ILUKA Resources’ communication with local landholders became a talking point during the company’s community information meeting on Wednesday night.
The mining company is currently investigating the viability of two mineral sands deposits — dubbed the West Balranald and Nepean deposits — which are located north of the Balranald township.
The public meeting on Wednesday night was attended by about 50 Balranald locals, with a small delegation from Iluka on hand to answer queries and concerns from the community.
Questions from the public flowed freely throughout Iluka’s presentation, headed by project manager Tom Blackwell, but it was a specific concern towards the end of the night that turned heads.
The complaint came from a landholder whose property was being used — with consent — to help formulate Iluka’s feasibility study for the two mines.
The landowner, who declined to be named, said she had been finding yellow markers in her paddock and was unsure of how they arrived there, leading to her concerns about a lack of communication from the mining company.
“We don’t know who’s on our property,” she said.
“We’re not getting any communication — that’s not happening anymore.”
She added that there was also confusion about some drilling that had taken place on her property.
“What you are saying sounds lovely,” she said, addressing Mr Blackwell.
“But we don’t really believe a lot of what you’re saying.”
In response to the landholder’s concerns, Iluka corporate affairs manager Carly France told The Guardian the company was presently working with the affected landholders.
“Iluka is committed to its communication program with all landholders who are affected by the project activities,” Ms France said. “In addition to the community meetings, this program includes weekly email, phone and face-to-face engagement.
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“In regard to the concerns raised at the community information session, we have arranged a meeting with the affected landholder and are confident their queries can be resolved promptly.”
Balranald Shire Council Mayor Steve O’Halloran said Iluka’s communications with Council had always been exemplary.
Beyond the specific complaints of the landholder, Cr O’Halloran said he was happy with the public turn-out at the information session.
“I’m very pleased to see so many people make the effort to come out,” he said.
Attendees were shown sonic drill cores, ancient coastline maps and samples of zircon, but the impact of the mine on the Balranald region was clearly the most pressing concern of attendees.
“What we all want to know,” one attendee asked.
“Is there a line drawn where we will know whether or not there will be a mine by a certain date?”
Although he apologised for not being able to provide the specific answers to specific questions — given that the project’s pre-feasibility study is a work-in-progress — Mr Blackwell was clear about Iluka’s timeline.
“There is a board meeting on March 19, 2013 where they will officially decide whether or not to move forward with the Balranald mines,” he said.
He added that his team was working to finish the pre-feasibility study before the end of 2012, which will determine the viability of the project.
“That question is probably 10 months in front of where we are,” he said, responding to a question about how much money could potentially be brought into the town.
“This isn’t just going to pop up — you’ll have adequate time to prepare.”
Transport options were heavily discussed at the meeting, with an evident narrowing of options since Iluka’s presentation to Balranald Shire Council in July.
If the mine does indeed go forward, the minerals are likely to travel by truck south to Hamilton or Hopetoun, via Tooleybuc, according to Mr Blackwell.
“Worst-case scenarios is that we have two trucks an hour on the roads,” he said.
Private roads between the Nepean and West Balranald deposits would also be likely, as would a road between Ivanhoe Road and the West Balranald deposit.
Though he did not commit to the upgrading of existing public roads, Mr Blackwell said it would be in everyone’s best interests for roads used by Iluka to be in the best shape possible.
“It’s in our own benefit if we use public assets to have them be pristine,” he said.
Mr Blackwell was less optimistic, and much clearer, about plans for an aerodrome upgrade.
“At the moment we have no plans to develop a regional airport or, dare I say it, use the local airport,” he said.
“It’s not on our radar.”
In terms of sourcing jobs from the local area, Mr Blackwell re-iterated that it would be in Iluka’s best interests to higher locally as much as possible.
Iluka’s latest project timeline dictates that the mine would commence operations in mid-2015, if the project receives approval from both the Illuka board and Federal Government in due course.
