. Glen Schaefer from Lock the Mid North Coast said, “Community opposition to this exploration project has been growing rapidly. Over the last six months, community meetings have also been held in Burrapine, Kempsey, Bellingen, Macksville and Tewinga.”

Burrapine resident Tony Jacques said, “Four weeks ago I was a total sceptic about talk of mining in our Valley. However after doing some research, I have gone from a sceptic to being very scared.” He added, “Make no mistake. This does not mean jobs for locals. The major shareholder of PMR has just announced $8 million funding from Jiangsu, a Chinese-owned engineering firm, plus the provision of 14 Chinese mining technicians, exploration experts and geochemists to assist with their exploration program.”

President of the recently formed group ‘Lock the Nambucca Valley’, Rudy Van Drie is a civil engineer who specialises in flooding and water flow dynamics. Mr Van Drie told the audience, “The extreme instability of the geological formations in our valleys is evidenced by the many landslips recently. If antimony mining was to proceed it could put our entire catchment at risk.”

Mr Van Drie also said “Our community has many questions about what this might mean for landowners and their water, agricultural produce, property values and health . The Macleay River has already been contaminated with arsenic and other compounds from the Hillgrove Antimony mine to the degree that scientists say it will remain contaminated for centuries or millennia. Arsenic levels in the Macleay at Bellbrook have been tested at up to 3.5 times the safe drinking water level following heavy rain periods necessitating 2 years of trucking in water for residents until a water treatment plant was recently built (The cost was approx. $1m). We don’t want similar contamination of our river.” he said

Sue Higginson, senior solicitor from the Environmental Defenders Office will present a meeting about access agreements at Macksville Ex Services Club on Thursday 13th December from 9am-12noon. The meeting is geared towards the needs of landowners within the bounds of the exploration zone, however any others local residents who are concerned are also welcome. The event will be free, but donations towards the cost of the room hire would be appreciated.

If you would like to be involved or if you are concerned about mining in your area, please visit the Lock the Mid North Coast website for more information. www.lockthemidnorthcoast.com.au

 ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

Media Contact: Glen Schaefer

P: 02 6569 7162
M: 0411 389 265
E: info@lockthemidnorthcoast.com.au

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The post Widespread community concern over mining exploration appeared first on Lock the Mid North Coast.

Bellingen Council will not support Coal Seam Gas (CSG) or general mining activities within the shire.

 The motion reads:

Whilst Bellingen Shire Council acknowledges their statutory responsibilities in relation to planning development applications and assessment, Council as a matter of social responsibility and in the long term sustainability interests of the environment and the community which they represent, does not support or endorse Coal Seam Gas activities or general mining activities within the Bellingen Shire area and will not alter this position until such time as;

1. There are clear land use legislation and policies enacted by the NSW Government to responsibly guide and regulate mining industry especially Coal Seam Gas in relation to their activities particularly the impact on and/or loss of prime agriculture land and other environmentally sensitive issues; and
    
2. It is scientifically proven and demonstrated that the impacts of the mining industry in general, especially Coal Seam Gas Mining, will not result in any significant and detrimental environment outcomes particularly in relation to the local environment. Such scientific proof and demonstration must address the following:

a) Mining activities in a region of extremely high rainfall

b) Impacts on the health of residents

c) The disposal of toxic wastes

 d) The development of infrastructure to a more than adequate standard and the protection of current infrastructure, e.g., roads.

e) Other industries are protected from any damage and compensation for damage to other industries (e.g., fishing, oyster growing and tourism) is guaranteed

f) The complete protection of our water supply, rivers and aquifers

g) The complete protection of biodiversity 

h) The need to ensure landholders rights are strengthened to include the right to refuse access for exploration purposes and if exploration permission is granted, there is full restoration of land following exploration.

2. The General Manager be directed to inform Council for their notification and consideration where appropriate any notice or development application made to Bellingen Shire Council which involves proposed activities associated with the mining industry within the Shire and especially on Council land.

3. Council write to Clarence Valley Council and Coffs Harbour City Council to investigate the impact that any proposed mining may have on the water quality of the catchment. This would be best achieved through further researching and costing adequate independent water quality testing within the regional water supply. 

4. Council support the recent Local Government Association annual conference member councils resolution to write to the relevant Ministers seeking to change legislation to ensure that any new coal seam gas and mining exploration and mining and extraction applications must be approved by means of a council development application.

5. The State and Federal Governments be informed of Bellingen Shire Council’s position.

80 Minute Debate

Earlier in the meeting, Councillors voted 4-3 to defeat a Mayor Minute from Cr Mark Troy that Council:

1. Adopt a policy position of extreme caution with regard to any proposal to mine within the regional water supply catchment area in light of the potential impacts on the natural environment, and the health and wellbeing of the Bellingen Shire community.

