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