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Queensland Government denies mining applications will impact on reef protection efforts

Wednesday, 6 Jul 2016 12:35:23 | Stephanie Smail

Applications for mining the West Normanby River are being considered. (Supplied: Kerry Trapnell)

The Queensland Government has denied its multi-million-dollar efforts to protect the Great Barrier Reef will be undermined by mining applications on a Cape York cattle station.

The Queensland Environment Department bought Springvale Station for $7 million last month, because it was the most-eroded property in the region, contributing 30 to 40 per cent of the gully sediment in the Normanby catchment.

But the ABC has revealed the Queensland Department of Natural Resources is considering two applications for "in-stream" mining, to excavate gold and tin ore in the West Normanby River on the property.

Environment Minister Steven Miles said any potential mine operator would need to negotiate an agreement with the Environment Department before any operations could go ahead.

He said the Environment and Natural Resources departments were working together, rejecting claims by conservationists the mining applications show "the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing".

"Just because some conservation groups aren't close enough to the negotiations to know it's occurring, doesn't mean it isn't," he said.

An example of gully erosion in the upper Normanby catchment. Photo: Erosion at Springvale Station is causing issues in the Great Barrier Reef. (Supplied: Kerry Trapnell)

Mr Miles said one of the applications was still in its public notification period and the Environment Department would object through that process.

"Any mining lease application would need to be agreed to by the Natural Resources and Mines Minister [Anthony Lynham] and he needs to consider the public interest," Mr Miles said.

"I'm quite confident that across all of those processes we'll be able to make sure that no environmentally damaging activity occurs on this land."

He said the small-scale "in-stream" mining operations would not deliver many jobs and their environmental impact would be weighed against the economic benefit.

"I'd urge people not to be too concerned. The Department of Natural Resources and Mines has a way of handling these things," he said.

Mr Miles said he did not think his department would have to compensate the owners of the exploration leases.

"Seventy-five per cent of the state is covered by some kind of mining lease or exploration permit," Mr Miles said.

"When the Environment Department purchases land for potential national parks there's almost always some kind of lease or exploration permit over them and there's a process to resolve that," he said.

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