Alan Jones is vehemently opposed to the Shenhua Watermark coalmine which was given approval last week to go ahead.
The government announced the plam approval whilst Jones was out of the country and the east coast was distracted by State of Origin footy fever.
Please vote in the poll. I think it is open until 9am est.
http://www.2gb.com/poll/poll-shenhua-mine
thanks
I'd say that epitomises the level of debate apropos this project, and "research" , with 3 Kudos??. The mine will NOT be built "slap bang in the middle of prime agricultural land?"
"Just because prime agricultural lands have been allowed to lie fallow and not farmed, are you saying this changes the definition of the type of land described?"
Again, they are not prime agricultural lands lying fallow. The mine site is part of a volcanic ridge area, whilst the prime lands are the alluvial PLAINS adjacent to the ridge.
My point is that many mine opponents would appear to "distort" the truth in order to support their stance, and by so doing "poison their whole argument. with statements that are plainly not true.
The "prime land" is the light coloured alluvial plain area while the mine is situated upon a ridge area.
To the east of the mine (Czb) it is mainly volcanic rocks predominately mafic, and to the west (Ps area) sedimentary rocks and low grade metamorphic rocks. Certainly not "prime agricultural land" lying "fallow" or otherwise.
My point is that many mine opponents would appear to "distort" the truth in order to support their stance, and by so doing "poison their whole argument. with statements that are plainly not true.
its working because i assumed all the
info was correct. just goes to show -
always do your own research 
It's not the soil that is the problem. It's the aquifers and water table that the farmers rely on to irrigate, when necessary, their prime land.
There is no guarantee this mine won't effect these water tables. In fact they have stated that it will. The degree to which it will be affected is what they can't say for certain. Changing the geography of the area will also effect water runoff and collection points from the ridge country. Rain water that falls on the ridges runs in to several creeks and waterways which feed in to the larger Namoi catchment and the Murray Darling.
I am curious as to where the geological maps were sourced and how recent they are? What do the rest of the letters signify?
There is some questionable rock formation that is being kept quiet. It's akin to asbestos type rock. The reports that this appears in are not being made public despite requests.
There is so much shonky stuff associated with this mine proposal.
oh, and that CZB on the map, that is the small hill behind my house. It is predominantly koala habitat.
The P area is used for grazing, some cropping (yes you can grow sorghum on the side of a hill) and is also home to a number of vulnerable species of plants and animal. As for adjacent to, you quite literally have mine on one side of the highway and crops on the other side. Some of the Shenhua owned land has been leased to farmers for the past 3 years. They have quite successfully grown cotton, barley, sorghum and sunflower on the Shenhua owned land. Perhaps people should come and see this country for themselves. Anyone of the farmers around here would be happy to show you around
This mine is a political test case. When it gets the go ahead it will be setting the stage for foreign and domestic mining to set up shop wherever they like and to hell with environment.
p.s. in 30 years time, they won't pack up and go home, they will extend the mine, just as they are near Bulga.
"..........I am curious as to where the geological maps were sourced and how recent they are? What do the rest of the letters signify?
There is some questionable rock formation that is being kept quiet. It's akin to asbestos type rock. The reports that this appears in are not being made public despite requests.
There is so much shonky stuff associated with this mine proposal........"
I think that geological data that stems from the Paleozoic Era (350 million years ago) would hardly be worth being called into question today !
The source? (does no one bother to research?) is Geoscience Australia The map legend ? perhaps the link is worthy of actual personal access/research !
Reports of "asbestos type rock" (where?) being suppressed, really? Why not just grab a few of these "rocks" and produce them, or check with the current lessee farmers of the proposed mine site.
"There is so much shonky stuff associated with this mine opposition.
One bad apple (shonky) suggestion, completely negates a whole barrel of opposition, even though this opposition would appear to be based on knee jerk rhetoric. rather than science/facts.
"No mine in Australian History has ever even attempted to rehabilitate the soil. It's unlikely this one will either."
IF, you clearly underwrite my assertion that one unresearched/flawed statement within a debate immediately demolishes the credibility of the whole argument within that debate, because your comment above is completely without foundation, WRONG !
Alcoa commenced mining bauxite Jarrahdale WA in 1963, and ceased in 1998 During that period, over 160 million tonnes of ore was mined. Rehabilitation carried on for another 3 years until 2001 when all mined areas, haul roads and building sites were completely rehabilitated.
"Alcoa‘s mine rehabilitation has received international, national and state awards. The most significant being listed on the United Nation's Environment Programme Global 500 Roll of Honour in 1990"
"No mine in Australian History has ever even attempted to rehabilitate the soil." WRONG.
