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Avon & Hills Mining Awareness Group Inc

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24.01.2022 Gidgegannup Small Farm Field Day For more than three and a half years, the Avon and Hills Mining Awareness Group (AHMAG) has been raising awareness about the threat of open-cut bauxite mining to local communities. AHMAG however is still working both publicly, at regional agricultural shows and field days, and behind the scenes gathering environmental reports, petition signatures and monitoring on-going exploration activities.... AHMAG invites all Avon Valley and Hills residents who are concerned about open-cut bauxite mining to become members. Forms are available at the Gidgegannup Newsagency or online at ahmag.com.au. For $10 a year you can help the group maintain its watch on local mining activities and to continue to provide information to the public. We will be attending the Small Farm Field Day this Sunday the 27th of May, where you will be able to sign our petition and become a member of our dedicated, lively group. See you there AHMAG

24.01.2022 Mid-year AHMAG Newsletter Please support us with membership to enable the vigilance to continue. Also please consider joining the committee!

23.01.2022 Although submissions to Mundaring Shire about the proposed gravel pit extension have now closed that doesnt mean it should be forgotten. The Hills Gazette has published a front page story on the issue http://inmycommunity.pressreader.com/hills-gazette If you put in a submission you should get an invitation from Mundaring Shire council to attend the council meeting where this will be discussed. Most likely date is 13th March.

23.01.2022 Grab a bargain from the AHMAG tent! At the Mundaring Rotary Community Swap Meet Sunday 21st January. Location: Car park of the Mundaring Recreation Centre, Mundaring Weir Road. Buyers admitted at 7am. Entry gold coin donation.

22.01.2022 David and Hope manning the AHMAG display at the Morangup Car Boot Sale today.

22.01.2022 Chalice Gold Mines recent application for 10 new exploration licences covering 2300sq/km in the Shire of Toodyay easily eclipses Yankuangs bauxite tenements in our area. The May edition of The Toodyay Herald ran a front page story (see below) outlining Chalices move to blanket peg the shire for nickel, cobalt, copper and palladium and provides an overview of the companys aspirations to explore in environmentally sensitive areas including Julimar State forest which is clos...Continue reading

22.01.2022 The Echo has published the gravel pit story - and apparently despite the info in the proposal Main Roads havent yet approved this! http://echonewspaper.com.au/traffic-bauxite-concerns-huge-/

22.01.2022 Toodyay Council Are Trying To Change Our TPS To Allow Mining!!! The Toodyay Shires 2017 Draft local planning strategy aims to give Industry Mining a D use under the New Draft Local Planning Strategy. It is worth noting that under the current Town Planning Scheme 4 (TPS4), Industry mining is not listed as a use at all. The reason for this is a simple one and that is, the shire can neither approve nor reject an application to mine, as this is done at State and Federal G...overnment levels. However under Section 120 of the mining act, local shires get to have a say in regard to whether or not mining should take place within their shire. If our shire are allowed by us to give mining a D use, it will send the wrong message to the mining Warden when an application to mine is received. The Draft TPS 5, if approved, will insert Industry Mining into the zoning table with a D use the D use means that Industry Mining is not permitted unless the local government has exercised its discretion by granting development approval. This in itself is an untruth, because as mentioned above, the shire can neither approve nor reject an application to mine and therefore to change the Town Planning Scheme will send the wrong message to the mining Warden. To gain your support in the New Draft Local Planning Strategy, the shire says that this will trigger s120 of the mining Act, but s120 will be open to the Shire for comment regardless of any changes and therefore it is not warranted. We urge everyone to put in a submission before the closing date of the 3rd of November, that states mining should not be given a use under any changes to our TPS scheme, or we will end up being the mining mecca of the Avon valley and you can kiss good bye to tourism and other industries that are on the drawing board by the hard working committees and locals in Toodyay, as mining will scare them all away. To read the Items of concern, click on the link below http://www.toodyay.wa.gov.au//Draft-Local-Planning-Strategy Then click on: Toodyay LPS 2017 Endorsed Modified Draft July 2017 pdf Go to Item 7.7 on page 22, read Actions (a. To see what the Toodyay Shire really has in store for us, while on the website, click on: Map 1 Toodyay LPS_LPStratergy_Shire Map 3 Toodyay LPS Basic Raw materials. You will be horrified at the areas shown as mining and extractive industries. If you do not wish to live and drive through a mining mecca, then you need to put in a submission. Our Shire representatives need to be reined in with regard to mining before it is too late. AHMAG

