cxy on 7.30 report now!, page-8

IMO, the real problem is with the law and the greedy stupid QLD government.

In the US an owner of real estate also owns the minerals underneath the surface, unless the mineral rights were sold via a deed or an agreement. (Like Jed Clampett did.)

In Australia and most European countries the land owner only has surface ownership (unless the land was acquired under native title). Any mineral rights are owned by the government and may be sold or leased to miners by the government.

In Canada its a bit of both. A prospector may stake a claim on the mining rights. The prospector has an obligation to negotiate an agreement with the surface rights owner who may set some of the terms and negotiate the amount of royalty, but does not have the right to refuse permission for oil or mineral exploration and extraction. (The lawyers love this system.)


So if a power company wants to put wind turbines on your land here, they have to negotiate with you on how much you receive from the power generated. (The government gets nothing.)

But if a gas company wants to do the same thing with the gas under your land, they have to negotiate with the government on how much the government receives. (The land owner gets nothing.)

This reality has resulted in US/Canada gas/mining companies scrambling for potential mineral or gas deposits in countries where the mining rights can be easily acquired from governments who want the money for their next election campaign.

So of course the QLD government has signed away everything cheap to the miners (owners get nothing) to prevent the opposition from benefiting from selling any mining leases if they were to get elected.

Now the farmers are angry and have formed these "gun-loby" style farmer groups who are prepared to vote out anyone who does not look after their interests.

But the government can't! The opportunity to negotiate royalties between miners and land owners has gone. The miners own the mineral rights and have the law on their side.

The word has gone out to use any means possible to keep the miners off your land. If they can't drill or operate they won't stake more claims or develop the mining sites. Consequently, mining in QLD has become a potentially dangerous occupation not only for the employees but also for their families.