We recently visited Horsham in north western Victoria to meet with farmers who are, or will be, impacted by the massive critical minerals developments planned for the NW of the state. The meeting was organised through Mine Free Wimmera Farms. There are five main projects currently planned. There are also legacy issues from older projects, which have not been properly rehabilitated.
We also toured around the edge of some of the Avonbank Mineral Sands Project, located just 10 km northeast of Horsham, which is a large-scale open-cut mining project proposed by WIM Resource Pty Ltd.
What we heard from the impacted people was shocking. Firstly the scale of the projects. Each one is assessed separately, yet they will have an enormous cumulative impact on landscapes, water and farming economies across the region.
Most of the people we met are multi generational cropping farmers. They grow crops like wheat, canola, lentils and barley for both local consumption and export, and as many of them said ‘we are feeding the world through our work’. Yet they face the loss of their farms and livelihoods for decades if mining proceeds. The heartbreak attached to this was obvious.
Key problems with these mines
Please scroll down for details on each of the planned mines.
· Each mineral sand mine will consume hundreds of hectares of high production cereal farm land. This land will be lost to production forever.
There is no feasible method to restore mine pits back to cereal production. We heard from people impacted by previous mines who are still not able to carry out cropping, due to the poor rehabilitation.
· At most locations the mining company will extract millions of tonnes of saline groundwater.
It is most likely that the mining company will walk away when the project ends, and this saline water will sit in above ground storages on the farm land. A number of people also expressed concerns about mining impacts on vital aquifers.
· There will be direct environmental impacts from these mines
This includes loss of remnant vegetation and above ground water use. For instance, Taylors Lake, which is critical for Horsham’s water supply will be impacted by the proposed WIM 150 projects. Along with Lake Bellfield, it currently provides drinking water to Horsham and the surrounding area. It also provides environmental flow into the Wimmera River. Additionally, a number of swamps and lakes with endangered flora and fauna will be affected.
· Mining companies often leave radioactive tailings dumps on the surface.
What was staggering was that the proposed Avonbank project was literally next to a major food processing complex and the Wimmera Intermodal Freight Hub, which creates millions of dollars of economic activity and hundreds of long term jobs. There is only a separation distance of 250m from proposed mineral sands operations, meaning these facilities could be regularly contaminated by potentially radioactive dust from the near by mine. In 2025, the Victorian government approved what will be the largest potato processing plant in the country, creating another 250 jobs. It is inconceivable that governments would approve a massive open cut mine which will produce hazardous dust so close to a food processing hub.
What we heard – the system has failed farmers
Almost every person we met told us that they felt ignored by governments and that they wanted the mining companies gone from their communities. They repeatedly told us that the EES approvals system was ‘broken’, and that the assessment and approvals processes for these large projects felt like ‘box ticking’ exercises with a pre determined outcome. There is lack of transparency about the impacts of mines, and no trust in government oversight of mines once they are up and running (miners generally are able to self report) and that endless ‘workplan variations’ allows companies to slowly increase impacts and reduce protections over time. They feel ignored by ministers, MPs and the government in general.
When they are compelled to sell their land for mines, the system only provides families with a market value + 10% price, which makes it unviable to purchase properties nearby to continue farming. These are people with deep connection to their local communities, and the current system will force many people to leave the region if they wish to keep farming.
We heard fears that mine developers could on sell approved projects to mining companies with especially bad track records.
We heard of social dislocation, and impacts on local housing availability, with workers coming in from outside the region. Mining creates a Boom and Bust economy, and when farming families are displaced, they are often lost to the region.
The constant message was that previous rehabilitation has failed and that the bonds required are insufficient to ensure proper rehabilitation in the future.
And we heard deep fears about the health impacts of these mines due to the fact that radioactive materials are released into the air and can blow long distances. There were many stories of locals being impacted by various and unusual cancers, yet there have been no studies carried out to monitor any long term health impacts of critical minerals mines.
We heard a strong desire to see formal protection for this important cropping land. The preferred model is for the creation of a land classification system, in legislation, to protect Agricultural land, which would see key areas protected from large scale projects like mines. Thousands of hectares of prime agricultural land are currently under a retention licence for mining, and could impact on food security
Hundreds of families will be directly affected.