21.01.2022 LAST October AHMAG asked the nine candidates standing for election for their views on open-cut mining within a 100km radius of Perth. This month, three candidates are running in the by election on Friday July 31 and we asked them for their views on both open-cut mining and whether exploration/mining should be allowed in State forests and reserves. While the State government decides if mining will be permitted, the local shire council can contribute its views on whether mining... should be allowed in State forests such as in Julimar. Candidate April Ashley opposes fracking and whatever (forms of mining) may cause water problems which could affect society in general and especially farmers and their crops. As regards open-cut mining which leaves a great scar on the landscape, I oppose it when it affects a communitys health, lifestyle and heritage sites. I dont believe it is necessary to obliterate forestland which houses a diverse variety of flora and fauna for the sake of financial gain for local and international companies. Keith Boase lived in Kalgoorlie for 16 years and has first-hand experience of living in a region impacted by mining. Its highly destructive and we need to look at what we want for future generations. I am an environmentalist and am against mining in high-quality farming areas. Tourism and farming need to be sustained in Toodyay and we shouldnt trade this for short-term gain. Mick McKeown says he is not in favour of mining in national parks and nature reserves and is also not in favour of the proposed strip-mining in the Morangup area. If large-scale mining is proposed in the shire, my preferences is that the Toodyay Shire Council should provide the lead by taking positive steps to negotiate with the proponents to achieve binding agreements that provide social and economic benefits to the community of Toodyay. AHMAG urges all electors to vote and to carefully consider which candidate will ensure that our pristine environment stays protected.

21.01.2022 Young people get that theres no Planet B Avon and Hills Mining Awareness Group At shows and events where we collect signatures for parliamentary petitions opposing local open-cut mining, we are often approached by young people wanting to pledge their support to save our environment. When we tell them that they must be over the age of 18 to sign, many are disappointed that they cant have their say.... Todays young people understand that we need to recycle, stop littering and work towards having a sustainable future and tt water and our fragile ecosystems need to be protected. A recent world-wide movement by school and university students to strike on Fridays to protest climate change has seen demonstrations in 112 countries by hundreds of thousands of young protesters. Adults in positions of authority have both praised and criticised the school walkouts with Prime Minister Scott Morrison saying, What we want is more learning and less activism in schools. The students say it is their future and that the lesson of climate change is the biggest they will ever learn. Their placard messages are to the point Theres no Planet B, Your profit is our loss, One day we will vote. In July conservationist Sir David Attenborough told British MPs that the most encouraging thing he saw is that the electors of tomorrow are already making their voices very clear. Im OK, and all of us here are OK, because we dont face the problems that are coming, he said. But the problems of the next 30 years are really major problems that are going to cause social unrest, and great changes in the way we live and what we eat. Its going to happen. Environmental awareness ranks high for todays singles and some rate it well above a prospective mates earning power. According to a small article in The West Australian in mid-July titled Tall, dark and eco-friendly, one third of singles find a potential partner more attractive if they champion green issues, while almost a quarter regard eco-friendly habits such as recycling as must-have traits in a new date. And last month, a five-year-old wrote a letter to The Herald expressing displeasure at littering and called for all to take action. The captains of industry, of whom many are grandparents, dont seem to give a toss about the environmental legacy they are leaving their descendants. On the bright side, it wont be too long before they will have to explain to their kids and grandkids why they have left them to clean up the environmental mess which they could have stopped. Keep in touch at facebook.com/ avonvalleyandhills or write to PO Box111 Gidgegannup WA 6083.

20.01.2022 Make your vote count ELECTION Stop Press Nine candidates have nominated to stand in the Toodyay Shire Council elections which close on Saturday October 19 and AHMAG has asked them if they oppose or support open-cut mining in the Avon Valley and Hills... The eight candidates who reject open-cut mining in our area are Beth Ruthven, Ben Bell, Phil Hart, Rosemary Madacsi, Brian Chambers, Susan Pearce, Bill Manning and Bruce Campbell. Bruce Guthrie said he was undecided as he would like to research the matter further. Remember, you can only vote for a maximum of six candidates, so make your vote count.

