Community concern over Anchor Resources mining plans in Clarence Catchment high country not going away

The Coffs Coast Advocate 21 February 2012:

CONCERN is growing in the tiny town of Tyringham on the Dorrigo plateau as 96% Chinese-owned Anchor Resources continues its exploratory drilling programs.

Tyringham resident Kathy Realph said with the plateau identified as a 'refuge' for wildlife already under threat from climate change, mining on the plateau would be devastating.

"We simply do not understand how Anchor can have a licence for a prospective site adjacent to the Mt Hyland Nature Reserve," Mrs Realph said.

She said the plateau was also located in the overlap zone of the New England Tablelands and the NSW North Coast bioregion, making it an area of higher biodiversity value than if either region were considered individually.

"This area is recognised internationally as a biodiversity hotspot".

Those campaigning against mining on the plateau have the support of Coffs Harbour City councillor Mark Graham, who has warned of the possible contamination of waterways.

"There are more than 100,000 people who receive water from this catchment under the Coffs Clarence Regional Water Supply," Mr Graham said.

"Toxins known from the orebodies on the Dorrigo Plateau that Anchor is seeking to mine include arsenic, antimony, mercury and lead, all are a threat to human health. Mining of these orebodies will endanger our watersupply and the health of the Clarence River."

Another resident, Ian Realph, highlighted the additional problem of huge economic losses to fisheries and tourism, should waterways become contaminated.

"Of course when Anchor talks to the community they will tell us that safeguards will be put in place and world's best practice will be employed but those same assurances were given by Exon Valdez and also Deep Water Horizon," Mr Realph said.

"We already have contamination issues in the Upper Macleay, Urunga Lagoon and the Mole River near Tenterfield."

In January Anchor Resources was fined $2500 for not rehabilitating land as required by law.

Farmers, fishermen and conservation groups agree to fight mining in the Dorrigo Plateau and Clarence River catchments

The Daily Examiner 16 February 2012:

AN UNLIKELY coalition has formed to fight proposals to mine areas on the Dorrigo plateau.

At a meeting in Dundurrabin at the weekend, farmers, fishermen and conservation groups agreed to fight attempts to mine in the high-rainfall Dorrigo catchment.

Coffs Harbour councillor Mark Graham said there was a concerted push for the Dorrigo plateau to be declared off limits to mining.

He said there was a series of proposals for open-cut mining in the Orara, Little Nymboida, Wild Cattle Creek and Bobo areas, which was the most advanced.

"That all feeds into the Clarence, which is the regional water supply, and is the lifeblood of the Clarence Valley," he said.

"The reasons for campaigning for the Dorrigo plateau to be off-limits is for the health of the whole river and all the communities below it.

"The mining industry has said nowhere in the state is off-limits, but if anywhere should be it is the Dorrigo plateau because of its incredibly high rainfall."

Clarence Valley councillor Karen Toms said there should be no-go areas for mining and the Dorrigo plateau was one of those.

"We need to protect our water," she said.

Mining Law Workshop Dundurrabin Community Centre February 11th 2012 at 1.30pm

MINING LAW WORKSHOP

Dundurrabin Community Centre at 1.30pm on February 11, 201

Sue Higgenson, senior solicitor from the Environmental Defenders  Office, is coming to talk with our community about mining law.

This is an open  invitation to the whole community to address everyone's concerns regarding the  legal side of mining and our rights within the community and for our private  landholdings.

Take this opportunity to  understand what could happen if mining proceeds in our community.

Environmental Defenders Office:

  A  community legal centre specialising in public interest environmental law

  Mission:  promote the public interest and improve environmental outcomes through the informed use of the law
 
  Functions

  Legal  Advice and Representation
 
  Policy  and Law Reform
 
  Community  Education
 
  Scientific  and Technical Advice
 
Please bring a something to share to have with a  cuppa.

Local Mining Exploration

Anchor  Resources have been doing exploratory drilling at Dundurrabin for gold and  copper.  
 
As  reported on Anchor Resources website, (www.anchorresources.com) the  Tyringham prospect is identified as a Reduced Intrusion-Related Gold System (RIRGS) and deposits of this type include multi-million ounce gold mines such as Fort-Knox, Pogo and Donlin Creek (Alsaska) and Kidston Australia.

