Takeaway information

The Donald Project is near Minyip, in the Wimmera region of Victoria, about 300 km north-west of Melbourne. Discovered in the 1980s, the minerals in this globally significant resource are in demand for their applications in everyday life. Those applications span industries and high-tech applications. With a multigenerational project lifespan, the Donald Project promises long lasting economic and social benefits to the region, including jobs, investment, and growth.

We understand the Donald Project site is in the heart of a proud, pioneering, and close-knit agricultural community developed over more than 150 years. We aim to be a positive presence in the region, a good citizen for the long term, our people working, living in, and contributing to the community. We will establish a community-led Community Benefits Program to provide local grants and sponsor community groups and initiatives.

The Donald Project is committed to minimising its impact on the local environment and local communities. We will comply with the strict requirements set down in Victorian and Australian government legislation. The Donald Project has developed 19 robust management plans to manage air quality, noise and vibration, visual impacts, cultural heritage, waste and groundwater and surface water.

DMS recognises the value landowners place on their land and the impact our project may have.  The Donald Project operates under the Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Act 1990(MRSD Act). Under the MRSD Act, mining companies must follow strict rules when accessing private property and fairly compensate landowners for any disruption.

View the Victorian Famers Federation Land Access fact sheet.

We are all exposed every day to natural background radiation, including from exposure to naturally-occurring radioactive material (NORM). It exists in all living tissues, typically in very low concentrations. The worldwide average background radiation dose is 1–10 millisieverts (mSv) per year. The average Australian is exposed to about 1.5 mSv per year, according to the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency. NORM radiation is very low risk to the public.

We understand how interested community members are in post-mine land productivity. We will periodically refine the Mine Rehabilitation Plan, so it is fit-for-purpose over the project lifespan. We will restore the mined land for future use, leaving a safe, stable, and sustainable site.Mining companies must lodge rehabilitation bonds with the Victorian Government before a mine can proceed. The bond must reflect 100 per cent of the estimated rehabilitation cost.
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We will upgrade roads and intersections to create a durable transport route, which minimises local impacts, and improves the local road network for all users. We will minimise the impact of mine-related traffic by scheduling transport so it does not overlap with school drop off and pick up times, only operating trucks during the day to avoid unnecessary noise impacts, routing trucks around the Minyip, banning engine braking and high beams in residential areas, and enforcing speed restrictions.

The Donald Project presents a clear opportunity to develop Australia’s capability in the rare earths and critical minerals sector in alignment with this strategy. Given the Project will be developed in regional Victoria, it will also contribute to increased economic activity and employment in the region. The Donald Project represents access to the largest undeveloped zircon resource globally with 22.1 million tonnes (mt).

Critical mineral processing and battery production will be a focus for the future. Victoria’s critical minerals endowments provide extraction and downstream processing opportunities, including energy storage product design, production and recycling for local and export markets. Globally significant critical mineral-bearing sand deposits in north-west Victoria, which could supply inputs for household products, medical devices and energy transition infrastructure, also present further opportunities for refinement and manufacturing in regional Victoria.
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Victoria is home to world-class deposits of critical minerals, vital for our transition to a net-zero future. We have some of the largest global reserves of ilmenite, rutile, and zircon, placing us in a prime position to meet the surging demand for critical minerals needed to deliver renewable energy targets in Australia and internationally. This demand is expected to grow sixfold by 2040.