What next
This visit was shocking to us – the scale of the projects, the personal impacts on families, and the long term economic impacts on local communities, the loss of vital cropping land and impacts on landscapes and ground water.
We are still to talk with a number of key people about the impacts of the planned mines but a logical starting point is to examine and then educate the community about the fact that previous mineral sands mines in the north west have seen failed attempts at rehabilitation.
Further information and getting involved
1/ Sign our open letter calling for a moratorium
Please sign our open letter calling on all candidates and parties to support the call for an immediate halt on any further assessment or approval of any aspect of critical minerals projects until there has been an independent and comprehensive analysis done of the cumulative impacts of these projects.
2/ please ask your local candidates to support the open letter
Please approach your local candidates for the November state election and ask them to sign on to the open letter.
Just copy the open letter text (available here) and ask your candidate to support the letter publicly. If they do so please let us know so we can announce and thank them. [email protected]
To learn more about these projects, please check the ARMR website.
Mine Free Mallee Farms Inc
Mine Free Mallee Farms Inc (MFMF) is a dedicated community group who are passionate about protecting their prime agricultural cropping country, their health, homes and lifestyle from mining. VHM Limited is proposing to develop the Goschen Rare Earths and Mineral Sands Project about 35km south of Swan Hill in the Gannawarra Shire Council and intends to mine and process heavy mineral sands and rare earth minerals.
Check the Mine Free Wimmera Farms facebook page here.
[Above: the locations of the proposed mines are shown by the red radioactive symbols]
Details on the projects in north west Victoria.
This information comes from our friends at the Alliance for Responsible Mining Regulation (ARMR) and their website can be found here.
Avonbank Mineral Sands Project
The Avonbank Mineral Sands Project, located 15 km northeast of Horsham, Victoria, is a large-scale open-cut mining project proposed by WIM Resource Pty Ltd. As of early 2026, the project has secured major environmental approvals and is progressing through final licensing and work plan assessments.
Deposit & Products: The site contains approximately 300 million tonnes of ore and is proposed to produce a radioactive heavy mineral concentrate containing zircon, titanium-rich minerals and small amounts of rare earths. The concentrate would require a further complex separation stage before rare earth products were available to the market..
Scale & Lifespan: The project covers a development area of approximately 3,426 hectares. It has a projected mine life of 30 years, targeting the extraction of 11 million tonnes of ore per year.
Operational Method: The mine will use a “moving hole” open-pit method, where only about 340–400 hectares are disturbed at any one time before being progressively rehabilitated back to agricultural use. ARMR disputes that it can ever be returned to its previous productive capacity.
Logistics: Radioactive ore will be processed into HMC at a Wet Concentrator Plant within the Wimmera Intermodal Freight Terminal (WIFT) and then transported by road to the Port of Portland for export. This terminal will also be a central location for grain storage facilities and grain export processors, which seems a ridiculous proposition.
Construction Timeline: Subject to final licensing, a financial investment decision, and approval of a detailed work plan, construction is tentatively targeted to begin in 2026.
Community Concerns: Local farmers and residents have raised concerns regarding compulsory land acquisition, potential dust and radiation risks, and the long-term success of soil rehabilitation for cropping.
Controversies also arose in 2025 regarding allegations of falsified community support documents, leading to legal proceedings and the suspension of a WIM employee. The charges were withdrawn after it was determined there was insufficient evidence to successfully prosecute the case.
The critical mineral market is unstable with China controlling prices and the USA not prepared to back a floor price. Projects like Avonbank are likely to fail financially following the acquisition and destruction of valuable cropping land.
Mine Free Wimmera Farms Inc
Self-help group promoting advocacy, advice, research and representation to Government bodies.
[email protected]
https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/environmental-assessments/browse-projects/avonbank-mineral-sands
The Donald Mineral Sands Project
The Donald Mineral Sands Project, located about 300 km north-west of Melbourne near Minyip in the Wimmera region of Victoria, is an advanced critical minerals project co-developed by Australia-based ASX-listed Astron Corporation Ltd and US-based Energy Fuels Inc. The project has secured all major regulatory approvals and is awaiting a Final Investment Decision (FID).
