The Resources Victoria regulator has approved a 20-year mining licence for VHM Limited’s Goschen Rare Earths and Mineral Sands Project, located 35 kilometres south of Swan Hill.
The decision follows a comprehensive assessment of the company’s application, including compliance with recommendations from the Environmental Effects Statement (EES) process and public submissions.
The project will extract mineral sands and rare earths, including zircon, rutile, leucoxene, ilmenite, and rare earth minerals critical for renewable energy infrastructure, medical devices, and mobile phones.
Operations will operate 24/7, employing strip mining methods with progressive rehabilitation to restore agricultural land post-extraction.
Chris Webb, Executive Director of Regulatory Operations at Resources Victoria, emphasised the rigour of the assessment process: “In addition to the recommendations from the EES process and community feedback, our assessment focussed on whether VHM can deliver what is set out in their project proposal.”
He added: “Following this thorough assessment of their application, VHM have been awarded the right to exclusively access minerals under the state’s mining legislation.”
Before mining begins, VHM must secure approval for a detailed work plan outlining compliance with environmental and regulatory conditions, including managing community feedback and lodging a rehabilitation bond.
The company is also required to engage with local stakeholders and submit quarterly reports to the regulator addressing public concerns during construction and operations.
The Goschen project, which holds an estimated 629 million tonnes of ore, aligns with Victoria’s Critical Minerals Roadmap and is on track for first production by late 2026.
VHM CEO Ron Douglas highlighted the milestone as pivotal for finalising financing and offtake agreements ahead of a planned Final Investment Decision in 2025.
The licence grants VHM exclusive rights to develop mining facilities and infrastructure, including slurry pipelines and power supply systems, while adhering to biodiversity and land rehabilitation obligations.
