Resources Victoria regulatory operations director Chris Webb said the company could now search for gold and antinomy in two areas near Nagambie and north of Avenel.
Before an explorer can access private land and begin exploration, landholder consent is required.
Mr Webb said initial exploration activities, such as mapping, would typically start over a large area and then target smaller and smaller areas. The aim is to see if mineralisation is at levels large enough to be commercially extracted.
The two new exploration areas are around the Nagambie township and on farmland to the east, and north of the Nagambie-Locksley Rd.
Antimony is used in lithium-ion batteries and long-life liquid metal batteries and also in the solar panel glass.
The Nagambie mine was discovered in 1986 by Perseverance Mining and open pit mining started in 1989.
The mine produced 135,000 oz of gold from 7.3 million tonnes of ore.
Meanwhile, the VFF said the consideration of the social, economic, and environmental impacts on agriculture and farm businesses was being ignored by the government when granting powers of access for developments such as mining and electricity transmission.
VFF president Emma Germano has called on the Victorian Government improve the Environmental Effects Statement process to ensure it properly considers impacts on food and fibre production.
“Time after time, we’ve seen the very real concerns of farmers and communities ignored in the face of giant mining and energy companies that have caused a lack of trust and confidence in the current EES process which is meant to protect all elements of the environment,” Ms Germano said.
“We’re concerned the government is not ensuring that the EES process considers the ongoing impacts that projects can have on agricultural production and farm businesses. Farmers are being steamrolled as a result.
“It’s the government’s job to ensure the process is right and that’s clearly not happening. With the huge amount of renewable energy, transmission and mining developments planned for Victoria, we need this fixed now.”
Ms Germano said the VFF had written to Victorian Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny and Victorian Energy and Resources Minister Lily D’Ambrosio to recommend a range of solutions.
“We’ve outlined to the government the basic need to include agriculture industry experts being part of any EES technical reference group for a development proposal on farmland,” she said.
“Too often there is no agricultural knowledge included to ensure that EES scoping documents, terms of reference and draft studies properly consider how to avoid impacts on agricultural production and how to ensure fair compensation where impacts cannot be avoided.
“In addition, communities need to be supported to respond to what is often a highly technical process.
“Farmers are forking out thousands of dollars to hire experts to try and understand the negative environmental consequences for them and their businesses. At the same time, the companies proposing the development have deep pockets.”
Land access consent tools are available to landholders to aid negotiations and can be found at: https://resources.vic.gov.au/landaccess
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