Mount Clear residents concerned about Ballarat Gold Mine's expansion plans have been assured the release of a long-awaited health impact assessment is imminent.
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The mine has confirmed it is finalising a Human Health Impact Assessment (HHIA) to accompany an active planning application for a new tailings storage facility - 'TSF4' - and expects to provide a report to the City of Ballarat in coming weeks.
A spokesperson for the mine told The Courier the application was progressing well and the hope was to hold a community consultation meeting in early June.
"Following final approval, should that occur, it is anticipated that construction for TSF4 will start early in 2025," the spokesperson said.
"The HHIA has been done to demonstrate to all stakeholders including the Mount Clear residents that their concerns about the potential health and safety impacts are being taken seriously," they said.
The mine business - Balmaine Gold Pty Ltd - remains under voluntary administration after racking up a reported $38 million in debt and defaulting on a loan repayment in early March.
Administrators earlier this month announced they would start advertising to potentially sell the business, however as of this week the sale process was yet to formally commence.
The spokesperson confirmed there had been several expressions of interest, buoyed by the strong gold price, but said obtaining final approval for TSF4 would be "a crucial step underpinning the value and future of the mine, and securing the jobs that it supports".
"Every mine has unique circumstances and so the value and final sale price are somewhat unclear," they said.
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Longstanding community concerns about the TSF4 were again aired at this week's City of Ballarat council meeting, with several Mount Clear residents highlighting national media coverage of pollution issues associated with tailings storage at the Cadia gold mine south of Orange, New South Wales.
Public questions described the proposed TSF4 dam as "an antiquated and dangerous method of dealing with tailings" and urged consideration of residents living nearby.
"It is essential to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of our community and any decision regarding the dam's construction should be based on thorough research, expert analysis and consideration of community feedback," Mount Clear resident Annie Treloar said.
Chief executive Evan King said the date and location of the community consultation meeting would be set when the council received the HHIA.
"We don't believe any consultation session until that document is provided will be able to provide the answers to the community - that's a vital piece of information to be able to have the most open, robust conversation and understanding of the tailings dam," Mr King said.
Development director Natalie Robertson confirmed the meeting would be open to the public.
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