18.01.2022 AHMAG remains action-ready TO KEEP non-members up to speed about AHMAG activities over the past year, we are publishing an edited version of our newsletter. We are currently in caretaker mode and keeping an eye on the mining tenements. It takes too long to re-establish the organisation if mining activity accelerates and our association intends to stay action-ready.... Most residents believe that Yankuang Bauxite Resources Ltd has given up on the proposal to mine 62km2 in Morangup/Wooroloo but this is not true. Yankuangs bauxite tenements are still live and they include Julimar and Hoddys Well in Toodyay. Other companies, Lithium Australia, Northam Iron Pty Ltd and Australian Vanadium have pending and live tenements in the Avon Valley for lithium, iron ore and vanadium which are also strip mined. The AHMAG committee is now in its fifth year and members have come and done their bit and moved on as their circumstances change. A huge thankyou to Sandra Harms, Jeanette Appleby, Rosemary Madacsi, Jo and Phil Hart and Heather Appleby for their valuable contributions and on-going support. This year we have continued to fundraise to cover insurance, event fees and build a small reserve for publicity for when mining reactivates. We have also run two wood raffles, sold plants, attended swap meets and four agricultural shows where we have come to know most local State and Federal MPs. Each month we publish columns in The Toodyay Herald and Gidgegram which are then re-posted on our website and Facebook page to keep the public informed on whats happening in the local area. We are also keeping an eye on Swan Gravel/Trico Resources proposal to extract 900,000 tonnes of gravel a year at Lot 3560 Toodyay Road Bailup a potential open-cut bauxite mine down the track. Keeping a public profile is essential and at the time of writing 4000 people have signed our parliamentary petition to stop strip mining within a 100km radius of Perth. Keep in touch here through our Facebook page or write to PO Box 111 Gidgegannup WA 6083. If you oppose open-cut mining within a 100km radius of Perth, please show your support by becoming a member its only $10 a year.

18.01.2022 Come and say hello to us at the events below, we will be there to answer your questions on the proposed bauxite mine. We will also have merchandise on sale.

18.01.2022 For your information: Mick McKeowns mining background He has a profile on Linked-In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mick-m-8414761b/... He also is involved with a consultancy. This is from his profile on that site: https://miningone.com.au/about/personnel/ His profile is underGeology & Hydrogeology Personnel Mick has a wide range of expertise in geology and mining engineering since entering the mining industry. Over his 40 year career, Mick has completed a large number of due diligence studies, mining and geological audits, project management, operational improvement, mine budgeting, mine scheduling, underground and open-cut mine design, Ore Reserve and Mineral Resource estimation and reporting. He has worked in Australian and overseas in gold, tin, tungsten, base metals, nickel, rare earths, magnetite, limestone and dolomite deposits. His special skills include the business analysis of existing and proposed mining operations,

16.01.2022 Residents need a say on extractive industries SHIRE councils can merely express their position on allowing open-cut mining in their area as the final decision on a mining proponents application is made by the WA state government. However, when it comes to having a say on extractive industries, local government decides whether an application to quarry materials such as gravel, stone, clay and sand will be permitted....Continue reading

15.01.2022 Coming to terms with nickel terms THE LIFTING of the intra-state border at Morangup and Toodyay Roads on May 18 gave AHMAG members the chance to catch up and discuss the recent blanket pegging of 2300sq/km of Toodyay Shire by Chalice Gold Mines for nickel, copper and platinum group element (PGE) exploration. Its a rare discovery and the exploration companys haste to secure the valuable resources means AHMAG has to come up to speed about some of the terms used in the explora...tion phase of mining. The confirmed find on private land on Keating Road in Julimar is known as a greenfield site, an unchartered area where minerals are found where they were previously not thought to exist. Chalice is using two types of drilling methods diamond and reverse circulation (RC). Diamond drilling probes the contents of ore deposits by withdrawing a small core of rock, usually about 47mm in diameter, from the ore body for geologists to analyse. RC drilling uses dual rod drill holes which allow the drill cuttings to be transported to the surface for analysis. The company has also conducted an electro-magnetic (EM) aerial survey of a 24km-long target, 10km north of the confirmed resource but still needs to get State Government approval to gain access to verify the potential resource which is located in the Julimar State Forest. While EM surveys are a quick and economical method of locating metallic conductors, they are not foolproof, and on-ground testing is needed to verify the find. The type of ore identified in the Julimar area is nickel sulphide. Because the Julimar find has also identified copper and the PGEs palladium, platinum, rhodium, ruthenium, osmium and iridium, the area may be mined using a combination of both open-cut and underground mining. Six years ago, AHMAG members were getting their heads around the extraction and processing of bauxite and examining its negative environmental impacts. We now have to investigate what effect nickel mining could have on our community and natural surroundings. We will all have to closely monitor Chalices application to mine in a State forest where a vulnerable population of Chuditch (Western Quoll) live. Hopefully we will soon be out and about at local events with new information on what impacts the Chalice project may have on the Avon Valley environment.

