Noonamah Quarry, Elizabeth Valley, Annual and Final report 2017

Abstract

In 2001, Holcim, then CSR Readymix, prepared a Notice of Intent (NOI) with for the purpose of gaining Departmental approval to undertake quarrying activities comprising of the extraction hard rock from the Titles. The NOI was strongly opposed by local residents and environmental groups. As a result of opposition from local residents and environmental groups to the proposed CSR Readymix activities, all mining operations at that time and proposed operations were prevented from commencing or continuing by the Litchfield Shire Council imposing a 10 tonne load limit on a number of roads, including the Elizabeth Valley Road where sand mining was being conducted by other extractive operators. Imposition of the 10 tonne load limit on the Elizabeth Valley Road in particular, meant that any extractive operations on the Titles was unlikely to ever occur given that it was economically unviable to consider removing material in quantities of no greater than 10 tonnes. In the years following the imposition of the 10 tonne load limit, extractive mining activities completely disappeared from the area of the Elizabeth Valley Road and are now located further south in the area of Townend Road. Due to the constraints imposed by the Litchfield, the popularity of the area for rural residential living and numerous residences that have been constructed in the vicinity of the Titles, Holcim took the decision to offer the titles for surrender. Application for surrender of the Titles was made to the DPIR on 11 May 2017. A Mining Notice informing of the Cessation for the Titles on 17 May 2017 was posted on the Northern Territory Government Department of Primary Industry and Resources website on 19 May 2017. For the purpose of this Report, Holcim reaffirms that no ground disturbance, no extractive activity and no production has occurred on the Titles since grant.