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Discover more about the world-class Donald Project

Fact sheets

Project
Overview

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.

Community
Benefits

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.

Environmental Management

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.

Land Access

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 Farmers Federation Land Access fact sheet.

Radiation

Mineral sand projects produce materials with naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) - trace amounts of thorium and uranium common in Earth's crust. We receive daily radiation from rock, soil, sun, space, food, water, air travel and medicine. The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) reports Australians average 1.5 millisieverts (mSv) of background radiation yearly. The worldwide average is 1-10 mSv. Donald Project NORM radiation will be a fraction of regulatory limits – and a negligible risk to the public.

Rehabilitation

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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Transport

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.

Water

Water is an essential part of site operations. We will need water to process the ore and control dust. We will manage water responsibly and efficiently, especially during dry times. We have designed the plant to capture and reuse water, where possible, to reduce reliance on our GWMWater entitlement. We will regularly monitor our water use to make sure we meet environmental standards and maintain efficient water use. The project will not other users or sensitive waterways.
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Newsletters

April 2025

December 2024

September 2024

July 2024

Environment Effects Statement

The Environment Effects Statement (EES) describes the project and its environmental, cultural, social and economic consequences. The EES has been prepared in accordance with assessment guidelines issued by the Department of Planning and Community Development under the guidance of a technical reference group comprising local, state and federal governments. The project will mine mineral sand ore from an open pit, process it into Heavy Mineral Concentrate (HMC) for transport to port and export.

EES Main Report

Supporting Study 1 - Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Assessment

Supporting Study 2 - Cultural Heritage Assessment is not available for public download due to cultural sensitivities relating to Traditional Owner heritage.

Supporting Study 3 - Flora and Fauna Assessment

Supporting Study 4 - Net Gain Assessment

Supporting Study 5 - Rehabilitation Assessment

Supporting Study 6 - Noise Assessment

Supporting Study 7 - Radiation Assessment

Supporting Study 8 - Road and Traffic Assessment

Supporting Study 9 - Social and Economic Assessment

Supporting Study 10 - Groundwater and Surface Water Assessment

Supporting Study 11 - Water Supply Assessment

Supporting Study 12 - Preliminary Assessment of Impacts of Water Supply on Flora and Fauna Assessment

Supporting Study 13 - Visual Assessment

Project & industry reports

Deloitte Report

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).

Economic Growth Statement. Victoria: Open for Business

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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Victorian Critical Minerals Roadmap

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.

The Victorian Minerals Sector Economic Contribution Study 2023/24

The Victorian Minerals Sector Economic Contribution Study 2023/24 analysed the expenditure patterns of Victoria’s five operating mines to determine the economic contribution. Analysis included employee salaries and wages, business purchases, community contributions and local and state government payments.