Minimising our footprint
Australian Rare Earths (AR3) is working to secure a sustainable future through an environmentally and socially responsible approach to producing critical rare earth materials for a cleaner energy future.
AR3 places a high value on protecting the local environment and is working hard to ensure it can sustainably co-exist with other land users including the agricultural, viticulture and forestry sectors.
We work closely with government regulatory agencies and landholders to ensure we understand and manage risks to the environment.
We believe environmental protection and stewardship are the keys to ensuring long-term viability of our business, including maintaining the necessary support from our host communities and governments.
Extraction of clay-hosted rare earths, the type of Rare Earth we have at Koppamurra, has a lower impact than other forms of Rare Earth Elements (REE) mining as it does not produce any radioactive waste materials. In addition, the progressive rehabilitation process allows for the rapid restoration of the land to its former use.
All exploration activities at Koppamurra are conducted in accordance with an approved EPEPR – Exploration Program for Environment Protection and Rehabilitation pursuant to the Mining Act 1971 and approved by the Minister for Energy and Mining. The strong regulatory framework in South Australia provides a solid foundation to underpin AR3’s focus on being a sustainable explorer and developer of rare earth elements.
Click on the links below to download the Regulation Fact Sheets.
Groundwater
AR3 value the agricultural landscape in the regions in which it operates and understands the importance water resources play in the community. As such AR3 maintains a strong focus on ensuring its activities will not impact the regions precious water resources, not only now but into the future.
Protection of Water Resources
AR3 value the agricultural landscape in the regions in which we operate and understand the importance that security and protection of water resources play in communities.
We will work closely with government regulatory agencies and landholders to ensure we maintain our focus on these activities.
The Rare Earth elements targeted in the Koppamurra project are contained to the shallow, mineralised clay layer which sits above the limestone aquifer, therefore interactions and impacts to groundwater from AR3 activities are highly unlikely.
Fast Facts:
The Koppamurra Project has rare earth minerals concentrated in the mineralised clay overlying the Gambier Limestone, the predominant groundwater source in the region.