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Progressive mining

Driving better outcomes

Our renewed project is smaller in footprint, scope and scale. 

By slowing our mining rate and using smaller mining units, we’ve designed operations that reduce dust, noise, visual and environmental impacts at their source.

Minimally invasive

98%

Of ore and overburden returned to pit, with mining in stages and continuous rehabilitation

Minimally invasive

98%

Of ore and overburden returned to pit, with mining in stages and continuous rehabilitation

Our Approach

Progressive mining & continuous rehabilitation

The Fingerboards Project will use a progressive mining method designed to minimise surface disturbance and enable ongoing rehabilitation as mining advances.

Each mining void will be cleared of vegetation before mining begins.

Topsoil and subsoil will be removed and placed in stockpiles for re-use in rehabilitation. Soil layers will be kept separate where possible and re-used to maintain structure and biological health. 

Once soils are removed, overburden will be removed using a combination of excavators and dozer pushing until the underlying ore sand is exposed. Mining will move in a series of narrow, sequential voids 300m by 900m that advance gradually across the site. Each void will be mined, backfilled and progressively rehabilitated as work advances into the next area.

This section-by-section approach means only a contained area of the site is disturbed at any one time. Over the project’s 22-year life, mining will progress in defined stages across the site. The sequence will be planned to optimise ore recovery, minimise haulage distances and allow progressive rehabilitation and restoration of completed areas while new areas are opened. 

The exposed ore will be mined and fed into a Mobile Mining Unit (MMU), where it will be mixed with water to form a slurry for pumping to the on-site processing plant.

As mining progresses, backfilling of mined-out areas will occur immediately. Overburden and tailings will be returned to previously mined sections to restore ground levels and support rehabilitation. This approach reduces the area of active disturbance and allows land to be stabilised and revegetated as mining continues.

Progressive Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation and restoration will ensure land is returned to productive use quickly.

Progressive rehabilitation will occur across the entire project footprint, so mined areas are backfilled, stabilised and restored as mining advances. 

Once the first mining areas have been mined, backfilling of the mined segment will commence.

Tailings from the processing plant will be deposited into designated tailings cells within the mined-out pit. After the tailings have dewatered and consolidated to the required design density, they will be covered with overburden to rebuild the ground profile. 

Following final overburden contouring to the planned landform levels, subsoil and then topsoil will be replaced to replicate the natural soil profile and prepare the area for restoration and revegetation.

This progressive approach is designed to minimise the active mining footprint, help reduce dust, and allow mined segments to be reinstated on a continuous basis throughout operations. 

Depth of Experience

GCM’s rehabilitation program is being led by an experienced team

  • AECOM – Lead Environmental Consultants
  • Grounded Resource Advisory – Demonstration Pit planning and delivery
  • Project Director Stefan Wolmarans brings more than 25 years of experience in mine design and rehabilitation, including work on Illuka’s Cataby and Balranald projects (WA), Tronox’s Atlas and Campaspe projects (NSW), Base Resources’ Kwale Project (Kenya) and Strandline’s Coburn Project (WA). Stefan also brings direct rare earths experience as former COO of Hastings Technology Metals (Yangibana Project, WA) and Arafura Resources (Nolans Project, NT). 
  • Dr Paul Gibson-Roy, one of Australia’s leading restoration ecologists and lead scientist at Greening Australia, is providing scientific oversight and expertise in restoring complex native ecosystems. His involvement brings strong scientific rigour to GCM’s rehabilitation planning and ecological design. 
  • Environmental Manager Loretta Fallaw has significant experience in mine closure planning and environmental management. 
  • Project Manager Allison Heskey contributes local insight into land use, agriculture and site planning. 

They are supported by individual contractors and advisors, as well as GHD, Water Technology and AgriQulture Consulting, providing expertise in environmental design, water, agronomy and land restoration. 

GCM’s approach is underpinned by the environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards of Appian Capital Advisory, whose portfolio companies apply the same high standards of progressive rehabilitation globally.

