FARMERS at Costerfield east of Heathcote are fighting expansion plans by a local gold and antimony mine they say could spell the end of their farming operations.
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Canadian mining company Mandalay Resources has applied for a planning permit to build a pipeline and evaporation facility five kilometres south of its Augusta mine operations.
City of Greater Bendigo councillors are voting on Wednesday night on whether to approve the permit.
The proposed site is across the road from Pam King and Colin Leask, who run 1500 sheep and 46 Angus breeders at their farm Glenlea.
Pam and Colin have tapped into a niche market for chemical-free fat lambs, Angus cattle, lucerne and chemical-free fertiliser for local and regional markets.
“We get a better price from customers who our want our low chemical produce,' Ms King said.
Now they fear their livelihood is at risk.
They say their customers will not buy their products if Mandalay’s mine expansion goes ahead because of the risk of contamination from arsenic, salt and antimony from the proposed evaporation ponds.
Salty contamination was an issue already, said another farmer, Steven Harris.
During the drought he gave Mandalay mine water to his sheep and 42 wethers died, he said.
“How can this (water) be pumped into evaporation ponds?
“I don’t believe that the actual water quality is anything like the figures in the planning permit application.”
Neighbor Neil Harris said Mandalay could easily treat mine water to remove toxic heavy metals.
“'Their operations have already taken much of the water from the local creek on which we relied - now they threaten to pollute the rest,” he said.
“If this Canadian company wants to show it is a good neighbour it would spend a little of its profit to restore our water.'
The proposed Mandalay evaporation ponds are based on the Woodvale evaporation pond design, which led to claims of contamination when the ponds dried up and toxic dust blew over nearby properties.
The Costerfield farmers are concerned the porosity of local clay will allow contaminated water to leak into the aquifer.
As well as contamination fears, the farmers say the Augusta mine, which has been operating since 2005, has depleted the Wappentake Creek.
“I have been here since 1948 and it always used to be a permanent creek,” said Mr Leask.
“Now it’s not running at all.
“The mine has had a big effect on the water supply.”
The mine has had a big effect on the water supply.
- Colin Leask
The water level of one bore on Glenlea about five kilometres from the mine had dropped by six metres, Neil Harris said.
Member for Rodney Paul Weller recently chaired a public meeting at a packed Costerfield hall where residents called for the company to prepare an Environment Effects Statement in which they would engage with the community on its future plans.
Neil Harris said Mandalay should prepare an EES even though it was not legally required to do so.
In recommending the permit be granted, the COGB’s planning officer said, “Key referral agencies including EPA Victoria had offered no objection to the proposal, subject to guidelines and conditions."
Ms King said even if council approved it they would not stop their fight.
“We are not going to go away. We are not for sale.”
The Bendigo Advertiser has contacted Mandalay Resources for comment.
