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Tasmanian iron ore mine to go ahead after appeal dismissed

A court challenge to stop the development of Venture Minerals' Riley Creek mine in Tasmania’s Tarkine region has been dismissed, paving the way for the iron ore project to go ahead.

The Resources Management and Planning Appeals Tribunal has placed tough new conditions on the mine site, 18km west of Tullah.

The Tarkine National Coalition appealed against the proposed project in June, after the mine received government approval a month earlier.

Campaign manager Scott Jordan said his group was not satisfied with the Environmental Protection Authority’s assessment of the mine and claimed it had failed to meet its own criteria.

He said it had only examined one of three mine-specific documents looking at effect on wildlife.

“The government trying to find shortcuts is not acceptable, it’s a recipe for disaster,” Jordan said.

In its decision, the tribunal said the region had been mined for decades and believed the activity could continue without environmental harm.

The new conditions include restricted transport at night, speed limits to protect Tasmanian devils and new reports on erosion.

 "In some ways they have upheld our concerns but still dismissed the appeal," Jordan told The Mercury.

"The company [Venture Minerals] conceded in the tribunal hearing they had messed up erosion control measures and the Tasmanian devil control measures were insufficient.

"The tribunal's new conditions will address both those concerns."

Tasmania’s Resources Minister Bryan Green welcomed the decision, saying the mine will contribute $40 million a year to the state's economy.

The project is set to employ 60 people and run for two years.

Image: themercury.com.au

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