14.01.2022 Time to act! Wherever you live submit your concerns about the proposed massive extension in extraction from the gravel pit at 3650 Toodyay Rd (Bailup), near Red Swamp Brook. Please DO IT NOW - there isnt much time. If you are concerned about the impacts of this pit then make a submission to the Shire of Mundaring (see below for ideas and links). Please share this widely! Do you have kids who travel Toodyay Road on school buses? Do you have friends that are vollies (fire, amb...o, SES)? Do you have friends who drive up Toodyay Road to visit? Do you know people in cycling or motorbike clubs who have rallies that use Toodyay Rd. Is your business tourism related? Do you live nearby and care about the local environment and water? If so then please act now! It is easy to do either via the "Comment" link next to the documents "Proposed Modification to Extractive Industry" on the Mundaring Shire Public Notices page https://www.mundaring.wa.gov.au///Pages/PublicNotices.aspx or by email or post (address on the documents on the website). Also email/copy your submission to politicians and your own local councillors. A look at all the application/licence documents suggests that the planning and potential impact appraisal - in environmental terms and generally is less than satisfactory! At the very least more time "an extension to the comment period" is needed to evaluate the risks and potential issues. So in your submission ask for an extension of the comment time period to allow a better appraisal of the proposal.Some key points that may help you with your submission include: Impact on the quality of the water in Red Swamp Brook and its knock on effect on the local vegetation and animals > Turbidity (how clear the water is) > Acidity > Falling oxygen levels > Salinisation risk Impact on the value of the surrounding properties Impact of noise and dust Loss of visual amenity Road safety issues including > The speed differential between vehicles already on Toodyay Road and those emerging from the gravel pit > The delays to emergency services vehicles on Toodyay Road > The presence of school buses > The geometry of the road, including overtaking lanes and the width of road reserves > The ability of Toodyay Road to handle up to an additional 300 fully laden trucks for day > Risk of runoff of sand, gravel and water from the pit onto Toodyay Road Impact on tourism on visitors to the Avon Valley For links to relevant documents see the similar post to this on AHMAGs website. http://www.ahmag.com.au/

14.01.2022 This is potentially what we have to look forward to if any of these happen: bauxite mining in the Hills/Toodyay, iron ore mining near Northam, extractive industry is allowed to grow unchecked!

13.01.2022 Chalice wastes no time getting on the ground AHMAG members have learnt a lot in the past six years about how mining/exploration proponents engage with the shire and community to promote a local project. And it seems too that Toodyay Shire Council is now keenly aware of the need to keep residents ‘in the loop’ about its interaction with Chalice Gold Mines Pty Ltd which has pegged most of the shire to explore for nickel-copper-platinum group elements (PGEs). In response to AHMA...Continue reading

13.01.2022 Reminder to ALL current members - membership renewals are now due! Please pay your subscription now to maintain your membership and in order to be able to vote at the AGM on July 21st Membership subscription is $10, the BSB and account number for AHMAG: 633-000 Account No. 152776654. PLEASE APPEND YOUR NAME AND STATE THAT THE PAYMENT IS FOR MEMBERSHIP If you are not yet a member please message us here for a membership form.

13.01.2022 URGENT, URGENT, URGENT Please read this very long post and study the attached map before it is too late. Deception beyond belief...Continue reading