* Media release from Dorrigo Environment Watch member

Anchor Resources fails to remediate Wild Cattle Creek test drill sites and is fined

Click on image to enlarge

Snapshot of Anchor Resources Ltd report to the Australian Stock Exchange
published 17 January 2012

When the China Shandong Jinshunda Group acquired this Australian registered mining exploration company it apparently did not immediately react to the evidence of its own site inspections or act on landholder complaint/s.

It was served with a notice to remediate certain test drilling sites in its Wild Cattle Creek lease area by the NSW Department of Trade & Investment Resources & Energy and fined $2,500.

Running counter to Anchor Resources antimony mining propaganda

From North Coast Voices on 19 December 2011:

The 101 year-old Don Dorrigo Gazette ran this letter to the editor by Jacqueline Williams on its front page in December 2011:

Mining in Dorrigo: another perspective

The article appearing in the Don Dorrigo Gazette 16/11/2011 under the heading ‘Mining in Dorrigo’ presents information that appears to be directly from an Anchor Resources brochure on the Bielsdown Project.  It would seem appropriate to question and challenge this article and highlight perhaps what we the community haven’t been told.

Anchor Resources is one of three companies holding mineral exploration licences on the Plateau and is currently the most active. Anchor Resources activities include drilling for gold at Dundurrabin, proposed drilling for antimony/gold at Wongwibinda (Fishington Mine) and further drilling at Bielsdown. This flurry of activity in our region reflects the rising price of antimony, gold and other metals and I question whether this is due to resource scarcity or market manipulation? China produces 90% of the world’s antimony, and we have seen the price of antimony skyrocket from $4K per tonne to $16K per tonne in the last two years.  This price increase has largely been associated with the closure of a number of large producing antimony mines in China due to human health/safety and environmental concerns. It is pertinent to add here that Anchor Resources is now at least 96% owned by the Chinese company Shandong Jinshunda Group as of mid 2011.

I note that Anchor Resources refer to the exploration licence process, however it is difficult to find the latest approval for their Bielsdown project with the Government gazette showing an application to renew the licence in February 2011, however this licence doesn’t appear to be granted as yet. Also of concern is that a Review of Environmental Factors (REF) has not been undertaken for any of the exploration licence applications submitted by Anchor for the Bielsdown project since 2007.  My understanding is that a REF is a requirement of all exploration licence applicants to undertake an environmental impact assessment of the proposed activities so that NSW DPI can make an assessment under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 prior to granting the licence. Given that the Bielsdown project location has state and national significance as habitat for threatened species I question the currency of the exploration licence and how the NSW government has overlooked an important part of the approval process. This is not to mention the requirements under the Commonwealth legislation that the location triggers. It is unclear whether Anchor Resources have notified the Commonwealth government to determine if their exploration activities are considered a ‘controlled action’ under the Environmental Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 requiring further environmental impact assessment and approval. Many farmers have shared with me their frustration about their efforts and sacrifices in conserving native vegetation and habitat for the public good only to see mining companies given open slather.

I don’t wish to dwell solely on the environmental issues surrounding the potential of mining on the Plateau, as there are other issues that need to be considered. It seems that Dorrigo is not immune to the unprecedented mining expansion in regional Australia where the potential social and economic impacts need to be considered by the communities faced with these challenges. As the current legislation has been identified as inadequate to accommodate the risks, new policies are being developed and proposals to change legislation under debate. In the meantime, mining activities continue to expand.  In considering the full impacts of mining, the concerns of landholders and rural communities should not be dismissed as simply ‘alarmist’......

Read the full letter here.

China Shandong Jinshunda Group caught out over fudged claims of widespread community consultation

Editor David Bancroft writing in The Daily Examiner, 9 December 2011:

Miner's claim disputed

A MINING company's claim to have consulted widely about antimony mining in the Wild Cattle Creek area has been disputed by one of the area's environmental groups.

Dorrigo Environment Watch member Matt Forde said claims from Anchor Resources general manager Ian Price about community consultation did not match their own research.

Mr Price told ABC Radio on October 6 the company had consulted widely with residents, particularly in the area affected by the project.

"We are continuing that consultation into the local community," Mr Price said.

But Mr Forde said his group had members residing in the area who had received no communication, so decided to phone around to see how many had.

"Results from the survey found that 52% of landholders had received no communication from Anchor Resources, while 26% were contacted in 2009, with no further communication," he said

"Seventeen per cent of landholders had communications in 2009 and 2010 and 13% of landholders have been communicated with between 2009 to 2011.

"One of these landholders received over 96 emails from Anchor Resources in a two-year period, mostly in relation to access agreements."

