Antimony Mining one step closer to becoming a reality

Although mining exploration license application ELA 4581 has not been approved an offer of a licence has been made to the applicant Precious Metal Resources Pty Ltd who have 42 days from the date of offer to pay fees, pay bond ($10,000 cash or bank guarantee), sign document accepting the conditions then a certified copy of the licence and conditions.

In the conditions of the license there is no automatic right to come onto a property. An access arrangement has to be put in place – an agreement between the landholder and the licence holder which includes details of the exploration method and compensation. And before any ground is disturbed the company has to serve a surface disturbance notice to the department detailing the proposed disturbance.

Also in the standard conditions he pointed out that there are areas the mining company cannot have access to without the express consent of the landowner. This includes: within 200m of a dwelling, within 50m of a garden, yards, dams, contour banks or other improvements. If there is disagreement there is an arbitrator who’s decision can be challenged in the Land and Environment court.

Spokesperson for Lock the Mid North Coast, Glen Schaefer, said that land owners who hold own private property in the area covered by ELA 4581 should not sign any access agreements until they have sought legal advice. Free legal advice is available by calling the Environmental Defenders Office on 1300 369 791.

According to the Precious Metal Resources the area, near Burrapine, inland on the north coast of NSW, is 70 kilometres east of Hillgrove, one of the largest provinces of antimony mineralisation in the world. It includes twenty five former small scale mines, and this mode of occurrence it resembles the Hillgrove province, and other antimony provinces throughout the world including China, which has the largest reserves in the world.

According to the Precious Metal Resources the area, near Burrapine, inland on the north coast of NSW, is 70 kilometres east of Hillgrove, one of the largest provinces of antimony mineralisation in the world. It includes twenty five former small scale mines, and this mode of occurrence it resembles the Hillgrove province, and other antimony provinces throughout the world including China, which has the largest reserves in the world.

Mr Schaefer said that Lock the Mid North Coast will be now embarking on a program to contact affected land owners by conducting a series of road surveys conducted by volunteers. “We will be providing some more detailed information about this project and the possible risks associated with including some legal information for land owners and what we can do as community to try and stop this potentially damaging project from proceeding” he said.

For more information go to Lock the Mid North Coast web site.
http://lockthemidnorthcoast.com.au

Enquiries to: Glen Schaefer  Phone: 0411 389 265