11.01.2022 New name, same old bauxite threat LATE last year Bauxite Resources Ltd (BRL) changed its company name to that of its wholly owned subsidiary Silica Quartz Group Ltd (ASQ). Readers may recall that BRL was the joint venture partner of Yankuang Bauxite Resources Ltd when they set up shop in Toodyay trading as Bauxite Alumina Joint Venture (BAJV) which set its sights on mining 62km2 of local bauxite between Morangup and Toodyay.... Yankuang now controls these BAJV tenements and has since extended its tenements in the Avon Valley but the rebadged BRL has also not given up on its interest in mining bauxite. The company has found a new Chinese partner HD Mining & Investments Pty Ltd which is the wholly owned subsidiary of Shandong Bureau No.1 Institute for Prospecting of Geology & Minerals. The HDM website states that it is currently working towards obtaining a 40 per cent interest in the bauxite rights of several tenements under the joint venture which are wholly owned by ASQ. HDM are fully funding exploration activities and their interest will be triggered if HDM enters into a binding commitment to undertake a feasibility study on the tenements." Should HDM and ASQ make a subsequent decision to mine, then HDM will earn an additional 20 per cent interest in bauxite rights on the tenements." ASQ maintains 100 percent interest in all other minerals. If the joint venture with HDM is successful there are two large tenements near Toodyay which will be mined. The biggest is south of Old Plains Road adjacent to the Bindoon Training area (E 70/3405) and the other (E70/3160) is in West Toodyay. To locate the area of proposed mining sign up to LandTracker Maps its free and insert the above co-ordinates. Early this year, ASQ stated that its primary focus has been the acquisition, exploration and development of bauxite minerals deposits in WA with the aim of capitalising on developing markets in China. While ASQ recognises that due to oversupply bauxite/aluminium prices have been depressed, it remains ready to move and is now focussing on the commercial development of its bauxite resources to supply into direct shipment ore (DSO) export to international customers. Even with a new name and new dance partner the former BRL remains ready to hit the floor when the bauxite/aluminium market bounces back. Keep in touch at facebook.com/avonhills or write to PO Box 111 Gidgegannup WA 6083.

11.01.2022 FINALLY! The gravel pit extension on Toodyay Rd on the boundary with Mundaring is coming back to Mundaring Council in October. This is the form/standard letter sent to those who made submissions in 2017/18 informing them that the application will be considered at the council meeting on 13th October, and MOST IMPORTANTLY inviting public deputations/questions. AS ALWAYS TIME IS SHORT - watch this space more more information! AHMAG posted several times about this in December 20...17/January 2018 and has maintained a "watching brief" since. See the posts for more background: 2.12.17 https://www.facebook.com/avonandhills/posts/1678947048824114 11.12.17 https://www.facebook.com/avonandhills/posts/1688308957887923 22.12.17 https://www.facebook.com/avonandhills/posts/1699002066818612 10.01.18 https://www.facebook.com/avonandhills/posts/1718777778174374 See more

11.01.2022 AHMAG AGM coming up in July.

10.01.2022 EIGHT TOODYAY SHIRE CANDIDATES OPPOSE MINING NINE candidates have nominated to stand in the Toodyay Shire Council elections which close on Saturday October 19 and AHMAG has asked them if they oppose or support open-cut mining in the Avon Valley and hills. The eight candidates who reject open-cut mining in our area are Beth Ruthven, Ben Bell, Phil Hart, Rosemary Madacsi, Brian Chambers, Susan Pearce, Bill Manning and Bruce Campbell. Bruce Guthrie said he was undecided as he wo...uld like to research the matter further. Remember, you can only vote for a maximum of six candidates, so make your vote count. Fundraising for not-for-profit community groups such as AHMAG is vital to keeping groups afloat. Throughout the year we run wood raffles, attend swap meets and sell plants at the Midland Farmers Market but October really puts us through our paces. This month we will be spreading the message about the threat of open-cut mining to our local communities at two agricultural shows, one festival and a car boot sale. Our fundraising sub-committee will be stretched to the limit this year as two events, the Toodyay Agricultural Show and Wundowie Iron Festival will both be held on Saturday October 12. The next day, Sunday October 13 we will be up again early to set up to sell plants and donated items at the Morangup Progress Associations car boot sale at Morangup Hall in Wallaby Way. The team gets a bit of a breather for a weekend before we attend the Gidgegannup Agricultural Show on Saturday October 26. Over the past five years we have sold pens, rainfall charts, stickers, stubby holders and keep cups to ensure we stay action ready for when the open-cut mining proponents resume their activities in earnest. Stocks of our popular No Bauxite Mining in Avon and Hills stubby holders are now totally depleted and graphic artist Sandra Harms has produced a similar design with our mascot Nutbuster, the endangered Carnabys Cockatoo, sending a new message of No Open-Cut Mining in Avon and Hills. Sandra has also created a stunning Banksia design for a new line of merchandise, the calico eco-shopping bag which we hope will give Nutbuster a run for his money. Pop into the AHMAG tent at any of these events, say hello, and show your support by purchasing any of our new items. Its a small price to pay for making sure we protect our environment. If you would like to donate plants or unwanted items for the car boot sale and future swap meets, please contact Hope and David Jones on 9572 9072. Keep in touch at facebook. com/avonvalleyand hills or write to PO Box 111 Gidgegannup WA 6083.

