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THE BAUXITE Mining Community Advisory Group has been disbanded and Bauxite Alumina Joint Ventures’ (BAJV) Toodyay shop front closed after the Chinese-owned Yankuang Resources took a 100 per cent stake in mining tenements along the Darling Scarp.
Avon and Hills Mining Awareness Group chairman Brian Dale said while the Chinese Government had put its proposal to build an open cut bauxite mine on hold, when economic conditions improved the company would be back and pose an even greater threat to the Perth Hills.
“Until January 21, BAJV owned the Felicitas resource in Wundowie, Wooroloo and Morangup as a joint venture with a 70/30 partnership with Yankuang Resources while Bauxite Resources Ltd (BRL) owned 100 per cent of the Fortuna resource in Wundowie and Morangup,” he said.
“The Fortuna resource is now also owned 100 per cent by the Chinese Government along with all live and pending tenements in this region previously owned by BAJV and BRL.”
In a Facebook statement released on February 2, Yankuang Bauxite Resources confirmed BRL had transferred all its interests in the tenements that related to the joint ventures.
“The sale of BRLs interest in BAJV to Yankuang Resources has recently been completed and BAJV has changed to Yankuang Bauxite Resources Pty Ltd, effective February 1, 2016,” the post read. “
Given the current economic climate, we will be focusing on the activities required to maintain the tenements in good standing.
“Further development work on the Felicitas and Fortuna projects will be deferred until economic conditions improve.
“This means that activities and meetings for the projects and the bauxite mining community advisory group will cease.”
Mr Dale said the proposal to mine bauxite had caused conflict in the region.
“Since the mining company blew into Toodyay a year ago, it has thrown the communities of Morangup and Toodyay into a heated conflict fuelled by the prospect of local jobs for a bauxite mine that was supposed to open sometime in 2018,” he said.
“BAJV supporters were asked to submit job credentials and expressions of interest to work on the proposed mine but these promises have all been broken.
“It is disgusting that Bauxite Alumina Joint Ventures can come to town and cause so much conflict and upheaval in our communities only to leave literally overnight.”
BY SARAH BROOKES
