Latrobe Magnesium Limited (LMG) is a company that is currently developing a plant to extract magnesium from coal ash in Victoria's Latrobe Valley. This project raises serious questions, including whether or not it implies the extension of coal mining in the Latrobe Valley beyond power station closure timelines, and what pollution the mining and production might force onto the people of the Valley.

Similar questions stand for the Avonbank Mineral Sands Project and Donald Project in Victoria’s north west. The Donald project, a joint venture between Astron Limited and Energy Fuels Inc, would be Australia's second-largest rare earth project and is being strongly resisted by local farming communities.

These projects all pose significant threats: to farming, local economies and public health and the environment. They are being strongly opposed by local land owners and many in the broader community

It is essential that major projects like these are not fast tracked because of the US-AU Critical Minerals deal. Join us in calling for Anthony Albanese to clarify how these projects will be impacted by the deal and guarantee that they will all be subject to regular environmental and social assessment processes.

(For full petition text click 'read more' below the signature box)

No Fast Track of critical minerals

Dear Mr Albanese,

Last week saw the signing of the US-AU Critical Minerals Framework.  Following the press conference with President Trump, your government announced investment in two projects. This will mean a $307 million boost to the Alcoa-Sojitz Gallium Recovery Project in Wagerup, Western Australia, and $154 million to the Arafura Nolans project in the Northern Territory. Under the US-AU deal, mining companies will be able to apply for billions of US dollars worth of financing for projects to produce minerals used in manufacturing weapons, electronics and renewable energy. 

The deal has seen huge jumps in the share prices of companies hoping to expand rare earth mining in Victoria and raised community concerns about unwanted projects being forced on communities.

Latrobe Magnesium Limited (LMG) is a company that is currently developing a magnesium production plant in Victoria's Latrobe Valley. The company has stated that they intend to ‘extract and sell magnesium metal and cementitious material from Yallourn ash, which is currently a waste stream from brown coal power generation.’ Magnesium metal is on both the Australian and US Critical Minerals List.

The deal raises huge economic - and environmental - questions.   Will this deal for magnesium production from coal waste mean an expansion of the life-span of brown coal mines scheduled for closure?

The Latrobe Valley is densely populated. What are the environmental impacts of this magnesium production on the local land and people’s health?

Similar questions stand for the Avonbank Mineral Sands Project and Donald Project in Victoria’s north west. The Donald project, a joint venture between Astron Limited and Energy Fuels Inc, would be Australia's second-largest rare earth project and is being strongly resisted by local farming communities. The government granted Astron Corporation's Donald Rare Earth and Minerals Sands "major project status" the following day. The Avonbank project, owned and operated by WIM Resource Pty Ltd (WIM) and will involve mining the Avonbank ore body to produce a ‘premium quality’ mineral sands product comprising zircon, titanium-rich mineral concentrate and minor amounts of rare earth products. According to the proponent, this project is aligned with the federal government’s 2022 Critical Minerals Strategy, meaning it could become eligible for support under the US-AU deal.

These projects all pose significant threats: to farming, local economies and public health and the environment. They are being strongly opposed by local land owners and many in the broader community. As fifth-generation farmer Peter Teasdale (whose farm would be impacted by the Donald project) says "the real big problem here is it's just going to wreck our ability to produce food going forward. And I'm not just talking about the next 10 or 15 years. We think long term, in generations ... it shouldn't be taking place on productive farmland."

It is essential that major projects like these are not fast tracked because of the US-AU Critical Minerals deal.

Victorian grain growers have urged caution and called for greater consultation as rare earth and mineral sands developments advance across broadacre farmland.

We call on you to clarify how these projects will be impacted by the US-AU deal and to guarantee that they will all be subject to the normal environmental and social assessment processes.

Signed,