07.01.2022 AHMAG keeps its eye on all open-cut mining OUR SMALL but active group has survived another year and will continue to spread the message that the threat of open-cut mining in our area has not gone away. Mid-year, Yankuang Bauxite Resources Ltd allowed a small parcel of tenements to lapse which led to speculation that the Chinese state-owned mining proponent had packed its bags and gone home. All of Yankuangs remaining bauxite tenements are still live, and the earliest we will... know if they intend to quit the area will be in early April when its exploration licence for its Wundowie/Bailup resource area expires. Meanwhile, Yankuang has been joined by open-cut mining proponents Northam Iron Pty Ltd, Australian Vanadium, Lithium Australia and Mercator Minerals which intend to mine locally. With the additional threat of iron ore, vanadium and lithium mining, AHMAG has rebadged several items of merchandise from No Bauxite Mining to the more inclusive No Open-Cut Mining. Our parliamentary petition which opposes all open-cut mining within a 100km radius of Perth continues to grow with more than 4000 signatures collected at local events. Facebook followers remain steady and this year we have had several new members sign up. Membership is as cheap as chips; $10 a year, so show your support by signing up on Facebook or by writing to the address below. We would like to thank all who have donated plants and unwanted items which generate much-needed funds to keep us afloat. Each month we must find more than $100 to cover public liability insurance so we can go out and spread the message. Special thanks this year to Sandra Harms, Jeanette Appleby, Jo and Phil Hart, Rosemary and MiskaMadacsi, Heather and Geoff Appleby and Leonie Woods for coming on board when needed. The events team Hope and David Jones, Shan Diver and family and Ieva Tomsons continued to spread the message during fundraising activities, and we end the calendar year in a healthy financial position. Visit facebook.com/avonvalleyandhills or write to PO Box 111 Gidgegannup WA 6083. Seasons greetings and Happy New Year to everyone see you next year

06.01.2022 Where will the water come from for Julimar nickel mines? Doug Blandford* THREE more companies, Australian Silica Quartz Group Ltd, DevEx Resources Limited which are now associated through an earn-in agreement, and Cassini Resources Limited have thrown their hats into the ring and joined the exploration bandwagon in what is now known as the Julimar Nickel Province....Continue reading

06.01.2022 Perfect autumn weather drew the crowds to Gidgegannup Small Farm Field Day on May 26 and AHMAG was once again in the thick of it. We enjoyed the festive atmosphere and congratulate the organisers on presenting an event that encourages sustainable and environmentally friendly farming. The AHMAG marquee was inundated with people who signed our petition to stop open-cut mining within a 100km radius of Perth. Many were city visitors who were appalled to learn that bauxite, vanadium and lithium mines are being considered in our area. Thanks to everyone who pledged their support, donated or bought our keep cups, pens and stubby holders it was a very successful day for us and it has spurred us on to keep campaigning to stop open-cut mining out of our Hills and Avon Valley communities.

05.01.2022 YOUR CHANCE TO HAVE YOUR SAY ABOUT THE FUTURE OF TOODYAY! This is a long post, however the basic info is in the Community Notice flyer attached. Apologies if you already shared - we had to repost! Toodyay Shire Local Planning Strategy (LPS) is being re-written. The DRAFT Local Planning Strategy is currently available for comment. Your chance to make your opinion count on local planning and development over the next ten to fifteen years....Continue reading

05.01.2022 The gravel pit has raised its head again time to make your voices heard! The current gravel pit proposal is for 3650 Toodyay Road - on the outskirts of Morangup, near the point where the Shire of Toodyay, City of Swan and Shire of Mundaring meet. The proponent has made an application to the Shire of Mundaring to make a massive increase in extraction occurring on the site. This application is an extension to the previously approved licence for 47,000 tonnes of gravel to be ...Continue reading

