The sandy banks of the creek at Rebecca Lucock’s northern New South Wales property sparkle with elements that are increasingly sought-after by critical minerals prospectors.
The Lucock family bought 188 hectares of land at Cangai, north-west of Grafton, in 2022 with big plans to take advantage of pre-existing approvals for an eco-tourism operation.
But an increase in exploration activity on the John Bull Gold Project to their south, and another four exploration licences within line-of-sight to their south, north and east has led them to rethink their plans.
The John Bull project is one of 44 approved exploration licences in the Clarence catchment with prospectors seeking minerals including gold, copper, antimony and cobalt.
There are currently 44 exploration licences across the Clarence catchment. (Source: MinView)
“It’s overwhelming; it does make you feel a little trapped,” Ms Lucock said.
“We’ve invested a lot into this property and now we are at a stopping point.”
Platypuses are thriving in the creek at the Lucock’s property in Cangai. (ABC North Coast: Hannah Ross)
The increase in interest in mining opportunities in the region has landholders across the Clarence River catchment concerned.
Hundreds gathered recently at a series of forums in Grafton and the small towns of Drake, Dorrigo and Copmanhurst organised by community group Clarence Catchment Alliance.
Members of the group visited the NSW parliament in August to argue its case for the entire catchment to be excluded from the NSW Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Strategy.
The Cangai bridge gets motorist up close to the Mann River in the Clarence catchment. (ABC North Coast: Hannah Ross)
Group seeks mining ban
Alliance founder Shae Fleming said mining posed an unacceptable risk to the region.
“We do feel that looking at some of the legislation and other policies … that lists us as a major flood zone, we just think it’s obvious that mining in drinking water catchments and flood zones is a no-go,” she said.
“We realise we need mining, but we are against it in areas of high ecological and cultural significance.”
Shae Fleming from the Clarence Catchment Alliance says the region should be exempt from mining activity. (ABC North Coast: Hannah Ross)
In 2001, small amounts of cyanide entered the catchment from retention ponds left behind by the defunct Timbarra gold mining project.
Traces of the rare metal antimony were found in the catchment’s main drinking water dam in March, prompting the Clarence Valley Council to seek a briefing from the Environment Protection Authority.
“Whatever happens upriver ends up downstream,” Ms Fleming said.
“We can survive floods, but floods contaminated with heavy metals and cyanide — I don’t think there’s any coming back from that.”
The push for a ban on exploration and mining in the catchment is supported by seven councils in the north of the state and by Clarence MP Richie Williamson, who has facilitated the delegation.
“I think it is of concern to the wider community that exploration is going on in environmentally sensitive areas,” Mr Williamson said.
“It’s the drinking water catchment for 100,000 people and we can’t be putting that at risk.”Risk versus reward
Mining company Novo Resources, which has an option to acquire a majority interest in the John Bull tenement, has declined to provide a comment to the ABC.Â
But exploration companies with leases in the catchment say the odds are stacked against them.
A handful of creek gravel at Cangai reveals specks of pyrite and other minerals. (ABC North Coast: Hannah Ross)
An annual survey released last week by the Fraser Institute found Australia had dropped out of the top 10 regions for mining investment attractiveness.
Corazon Minerals is the majority owner of an exploration licence at Mount Gilmore, north-west of Grafton, with an eye on extracting copper and cobalt.
Non-executive CEO Kristie Young said the company spent around $200,000 drilling two holes 12 months ago, but she was unsure whether this would lead to a mine opening.
“When you are evaluating a project, you look at all the different elements — where is it located, what are the government regulations, what is it like environmentally, community. That’s all extremely important,” she said.
“It’s not just about where the jewels are.”
Geologist Tom Wall examining a drilling sample Legacy Minerals inherited when it took over an exploration lease at Drake. (ABC North Coast: Hannah Ross)
Legacy Minerals recently took over an exploration licence near Drake that several previous operators were unable to commercialise.
The lease requires a review of environmental factors to be submitted, but a more detailed Environmental Impact Statement is not required until the mining stage.
Managing director Chris Byrne said his company hoped new mining techniques and a willingness to liaise with the local community and traditional owners for social licence would help get the project to mining stage.
What purpose do critical minerals serve?
“The probability of any exploration project making it to mineral extraction can be as low as one in 300 projects,” he said.
“It’s a numbers game that’s stacked quite heavily against people looking for these minerals.”Striking a balance
NSW Minerals Council chief executive Stephen Galilee said the environmental impact of any potential mine would be assessed through the planning process.
“It’s a very rigorous, extensive, independent process that assesses the risks,” Mr Galilee said.
The Clarence catchment holds vast amounts of water including from the Mann, Nymboida, Orara and Clarence rivers. (Supplied: Scott Johnston)
Meanwhile, NSW Premier Chris Minns said he was confident his government was striking the right balance between the need for critical minerals and environmental protection.
“We want to make sure we have export-led industries in critical minerals, which by the way are crucial in terms of the renewable energy revolution,” he said.
“We’ve got to get the balance right, and an exploration licence does not mean that a mine is about to open up.”