Resources Victoria has granted a mining licence to WIM Resource for its Avonbank project in the state’s Wimmera region.
The decision follows a rigorous assessment against Victoria’s minerals legislation and relevant Commonwealth statutory provisions.
Regulator evaluations determined that WIM Resource possesses an appropriate, fully funded work programme to execute the development and satisfies all criteria to be deemed a fit and proper licence holder.
The proposed operation will extract valuable heavy mineral sands, including zircon, titanium, and critical rare earth elements. These essential raw materials are widely utilised in consumer technology products and form key components in renewable energy infrastructure.
All recommendations put forward by the Minister for Planning during the Environment Effects Statement (EES) process were factored into the decision. These measures will be enforced through binding licence conditions alongside a comprehensive Work Plan assessment.
Laura Helm, Executive Director Regulatory Operations at Resources Victoria, noted the inter-agency collaboration behind the regulatory approval.
“This outcome is as a result of diligent assessment work by numerous agencies and departments at both the state and Commonwealth level,” Helm said.
The upcoming Work Plan assessment will finalise crucial operational details, including safe mineral concentrate handling procedures, real-time on-site environmental monitoring, and set operating hours.
Risk management controls will be integrated into the framework to safeguard local ecosystems and neighbouring regional communities.
Mining operations will incorporate a staged rehabilitation methodology aimed at progressively restoring disturbed land to a productive state.
Rehabilitation strategies will align with guidance from the Mineral Sands Agricultural Land Restoration Working Group, established earlier this year to unify farmers, technical experts, and industry leaders.
Economic projections indicate that the broader expansion of mineral sands ventures across Victoria could create up to 7,000 regional jobs.
Furthermore, under Victoria’s Critical Minerals Roadmap, a pioneering benefit-sharing framework is being co-designed alongside local communities and Traditional Owners to deliver direct employment pathways, targeted skills training, and local community funding.