Owner/Developer: A joint venture (Donald Project Pty Ltd, trading as Donald Mineral Sands or DMS) between Astron Limited and Energy Fuels Inc. Energy Fuels has provided $183 million in secured funding to the joint venture.
Deposit Size: A resource containing approximately 2.4 billion tonnes of ore.
Products: The mine will extract radioactive ore containing zircon, titanium (ilmenite and rutile), and associated rare earth elements (neodymium and praseodymium).
Mine Life: Phase 1 of the project has a projected mine life of over 42 years, processing 7.5 million tonnes of mineral sands annually over the initial 19-year period.
Mining Method: Open-pit mining using a “moving hole” technique with progressive rehabilitation of the land for future agricultural use. ARMR believes that it can never be returned to its previous productive capacity.
Logistics: Products will be transported to the Port of Portland for export overseas. Rare earth concentrate will be shipped to the Energy Fuels’ White Mesa Mill in Utah, USA, for processing.
Major Project Status: The Australian government granted Major Project Status in October 2025, streamlining federal agency engagement.
Timeline: Subject to a positive FID, construction is targeted to begin in 2026, with operations commencing in late 2027.
Early Works: Installation of the project’s 14 km water pipeline, the first major piece of infrastructure, was completed in late 2025.
Mining method: ARMR believes that the proponent has not established a viable mining method. It is our belief that tailings returned hydraulically to mine pits will take many years to dry to the stage where the pit is stable and able to be capped. As the subsoil has been removed from the agricultural environment we believe that the agronomy model described by the proponent is not credible. It may never be possible to cultivate crops on this land, even if the proponent backfills the mine pits.
Logistics: the proponent is suggesting that a concentrate containing uranium and other radioactive material will be shipped to the US for the recovery of uranium and rare earth products. There must be considerable doubt as to the legality of exporting uranium in this matter. ARMR can see no viable logistic process for the handling of this radioactive concentrate through the Port of Portland as a bulk product. There is a residential community immediately adjacent to the bulk handling facility which is only configured for grain.
Mine Free Wimmera Farms Inc
A self-help group promoting advocacy, advice, research and representation to Government bodies. [email protected]
https://resources.vic.gov.au/landholders-and-community/key-site-updates/donald-mineral-sands-project
Wimmera Mineral Sands Project
The Wimmera Mineral Sands Project is located approximately 35 kilometres south-west of Horsham. Developed by Australian-owned ASX listed Iluka Resources Limited, it is currently in the feasibility study phase. A final investment decision expected to be considered in 2026 or 2027, subject to government approvals.
The WIM100 deposit contains approximately 200 million tonnes (Mt) of radioactive heavy mineral sands ore which is proposed to be extracted and refined onsite to produce zircon, titanium oxide and rare earth products. Rehabilitation will occur progressively as the mine advances. ARMR believes that it can never be returned to its previous productive capacity.
Key Challenge: The mineral sands in the Wimmera region contain high levels of impurities in their zircon, which requires a specialized processing solution that Iluka has been piloting and testing.
The proposed mining method is likely to be progressive mining using mobile earthmoving equipment. Approximately 9-10 million tonnes of ore per annum will be extracted, which will be refined onsite to produce 192,000 tonnes of recoverable mineral product per annum, over the projected 25-year mine life.
The radioactive rare earth concentrate would be transported to Iluka’s Eneabba refinery in Western Australia which has yet to be built, and may never be built due to its prohibitive cost.
The critical mineral market is unstable with China controlling prices and the USA not prepared to back a floor price. Projects like Wim100 are likely to fail financially following the acquisition and destruction of valuable cropping land.
Mine Free Wimmera Farms Inc
A self-help group promoting advocacy, advice, research and representation to Government bodies.
[email protected]
https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/environmental-assessments/browse-projects/wimmera-mineral-sands
Goschen Mineral Sands Project
The Goschen Mineral Sands Project, approximately 35 km south of Swan Hill, is owned and developed by the Australian company VHM Limited. As of late 2025, the project has received final work plan approval, paving the way for construction activities to commence.