As the project advances, GCM will continue to build its rehabilitation capability and work with the community to develop a Restoration Masterplan that guides long-term land outcomes. 

Local Rehabilitation Nursery

Rehabilitation begins before mining does

As part of our long-term commitment to restoring the land for future generations of East Gippsland, GCM has established a local rehabilitation nursery.

Led by Issacc Hoskins and Murray Holland, the nursery is cultivating native seed stock to support the immediate rehab and longer-term restoration of the mined areas.

To learn more about our nursery and the people behind it, watch our short video and hear from Murray Holland below.

Watch now

Murray Holland

Seed Production Facility & Land Management Supervisor

Murray oversees native grassland seed stock identification and production for rehabilitation programs. His diverse experience includes service in the Australian Army, mineral exploration, environmental monitoring, and field archaeology. Deeply committed to East Gippsland, Murray holds RSPCA life membership, serves on a local school board, and actively participates in community associations.

Watch now

Case study

The Yoongarillup mine in Western Australia provides an excellent real-world example of successful mineral sands rehabilitation.

98%

Land productivity 3 years post-mining

1.3X

Soil quality improvements

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Key Changes

GCM’s design changes have been introduced to reduce environmental impacts, improve community outcomes and respond to previous EES recommendations. Overall, the proposed new project is smaller is scope, footprint and scale.

Robust seed production capabilities

A smaller project

Reducing the mining and separation plant area by 27% (346 hectares) compared to the 2021 project. GCM is also slowing the ore mining rate by 40% to reduce noise and dust at any one location at any one time (1500tph in 2021 v 900tphwhich extends the mine’s life from 15 to 22 years. 

Native grassland studies

Change in mining area boundaries

 A significant reduction in the mining area to the north introduces a 1.5km buffer and increases the distance between mining and the Mitchell River. Three major gullies will be excluded from any mining. 

Enhancing soil quality

New Fernbank rail siding will reduce trucks on public roads

 A proposed new location for a separation plant enables the bulk mineral product to be transported on private roads to the new rail siding, without the need to cross or access public roads. It is proposed that the freight be extended to the Fennings siding in Bairnsdale. The mineral concentrate will be freighted to Melbourne port for processing in Australia (most likey WA or NT). 

Co-use and collaboration

Less impact on roads and road verges

1.5km of the Bairnsdale-Dargo Road is proposed or temporary relocation compared to 7.6km in 2021 impacting the Bairnsdale-Dargo and Fernbank-Glenaladale Roads, representing an 80% reduction in road impact. This also protects the trees on the road verges. The Fingerboards Intersection will be entirely maintained. 

Co-use and collaboration

New rehabilitation strategy

Progressive mining in strips with smaller open voids that are continuously backfilled will help minimise dust. The new rehabilitation strategy prioritises returning the land to pasture vegetation with long term restoration, using seeds from our native nursery to follow.

Co-use and collaboration

Innovations in mining methods and approach

Mining will be spread over two smaller mining units at any one time and GCM will use a ‘in-pit dozer push’ methodology to reduce noise, dust and truck traffic. New purpose-built sheds replace previously proposed open air stockpiles to reduce dust. Co-disposal and below ground tailings removes the risk of dam breaks from elevated tailings storage dams. This eliminates the need for centrifuges or to fill the Perry Gully with tailings (as proposed in 2021).

Co-use and collaboration

Revised water strategy

New studies will create certainty over the estimated water requirement of around 3.0 GL/year. Water will be sourced through a diversified supply strategy that combines groundwater, recycled water, and other potential sources to support operations and ensure local water resources are managed responsibly.

Co-use and collaboration

Dam infrastructure designed for long term community benefit

GCM is working with the community and water management agencies to create a legacy benefit of the mine beyond its life with improved dam infrastructure to support irrigation for local horticulture during drought periods.

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Critical Minerals

Critical minerals form the invisible backbone of modern technologies and industrial systems, defined by their essential nature and limited global supply. Find out why our deposits are globally significant.

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