Mr Price, who was in Dorrigo yesterday, said he was relatively new to the company but company records showed there had been consultation in 2009.

He said there was no timetable for drilling in the area and land access had not been negotiated.

There had been ongoing discussion with affected landowners, he said.

Once land access was negotiated, the company would undertake another round of consultation, which would be detailed.

Here we go again ... another ratbag!

The title of this post is the exact wording of the opening sentence of an email sent by one Clarence Valley resident earlier today, alerting me to the fact that at least some of those irrigators (unhappy with the latest manifestation of the Draft Murray Darling Basin Plan) have turned their greedy eyes and intransigent hearts towards the Clarence River catchment once more.

…managing director of South Australian citrus and dairy company Nippy's, Jeff Knispel,……. Mr Knispel advocated considering the social and economic benefits of building a hydro electricity dam at the head of northern NSW's Clarence River and dropping the water into the western-flowing river system, feeding the Darling River.

Apparently the resounding “No!” communities in the Clarence catchment have been shouting for decades to every move to dam and divert freshwater to the inevitable detriment of the local economy, agriculture, industry, visual amenity, cultural significance, water sustainability/security and biodiversity is still falling on the deaf ears of faraway irrigators who believe they have a God-given right to rape and plunder Australia’s most vital natural resource.

Well, my patience is long worn out and, Nippy’s Fruit Juices Pty Ltd, Nippy’s All Seasons Pty Ltd, Knispel Bros Pty Ltd and Nippy's Waikerie Producers Pty Ltd can confidently predict that none of their product will ever be purchased by me or mine.
That, Mr. Jeff Knispel is Natually as good as it gets.

What the Clarence Valley is fighting for (18)

Tributaries flowing
from the Nymboida River high country
down towards the Clarence River

Photographs found at Google Images

Antimony becomes a dirty word on the NSW North Coast

ABC Mid North Coast News 2 December 2011:

A community alliance has been formed to oppose antimony mining on the Dorrigo Plateau.

The group is working to stop the reopening of the old Wild Cattle Creek near Bielsdown.

The alliance says the Anchor Resources plan could lead to pollution in the headwaters of the Nymboida River which feeds the Coffs-Clarence public water supply.

Coffs councillor Mark Graham says recent stormwater overflows from the old Hillgrove mine on the plateau highlight concerns.

"These are essentially pristine headwaters areas, which provide drinking and good clean water important for many of the industries in our region," he said.

"We've seen in our Macleay River, major contamination because of the mining at Hillgrove.

"We need to learn lessons from that and avoid making these mistakes again."

Cr Graham says the community is determined to be heard.

"The determining authority for mining application is state and in some instances the Commonwealth Government," he said.

"Community groups have aligned and formed together in an alliance to oppose mining on the Dorrigo Plateau."

The Daily Examiner 1 December 2011:

Chinese-owned Anchor Resources holds a licence to explore the Bielsdown site, but no approval has been issued for mining.

Groups including Dorrigo Environment Watch, Antimony Action, NSW Greens and North Coast Voices fear that any mining activity in the high-rainfall area could lead to contamination of the Clarence/Coffs Harbour water supply.

"The effects of antimony poisoning are similar to arsenic poisoning," a Greens statement on the issue said. "In small doses, antimony causes headaches, dizziness and depression.

"Larger doses damage the kidneys and the liver, causing violent and frequent vomiting and will lead to death within a few days; otherwise skin contact causes dermatitis."

The ABC's 7.30 Report covered the story about prior Hillgrove spills, their impact and the Wild Cattle Creek plans in October.

ABC Mid North Coast News 29 November 2011:

There has been another heavy metal spill into the Macleay River from a gold and antimony mine in the upper catchment.

Heavy rain over the weekend caused an overflow from a stormwater dam at the Hillgrove mine near Armidale.

The Kempsey council's infrastructure manager, Robert Scott, says the contamination sounds worse than it actually is.

He says the rain caused the spill but it also helped dilute it.

"At the moment the dams in the Hillgrove mine, because they've received around about 290mm of rainfall for the month of November alone, are full, they are discharging," he said.

"We are seeing a massive dilution factor as a result of the overall flow that's coming off the New England Tablelands at the moment, which has resulted in relatively low levels of discharge directly from the mine."

However, conservationists are worried about the latest spill into the Upper Macleay.

Coffs Harbour Greens' councillor Mark Graham says the spill in the region's drinking water catchment should be grounds for concern.

