The ML application on the lease surrounding the existing ML hasn't been granted yet, it's just progressed through a stage it was required to go through before making it to the minister who then needs to sign it off which will now hopefully happen soon. Given I think this step (this Ann) was expected, I don't think this is necessarily price sensitive. If the recommendation was to not grant it, then to me that would've been price sensitive.
With the company having prior received multiple grants to help exploration, including the deep hole they are currently drilling from that same government, it would seem silly to not approve it you would think. But let's wait for it to be stamped first which will be a significant achievement. ML's can be an absolute pain and drawn out process to obtain, so having one on the surrounding lease would be amazing and give the company an ideal platform for next steps that could involve cashflow.
From what I can gather going off the Ann's, the company wasn't concerned about this step at all and have simply made sure to satisfy all conditions to be able to obtain the ML, which today shows they are vindicated as it has now been recommended by the land court to the minister/s to then be approved.
A couple of months ago someone here posted a link to a Facebook group against reopening the mine who I assume is the main/leader of the objectors. Post by BLADNOCHOLIC pointing out the FB group ('SaveWhitsundayWater')
Having looked at it back then, seems to me like they were quite hysterical and over the top with their claims, focusing on things that aren't directly relevant if at all rather than focusing on actual potential issues (the cynic in me thinks this is because there aren't any of these issues...). I think all up there are/were as many as 11 objectors.
I'm not going to pretend that anything is 100%, but it seems to me that the risks here on all facets are significantly reduced given it is an underground mine that already exists (so minimal surface disruption) and that processing would be done offsite at existing facilities (so no chemicals/processing/tailings etc on site.
I even sat through a podcast that I assume lead objector/owner of the FB group Jeudi did with David Oneeglio, who it turns out has a bit of a, lets say, 'interesting' history. The episode spent more than a bit of time sidetracked on things that IMO would show a lack of credibility (think conspiracies etc), but that is just my view. Maybe I'm just picking low hanging fruit, but seems odd to me that if you were serious and thought you hade a good case, that this would be how you went about it.
Assuming I'm not tarring someone who has the same name (feel free to correct me if so), the interview was with David Oneeglio aka 'Dave Oneegs', who has been called out as a grifter for his videos/commentary during and post covid amongst conspiracy theories and was convicted of running a fake charity/raising money for the NSW flooding a couple of years ago without a permit and wasn't able to account for the funds raised when investigated. So not exactly someone I would be using to try and help voice my concerns to a larger audience to get traction... Not so ‘helpful hands’ lands fake charity in court (search the name for some more info if you can be bothered, but not exactly relevant to this specifically. Just pointing out how the objector/s are going about it.
So, yeah... When there are any objections/environmental issues etc, I am always concerned about any potential impact, whether legitimate or not (even illegitimate claims can delay) and deep dive to research the merit. Here it doesn't feel like there is any merit behind it and the more I look, the more things I've found that has me shaking my head at the objectors. That's not to say even as of today it is 100% guaranteed, but the ruling in today's Ann is what you would want.
Just to finish off on, on the podcast they even admitted Ballymore have followed the process correctly and has ticked all of the boxes as required, so it's not as if the company is breaking or bending any laws/requirements to get the ML footprint extended, they are following the process required.
PS - I didn't want to link to the podcast to give it any traction, no that seems to have gotten much, but it is a bit of a laugh at times. It's on a hosting site called 'Rumble', titled - 'CLC # 54 Save Whitsunday Water - Protect Endangered Species'
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(20min delay)