04.01.2022 COPPER RIDES HIGH ON BACK OF PANDEMIC COPPER is one of the resources recently discovered in the Julimar region north of Toodyay where exploration companies are rushing to gain access to their pending tenements, including one in the Julimar State Forest. The mineral is now a far-more-valuable commodity at $8 per kilogram having surged 45 per cent since the March 12 announcement of the Covid-19 pandemic. The price rise is due in part to copper’s potential to reduce the transmi...ssion of the virus in high-traffic areas such as hospitals and schools. We’re not talking solid copper doorhandles and taps, but about coating existing objects with copper using recently developed technology. A stainless steel doorhandle can be coated in about five minutes at a cost of approximately $100. A University of Southampton (UK) microbiologist has been studying copper’s antimicrobial effects for more than 20 years and found that in the case of Covid 229E, a relative of Covid-19, the virus remained infectious on stainless steel and glass for five days whereas on a copper surface it disappeared within minutes. However Covid-19 is a tougher customer and can remain active on a copper surface for hours. For thousands of years the ancient Egyptians and Chinese have known about copper’s ‘disinfectant’ properties long before the discovery of germs or viruses. While gold and silver also have antibacterial properties, copper’s specific atomic makeup contains a free electron which eliminates a virus more quickly. In business circles copper is known as Dr Copper not for its curative properties but as an indicator of how well the economy is doing. At the moment the Australian finances are at rock bottom and the recent surge in the copper price is closely linked to the closure of copper mines in Chile and Peru where workers have been affected by the pandemic. It’s curious that a virus can lead to a price hike of a mining commodity such as copper and AHMAG will be monitoring the progress of local tenement applications in a region which promises high yields of not just copper but also nickel and platinum group elements. Mining is propping up a cash-strapped economy and it’s odds-on that many proposed mining projects may be fast-tracked to boost the country’s coffers. It’s up to us all to monitor these projects to ensure that shortcuts, which could negatively impact our health and environment, aren’t taken. AGM memberships due THE AVON and Hills Mining Awareness Group’s AGM will be held at 10am on Saturday September 26 in the Morangup Community Hall in Wallaby Way, Morangup. To be eligible to vote at the AGM memberships must paid to either the postal address below or to the AHMAG account BSB 633-000, account number 152776654. Donations are always welcome to support our group’s efforts to keep you informed about local mining proposals. In the meantime, stay in touch here or write to PO Box 111 Gidgegannup WA 6083.

04.01.2022 Yankuang builds on exploration block by block NEXT year in early April, part of Yankuang Bauxite Resources Pty Ltds exploration licence for its Wundowie/Bailup resource area expires. But thats not the end of it, as Yankuang can continue to apply for two-year extensions into the future as long as it meets Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety rules on expenditure and compensation to landowners such as Peter Cook who owns most of the land under exploration. Usi...ng the departments schedule of fees and charges for exploration tenements, Yankuang has to spend approximately $500,000 over 11 years to satisfy the expenditure conditions to maintain its licences at Morangup and Wundowie/Bailup. The company has not only met the minimum expenditure requirement but has reportedly spent even more to explore the 62km2 bauxite resource. Mining companies dont talk in hectares or square kilometres, they talk in minutes. Based on longitude and latitude, their tenements are divided into regular units of land called graticular sections or blocks. Depending on the latitude, a block equates to approximately 2.8km2 to 3.3km2, which gives Yankuang 21 blocks in the 62km2 Morangup-Wundowie/Bailup exploration area. During the exploration phase before a mining licence is granted, the mining proponent can extract or disturb up to 1000 tonnes of material from the ground, including overburden, and can seek ministerial approval to approve extraction of larger tonnages. There is no limit to the number of exploration licences an individual or company can hold but there is a limit on the number of blocks that can be included in one licence. An exploration licence is limited to a maximum of 70 blocks in a known mineralisation zone such as the Avon Valley. As long as the blocks have at least one side in common with another in the group, it means that approximately 210km2 can be explored under one licence. Since the original 62km2 exploration area was licensed in 2007, Yankuang has added four more adjoining exploration areas in 2011 and 2012 as well as another, as yet unconnected, site. Even if we double the minimum expenditure commitments for the original Morangup-Wundowie/Bailup exploration area, this averages out to only $91,000 a year peanuts for a Chinese state-owned company such as Yankuang. STILL no news of when Mundaring Shire Council will discuss the Swan Gravel/Trico Resources application to extract gravel at Lot 3560 Toodyay Road Bailup. Keep in touch here on Facebook or write to AHMAG at PO Box 111, Gidgegannup WA 6083.