"I think that all the evidence is that the river is contaminated by mining practices and it's not just the historic mining practices," he said.

"The owners of the Hillgrove mine, Straits Mining, were recently fined $50,000 in the Land and Environment Court for ongoing contamination to the headwaters of the Macleay.

"These mines are creating ongoing contamination for the catchment.

North Coast Voices 30 November 2011:

No Antimony Mine on the Dorrigo Plateau - get your bumper stickers now

The bumper stickers are available from Kombu Wholefoods in Bellingen, The Happy Frog in Coffs Harbour, The Clarence Environment Centre in South Grafton, Sawtell Paradise Fruit, The Sawtell Newsagency, Hickory Wholefoods in Dorrigo, Dorrigo Environment Watch Inc., Antimony Action and local NSW Greens groups.

Further information about the proposed reopening of the mine and about the dangers of antimony mining in high rainfall areas is available at
http://www.dorrigoenvironmentwatch.org.au/index.html  

North Coast Voices 17 November 2011:

Just to remind our elected representatives in all three tiers of government that mercury and arsenic have consequences, here is a media report from New Zealand this month as one small community struggles with the reality of soil contamination from arsenic laden mine tailings dumped during the last century:

The Ministry of Health advises Moanataiari residents to:
- Take care with personal hygiene (i.e. hand washing after handling soil);
- Make sure children don't eat or play in soil;
- Remove footwear before going indoors to avoid carrying soil dust indoors - particularly for households with very young children;
- Cover soil (e.g. grassing, paving, gravel) to reduce dust and direct access by young children;
- Not to eat home grown fruit and vegetables, especially young children, until further quantification of the contamination is available and the risk can be assessed, unless it is known that the garden soil is clean fill. If you choose to eat home grown fruit and vegetables, then thoroughly wash produce that may be contaminated with soil, and peel the skin off root vegetables;
- Don't be concerned about the drinking water supply, it is separate (and safe);
- As always, if unwell for any reason, see your doctor.

O'Farrell Government blocks motion calling for moratorium on mining approvals on the Dorrigo Plateau and Clarence River Catchment

Today the NSW Parliament Legislative Council was adjourned at 3.52 pm until Tuesday 22 November 2011 at 2.30 pm.

However, before the House rose the O’Farrell Coalition Government gave voters on the NSW North Coast a very good reason to reject his candidate, Chris Gulaptis, at the 19 November Clarence by-election when it used its numbers and influence to block this motion:

349. Mr Buckingham to move—

1. That this House notes that:

(a) Anchor Resources Limited have conducted scoping studies that indicate a resource  of 17,500 tons of antimony have been found at both Wild Cattle Creek near Nymboida, and  the Blicks River to the northwest of Dorrigo on the mid north coast of New South Wales,

(b) Anchor Resources Limited has recently been subject to a majority takeover by the Chinese minerals company China Shandong Jinshunda Group Limited which now owns over 90 per cent of the company,

(c) antimony is a mineral resource used for a range of high tech products such as polymers, fire retardants and electronics,

(d) antimony and many of its compounds are toxic and the World Health Organisation has stated that oral consumption can result in "a strong irritating effect on the gastrointestinal mucosa and trigger sustained vomiting ... abdominal cramps, diarrhoea and cardiac toxicity",

(e) the Wild Cattle Creek project is located within the headwaters of the Nymboida River, which is the highest rainfall catchment in New South Wales,

(f) the majority of the municipal water supply for more than 100,000 residents in Coffs Harbour is provided by Shannon Creek Dam which is fed by pipes directly from the Nymboida River,

(g) the Nymboida also flows into the Clarence River which provides water for domestic and agricultural purposes and is part of an important fishery based around Yamba,

(h) the high rainfall of the catchment means there is a significant risk that run off containing antimony and arsenic from any mine site could contaminate the river systems,

(i) a previous antimony ore processing plant at Urunga Lagoon has been described in the Bellingen Council 2009-10 State of the Environment Report as seriously contaminated and unable to be rehabilitated, and

(j) the Government has admitted that mining activities at Hillgrove have caused serious and long-term contamination of the Macleay River from the mine to the Pacific Ocean.

2. That this House calls on the Government to:

(a) place a moratorium on mining approvals on the Dorrigo Plateau and Clarence until the Strategic Regional Land Use Plan has been completed for this area, and

(b) consider declaring the area around Wild Cattle Creek at the headwaters of the Nymboida an environmentally sensitive area, off-limits to mining as per the Coalition's Strategic Regional Land Use Policy.

