Gippsland Critical Minerals’ (GCM) redesigned Fingerboards Project has achieved another major milestone, with the Victorian Minister for Planning announcing that the project will undertake an Environment Effects Statement (EES).
The Ministers decision recognises that the rescoped project is materially different from the proposal considered in 2021 and warrants new assessment.
“This is a fantastic outcome that reflects the significance of the changes we have made to the project,”
GCM CEO Michelle Wood
“GCM has worked hard alongside the community and through our iterative design process to develop a project that is now ready for new assessment.’
“We heard clearly from the community that prolonged uncertainty around timeframes was contributing to conflict and impacting community wellbeing. I am pleased the Minister has made a timely decision, providing certainty about next steps and a formal process for all voices to be heard,” Michelle said.
Some of the key changes made to the project since the 2021 proposal include:
- A 1.5 kilometre exclusion zone between mining and the Lindenow Valley horticultural area, designed to protect agricultural production.
- Removal of mining from Perry, Simpson and Lucas gullies, which will no longer be subject to resource extraction.
- A 40 percent reduction in mining rate, from 1,500 tonnes per hour to 900 tonnes per hour, across two mobile locations, reducing dust and noise in any one place at any one time.
- Progressive rehabilitation, with filling of mined areas commencing within 12 months to reduce the active footprint, minimise dust and accelerate land return.
- In pit co-disposal of tailings, removing the need for elevated tailings storage facilities.
- An enclosed concentrate shed to manage dust and safely handle naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM).
- A rail first logistics strategy via the Fernbank East siding, designed to reduce heavy vehicle movements on local roads and improve freight efficiency for East Gippsland businesses.
- A new and diversified water strategy to reduce reliance on any single source and will strengthen long term regional water security through the construction of a new storage dam and associated pipelines which can become community assets at the end of the life of the mine.
- Enhanced dust management measures, including increased buffers, reduced active areas, suppressants and adaptive management, with continuous monitoring will be publicly available.
“This is exactly what we asked for. It allows people to examine the detail, ask questions and have their voices heard through a formal process,”
GCM Community and Stakeholder Lead Mick Harrington
“I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to share their feedback with GCM, including members of the expanded Community Reference Group whose input has helped shape this new project.”
“We’re proud to see the project enter this next phase and will continue working hard to deliver the lasting benefits East Gippslanders deserve.”
During operations, the project is expected to create more than 300 ongoing jobs, alongside significant construction, employment and local procurement opportunities with more than $1 million in contracts already awarded to local companies.
Large scale testing through the Mining and Rehabilitation Demonstration Pit designed to inform the updated project design will soon commence, while detailed environmental and technical studies to provide contemporary data and robust analysis are already underway.
Early community engagement by GCM will continue throughout the EES process, including public information sessions, website updates and ongoing meetings with its expanded Community Reference Group.
To learn more about the Fingerboards Project visit gippslandcriticalminerals.com, or for more information on the EES process visit planning.vic.gov.au/environmental-assessments.