2. Write to the Premier, the Environment Minister, the Minister for Planning and the local and state Members of Parliament stating Council’s concerns with regard to any proposal to mine within the regional water supply catchment area in light of the potential impacts on the natural environment, and health and wellbeing of the Bellingen Shire community.

3. Write to Clarence Valley Council and Coffs Harbour City Council to investigate the impact that any proposed mining may have on the water quality of the catchment. This would be best achieved through further researching and costing adequate independent water quality testing within the regional water supply.

Voting against the motion were Crs King, Gordon Manning, Steve Klipin and Gary Carter. For were Cr Troy, David Scott and Desmae Harrison.

Cr King said Cr Troy’s Mayor Minute was too weak. “Extreme caution doesn’t go far enough. “You only have to look at the impact of antimony mining on the Urunga site. Image the impact of an open cut mine at the top of the catchment,” he said.

Cr Klipin agreed that ‘extreme caution’ was not sufficient. “Now is the time to honour our commitment to the shire community.”

 Cr Manning said ‘extreme caution’ was not strong enough. “It’s taking the middle road. It’s a meaningless statement and too weak compared with Cr King’s motion.”

 Speaking to his resolution, Cr King said to date there was no evidence of the existence of coal seam gas deposits within the shire. “There is no evidence of exploration for coal seam gas within the shire.”

 “The NSW Aboriginal Lands Council has a Petroleum Special Prospecting Authority Application (PSPAPP 56) over all the shire,” he said. “

We know there are current leases in the shire for further exploration for Category Minerals 1, which includes gold and antimony.”

 “We know that Bellingen Shire is in a high rainfall area, resulting in challenges of guaranteeing containment of run-off from mining activities, tailings dumps or any construction aimed at containing water,” Cr King said.

 “We know that past mining activity on the Dorrigo Plateau has resulted in serious and long term contamination within the shire.

 “We know that CSG extraction processes have caused issues related to water contamination in the Casino area.

 “We know that at any time an Application for Minerals or Petroleum Exploration can be made over any and all land within Bellingen Shire.

 “We know that a total of 35 councils in New South Wales have declared a moratorium on coal seam gas mining within their shire unless certain conditions can be met.”

 “Coffs Harbour Council recently passed a motion in relation to mining and coal seam gas and Gosford Council passed a motion in relation to coal seam gas exploration and mining at the first meeting of their new council.,” he said.

Cr King said his resolution proposed giving Bellingen Council a general policy position on the matter. 

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The post Bellingen Council says ‘NO’ to mining appeared first on Lock the Mid North Coast.

An invitation to a Meeting - South Arm Hall – 6:30pm
1568 South Arm Road, BOWRAVILLE 

About exploration for Antimony in South Arm catchment area Exploration Licence (EL 4581)

A company called Precious Metal Resources has been granted a 2 year licence to explore for antimony and gold deposits in our local catchment area. Our community has many questions about what this might mean for landowners: their water, agricultural produce, property values and health.

The Macleay River has already been contaminated with arsenic and other compounds from the Hillgrove Antimony mine high in their catchment – to the degree that scientists say it will remain contaminated for “centuries or millennia”. Arsenic levels in the Macleay at Bellbrook have been tested at up to 3.5 times the safe drinking water level following heavy rain periods necessitating 2 years of trucking in water for residents until a water treatment plant was recently built (The cost was approx. $1m. We don’t want similar contamination of our river.

A group of concerned Nambucca shire residents has formed “Lock the Nambucca Valley” with the purpose to inform landowners and residents about this issue and oppose destructive mining practices in our shire.  Information sheets about the issue will also be available.

Representatives from this group and Glen Schaefer from “Lock the Mid North Coast”, a regional body with similar aims, has offered to come and brief our South Arm community about this issue.

Agenda:    

1. Introductions
2. Talk by Glen Schaefer of Lock the Mid North Coast (approx. 20-30 minutes)
3. Open question and answer time for the remainder of the meeting
4. Possible motion from the meeting, if deemed suitable along lines of “This meeting opposes antimony mining in the South Creek and McHugh’s Creek catchment”

All Welcome! Come along 

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The post Meeting at South Arm, Wednesday 12th December appeared first on Lock the Mid North Coast.

Sue Higginson, senior solicitor of EDO, Lismore will address meeting on Access Agreements at Macksville Ex Services Club Thursday 13 Dec 9am-12noon. The meeting is geared towards needs of landowners with properties within the bounds of the exploration zone but any other landowner will be welcome. The event will be free but donations towards cost of room hire will be called for.