(Notice given 8 November 2011—expires Notice Paper No. 72)

Legislative Council Notice Paper No. 55—Friday 11 November 2011

Protect our NSW North Coast Water Supply from Mining

Nymboida River area of the Clarence River Catchment

Coffs Harbour councillor, Mark Graham, can understand why a group of  local citizens would choose to demonstrate their concern by rallying at the Karangi Dam this Saturday at 11.00 am.
“ I have already warned that the Coffs Harbour Council’s investment in a safe water supply is at risk.
“The proposed antimony mine at Wild Cattle Creek has the potential to poison the waters of the Nymboida and Clarence Rivers. The Macleay River has already been poisoned with arsenic and antimony for millennia, a result of mining.
“It is extremely unlikely that this proposed Chinese owned mine can operate safely and remain safe after its Chinese owners have moved on. An open cut mine 1.5km long and 0.5km wide open to the sky in that extremely high rainfall area will generate an enormous amount of polluted water.
It could end up in the Karangi Dam and then in the taps of our homes, schools and nurseries. [Coffs Harbour City Cr. Mark Graham,media release,10 November 2011]

Greens candidate for the Clarence by-election, Janet Cavanaugh, today gave her support to the rally at Karangi Dam on Saturday morning which is demonstrating against the proposed antimony mine at Wild Cattle Creek in the headwaters of the Coffs-Clarence regional water supply.

“This rally should be a reminder to the O’Farrell Government that this proposed mine is not just an issue for the Clarence electorate but also for Coffs Harbour,” Ms Cavanaugh said.

“The residents of Coffs Harbour should be demanding Andrew Fraser MP to represent their interests and secure a guarantee from the Government that no large open cut mine will be permitted in the catchment of our shared water supply.

“Voters in the Clarence Valley should be also be sending a message to Sydney by casting their vote for the candidates who are raising this issue on their behalf.

“Vague statements from the Premier that a newly formed Environmental Protection Agency will somehow guarantee the safety of our water supply are too weak. For a start, he is not recognising that compliance with pollution licensing is likely to be constrained by a lack of staff and the remoteness of the site.

“Most significantly, he is not recognising that an open cut mine in that area with extremely high rainfall will generate an enormous amount of polluted water in the Nymboida River, which could end up in the Shannon Creek Dam and also in Karangi Dam, and then our taps,” she said.

The protest picnic at Karangi Dam will be held this Saturday morning (12 November) at 11am.  [Greens Clarence by-election candidate Janet Cavanaugh,10 November 2011]

The Greens issue Clarence By-election challenge in defence of water security

The Greens threw down a political gauntlet in support of their candidate, Janet Cavanaugh, on 1 November 2011 and it would be foolish if any other candidate in the Clarence by-election continued to ignore these issues.

The Daily Examiner 2 November 2011:

THE GREENS have issued a challenge to all contenders for the upcoming Clarence by-election - state your position on mining at the headwaters of the Clarence River.

NSW Greens MLC Jeremy Buckingham was in Grafton yesterday in support of Greens candidate for Clarence, Janet Cavanaugh.

The pair raised grave concerns for the Clarence River if a 1.5km x 0.5km open cut antimony mine was approved at Wild Cattle Creek - a tributary of the Nymboida River.

Readings near the proposed mine site, which is being explored by Anchor Resources, have already shown dangerously high levels of antimony and arsenic.

"We are calling on voters to send a message to Barry O'Farrell, letting him know that they want him to rule out mining in the headwaters of the Clarence," Mr Buckingham said. "We're not against all mining but it's got to be responsible mining.

"The risks associated with mining - especially for antimony and gold in the headwaters of the Clarence are too great.

"The experience in the Macleay should be a cautionary tale - you've got an entire river system that's been polluted that's going to be impacted for a millennia to come. "…….

"You would not want to see that happen in the Clarence and put at risk the tourism, the agriculture, the fisheries……..

Mr Buckingham called for a fast-tracking of a Strategic Regional Landuse Policy for the North Coast.

He said the Upper Hunter, New England North West, Central West and Southern Highlands would have SRLPs done out of this year's budget of $2.1 million but he was unsure when the North Coast's policy would be done.

"With the amount of mining and coal seam gas proposed in the Dorrigo Plateau, the Macleay, Clarence Richmond and Tweed Valleys - a SRLP should fast-tracked for the region."

Full article here.