The Goschen deposit contains an estimated 629 million tonnes of ore and will involve mining and processing radioactive heavy mineral sands and rare earths into mixed heavy mineral concentrate (HMC), zircon concentrate, rutile product, leucoxene products, ilmenite product and rare earth mineral products. Goschen has an estimated 20 to 25-year mine life.
Operations: It involves shallow open-pit mining and processing of up to 5 million tonnes of ore per year, with progressive rehabilitation of mined areas to return the land to agricultural use. ARMR believes that it can never be returned to its previous productive capacity.
Infrastructure: The project includes a 38 km water supply pipeline from Kangaroo Lake and radioactive product transport via road to the Ultima intermodal terminal and then by rail to the Port of Melbourne for export.
Approvals: Minister’s Assessment: The Victorian Minister for Planning provided a favourable assessment of the project’s Environment Effects Statement (EES) in December 2024.
Federal Approval: The Federal Government granted approval under the EPBC Act in September 2025.
Mining Licence: Resources Victoria granted VHM a 20-year mining licence in April 2025.
Work Plan: The final work plan, a crucial step before construction, was approved by Resources Victoria on 28 November 2025.Timeline: VHM is targeting first commissioning of Stage 1 in the second half of 2026. The project will proceed with a final investment decision before construction can fully commence.
The critical mineral market is unstable with China controlling prices and the USA not prepared to back a floor price. Projects like Goschen are likely to fail financially following the acquisition and destruction of valuable cropping land.
Mine Free Mallee Farms Inc (MFMF) is a dedicated community group who are passionate about protecting their prime agricultural cropping country, their health, homes and lifestyle from mining. Their aim is to provide the best available information highlighting the current and future potential serious impacts of Mineral Sands mining in our area. It is time to get this messages across instead of reading the one sided reports from VHM.
They believe it is now time for communities to work together to protect our prime cropping country, our homes and lifestyles.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/269388696144838
https://resources.vic.gov.au/landholders-and-community/key-site-updates/goschen-rare-earths-and-mineral-sands-project
Douglas Mine
The Douglas Mine (also known as the Douglas and Echo Mine) is a former heavy mineral sands mine, operated by Iluka Resources, located approximately 60 kilometres southwest of Horsham in Victoria.
Mining and on-site processing began in 2004/2006 and concluded in 2012. During its peak, it extracted approximately 7.5 million tonnes of mineral sands, primarily rutile and zircon. Operations are currently focused on rehabilitation earthworks and ongoing monitoring of rehabilitated areas.
Rehabilitation earthworks were expected to be largely complete by 2025. The primary goal is to return the site to its pre-mining capability, largely for pastoral and agricultural use. Some areas have already been returned to landholders for cropping and grazing. Monitoring of the success of these works is ongoing throughout 2026.
The project has faced community scrutiny regarding the disposal of mining by-products (including radioactive materials from other sites) in open pits and potential impacts on local aquifers.
“The WRP mine, which was completed in 2012, shows that the rehabilitated cropping areas remain devastated with poor germination, very poor yields, subsidence, sink holes in the landform creating an unsafe, unstable work place: a forever disaster.
Over the last 13 years Iluka has attempted to fully rehabilitate their mine sites without success and now some landholders are seeking a ‘remedy’ through proceedings in the Federal Supreme Court.”
From the submission – Inquiry into factors shaping social licence and economic development outcomes in critical minerals projects across Australia – Is it possible to Rehabilitate Prime (cropping) Agricultural Lands to pre-mining productivity and profitability following critical mineral sands mining?
“Mineral sands mining and food security become seriously conflicted particularly when there is no substantive evidence anywhere in the World (that I have located) that can demonstrate post-mineral sand mined cropping lands, following targeted rehabilitation, can be returned to pre-mining productivity and profitability. In fact, the experience to date points to the opposite.”
https://www.aph.gov.au/DocumentStore.ashx?id=052b0145-afeb-493d-b047-57501d3d8a64&subId=787421