• When: Thursday, 13 December 2012
• Time: 09:00 until 12:00
• Venue: Macksville Ex-Services Club

 RSVP on Facebook

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The post EDO Information session for Nambucca Valley – 13th December Macksville appeared first on Lock the Mid North Coast.

On 23rd Nov the NSW Dept of Energy and Resources granted Precious Metal Resources an exploration license for ELA 4581.

The exploration license EL 8016 covers an area of 330sq km in the areas around Taylors Arm, Thumb Creek, Giralong, Burrapine and Buckrabendinni. It boders on the New England National Park and several state conservation areas.

The area is 70 kilometres east of Hillgrove, one of the largest provinces of antimony mineralisation in the world and covers an area of approx 330sqkm (see map below)

 Document Downloads and links

1. Click here to download our Info Pack for ELA 4581 
2. Download the 2 Year work program
3. http://www.resources.nsw.gov.au/
4. ASX Company Profile for PMR

Latest Precious Metal Resources developments

(1) PMR announced new $8 million funding from Chinese source plus provision of 14 Chinese mining technicians, exploration experts, geochemists etc to assist PMR’s exploration programme. Note this is 3 days after approval of EL4581.

PMR claims it now has human and financial resources equivalent to mining majors.

(2) Sovereign Gold – major shareholder and owner of PMR announces on 26/11/12
additional $21 million funding from Chinese State Owned Enterprise Jiangsu Geology and Engineering Co.(Plus the 14 technicians mentioned above)

(3) ASX release 6/9/12. PMR announcement includes comment on EL4581 drawing attention to its proximity and similarity to Hillgrove which it describes as largest antimony reserve in the world

(4) PMR maps showing their 19 Exploration Licence areas inc EL4581

(5) Other attachments detail shareholders of Sovereign Gold and PMR. Note preponderance of foreign named shareholders.

NOTE; Chairman of PMR is John Dawkins, ex Fed Treasurer under Keating 1991-93.ALP MP for Fremantl 1977-93. He is also a  Director of lobbying firm Government Relations Australia. Consultant to UNESCO and World Bank. 

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The post Exploration License in Nambucca Valley is approved appeared first on Lock the Mid North Coast.

Burrapine is like the land that time forgot. Rolling green hills, forested bluffs, emerald river flats. The beautiful Taylors Arm river winds its way down from the headwaters up past Thumb Creek and down through the valley, feeding into the Nambucca River at Macksville. Along the way there are beef and dairy cattle farms, small acre vegetable farms and people relying on this river for household use, drinking and irrigation.

Burrapine Hall is a long way from anywhere – 20 minutes from the Pub With No Beer, and 45 minutes from Macksville.  It is, however, rather close to the Antimony mining exploration licence (ELA 4581) that has been approved by NSW’s Minister for Mining and Resources, Chris Hartcher. 

The people of Burrapine know about Antimony mining. Many people have old mine shafts on their land, and a dairy farmer who was born and bred here talks about the Antimony smelter that was operating in the 1940s. A few members of the community had attended recent meetings run by Lock the Gate Mid North Coast (LTGMNC) in order to learn more about the exploration licence applied for by Precious Metals Ltd. Where were they looking? Was it serious? What were the risks? What could the community do?

What they did was what the people from Burrapine have been doing for 80 years – gather together at their beloved community hall.  Glen Schaefer, spokesperson for LTGMNC, was invited to come and speak, as well as Michael Coulter, General Manager of the Nambucca Shire Council. Mr Coulter didn’t make it, but Glen came as agreed and spoke to an audience of 50 concerned citizens for over 90 minutes. He answered their questions:

1. Where are they looking? They want to look at all the old mine sites in the Taylors Arm, Buckrabendinni, North Arm and South Arm areas.
2. Is it a serious proposal? According to what they have been saying to their investors, they are very confident of finding extensive antimony deposits in this area. They have two years to explore in the terms of their licence.
3. What were the risks? In a high rainfall area like ours, the risk of leakages and overflow from tailing dams are high. The risk of arsenic contaminating our rivers is a real threat; just look at the Hillgrove antimony mine in the Macleay (yes, the Macleay River upon which Kempsey lies, as well as Bellbrook and other small towns affected by Arsenic toxicity in their river).
4. What can the community do? The community can do exactly what it is doing – get educated and informed, spread the word, form an action group, put Lock the Gate signs on the entrances to their property, seek legal advice before signing any access agreements and send a united message to Precious Metals and any other mining company – you are not welcome, we are not going to make this easy for you.

At the close of the meeting, with a unanimous vote of 48-0, the Burrapine Community voted against supporting mining of any kind in the Taylors Arm area. The Burrapine Antimony mining action group was formed, petitions signed, signs purchased and surveys filled out and returned. And so, from little things, big things grow. 

Written by Sara Foley – Sunday 18th November

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