03.01.2022 THE HILLS are alive with live mineral exploration tenements. They straddle national parks, nature reserves, State forests, productive agricultural land and private properties. There are a number of companies paying big dollars to maintain their exploration registrations on land they intend to mine for various minerals including bauxite throughout the Avon Valley and vanadium between Wundowie and Bakers Hill. Lithium Australias pending application to mine lithium is in an a...rea already pegged for bauxite mining north of Wundowie, while north east of Bejoording and to the east of Toodyay from Bolgart to Calingiri, Northam Iron Pty Ltd has its sights set on mining more iron ore. Northam Iron Pty Ltd already has live exploration tenements east of Nunile, from Bejoording to near Southern Brook, which they hope to convert to mining tenements. By far the biggest local bauxite mining proponent is Yankuang Bauxite Resources Ltd which has located 265 million tonnes in our area. The company recently relinquished a tiny parcel of its holdings but maintains the vast majority as live exploration tenements throughout the Avon Valley. Some new players have entered the mining arena; Chalice Gold Mines,which has pending tenements for nickel, copper, platinum and vanadium in a 156km2 area including the Julimar State Forest, and Pacific Bauxite Ltd, which holds pending live exploration tenementsover a 405km2area60km north east of Perth. In its annual report to shareholders in June 2018, Pacific Bauxite Ltd reported: The immediate future for bauxite mining remains promising. A boom period is considered imminent, driven by demand from China where a substantial fall in domestic reserves and production will require a corresponding increase in bauxite reports. The company believes that existing bauxite supplies together with planned developments are expected to satisfy global demands until approximately 2020. Beyond this point in time, new projects will be required to meet forecast demand, with a supply deficit of more than 25 million tonnes by 2025 and over 50 million tonnes by 2030. Residents who have been breathing a sigh of relief that Yankuang have packed up and gone home to China should think again. To see who has pending and live exploration tenements in your area, there is an easily accessible website that shows who is doing what and where. Visit LandTracker Maps, register, and you have free access to monitor what is happening in your own backyard. If Pacific Bauxite Ltd is correct in predicting an imminent boom in bauxite mining, AHMAG needs your help more than ever. To become an AHMAG member ($10 a year) or help with any of our activities, visit facebook.com/avonhills or write to PO Box 111, Gidgegannup WA 6083. Submission update MUNDARING Shire Council has not set a date for when the Swan Gravel/Trico Resources granite pit at Bailupwill be discussed.

01.01.2022 Local shows bring towns together Avon and Hills Mining Awareness Group AHMAG congratulates recently elected councillors Ben Bell, Phil Hart, Rosemary Madacsi, Bill Manning, Susan Pearce and Beth Ruthven and looks forward to their in-principle support to oppose open-cut mining in Toodyay Shire.... October was hectic for the AHMAG events team with three shows and a car boot sale to attend. This year the Toodyay Agricultural Show and the Wundowie Iron Festival were held on the same day which stretched the team and its resources to the limit. Our spare marquee which took a battering at last years Iron Festival finally gave up the ghost with another wind gust at Wundowie sealing its fate. The team in Toodyay enjoyed blue skies and the well-attended Show generated pages of signatures opposing open-cut mining within a 100km radius of Perth. Our calico bags and new stubby holders sold well and the Lucky Cup game attracted numerous players. There was no need to unpack our information gear as the next day we were all off to the Morangup Progress Associations car boot sale with loads of donated plants and items. Thanks to everyone who donated goods, in particular Peter and Esther Wunderliy, Di and Brian Dale, Ric Jones and Sue Bussell. Ric propagates plants for AHMAG and his fair prices for unusual specimens contributed to a bumper day of fundraising. In just over four hours we raised almost $350 and the support from local Morangupians was really appreciated. After a two-week break we were at the Gidgegannup Agricultural Show on October 26 a bumper day for both fundraising and petition signatures. Congratulations to the Toodyay Agricultural Association, Wundowie Progress Association, Morangup Progress Association and Gidgegannup Agricultural Society for pulling together such well-run events. Staging large community events takes countless hours of volunteer commitment and without them Toodyay, Wundowie, Morangup and Gidgegannup would lose a place where locals can catch up and discuss whats happening in their area. If you have unwanted items to donate for the Gidgegannup swap meet on Sunday November 17 please contact Hope and David Jones on 9572 9072. Keep in touch at facebook.com/avonvalley and hills or write to PO Box 111 Gidgegannup WA 6083. PIC: Shan Diver (left) at the AHMAG stall in Morangup with customer Sue Bussell. Photo:Phil Hart.

01.01.2022 Waste dumps and tailings in Julimar? Doug Blandford* I READ with interest the article in the May edition of The Toodyay Herald regarding the results from exploration drilling in the Julimar area west of Toodyay....Continue reading