Interest in gold exploration around Ballarat has not slowed down, with more companies throwing hats in the ring to find the next big score.
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Earlier this year, Red Rock Resources was granted the first of its tenements to the south-west of Ballarat, stretching to Dereel, and exploration manager Dave Holden said he's keen to get in the field.
The first stage of exploration is all science-based, he explained - it could be months before the company begins drilling for samples, and there's no guarantee anything will progress to a full extractive mine.
Instead, teams of geologists will be scoping out patterns in the rocks, hoping to find the slightest sign of gold.
"We'll try to prioritise any targets that come up - any, not all, because we don't know what we'll get yet," Mr Holden said.
"We've got geologists out there fundamentally looking at the rocks, doing mapping and orientation-type soil sample studies.
"We're looking for narrow high-grade quartz systems, so it will be very low footprint if we do go further, but that's so far down the track and a whole other company.
"Our tenement work on the ground is really just geological science - and we want to make it very clear that geology equals science, geology does not equal mining.
"If we are likely to find something, which is probably a one-in-10,000 (chance), then there's a whole different set of procedures and regulations."
The rush in central Victoria - from Stawell to Bendigo - was sparked by the Fosterville Gold Mine, one of the state's richest mines.
In Ballarat, joining the successful fully-operational gold mine in Mount Clear, several other companies have applied for tenements to prospect for gold.
There has been push-back from the community in some areas, particularly in environmentally-sensitive bushland, but Mr Holden and his new community liaison manager, Kiara Reddingius, said they want to work with residents first.
There will be a focus on employing Ballarat people where possible, and an office on Sturt Street has been established.
"We don't want to upset people, our business wants to contribute to the community," Ms Reddingius said, noting she'll be available to talk to residents with concerns.
"It's our personal philosophy that we won't push it - if people don't want us there, we're not going to be there.
"We want to work with everyone, and meet an understanding that everyone's happy with."
Mr Holden said the company would "demonstrate that over the next year".
"I think we have to earn the trust, so we'll be looking to do things for the community," he said.
"As far as our colleagues and peers (in the mining industry) go, there's quite a lot of industry regulation going on, so we're aware of what they're doing, they're aware of what we're doing, and if they're doing something we don't think is good practice, we'll discuss that.
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"The hardest thing stopping us at the moment is the state government - people have to understand there's a lot of regulation in place."
Even if the exploration is unsuccessful, Mr Holden said the UK-controlled company will still be investing millions into the area across the next three to five years.
"At the end of the day, we're not going to disturb the landscape, we haven't got trucks and bulldozers and tractors, but we do bring a lot of money and we'll put some of that into local community projects - if they support us, we'll support them," he said.
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