Avonbank Mineral Sands Project
The proposed Avonbank Mineral Sands Project is located in western Victoria, with the boundary approximately 15 kilometres north-east of Horsham.
The Avonbank deposit contains approximately 300 million tonnes of ore, hosting commercial quantities of zircon, titanium and associated rare earth elements.
WIM Resource Pty Ltd (WIM) was granted a retention licence (RL2014) for the site in September 2014. This allowed the company to continue its geoscientific and technical work to evaluate the deposit’s potential to become a commercially viable mine. The licence does not allow mining activities.
WIM is proposing the development of up to 3,426 hectares over a 38-year period for a mineral sands mining and processing operation. Under the proposal, the site will operate 24 hours every day of the year.
The project site would also include slurry pipelines, power and water supply infrastructure and additional site buildings, workshops and fuel storage.
The excavation method would involve open-pit mining, which will be progressively rehabilitated to re-establish the former agricultural land use. At any given time, the extent of project disturbance within the mining licence area will be less than around 340 hectares.
Mine products are proposed to be transported via road to the Port of Portland for export overseas.
Current status
In October 2026, Resources Victoria granted the company’s mining licence application for the Avonbank Mineral Sands Project. The application was assessed against the requirements of the Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Act 1990 (the Act) and the Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Regulations 2019.
More than 828 submissions were received by the end of the statutory feedback period. These were considered as part of the decision on whether to grant a licence.
Before mining can commence, the company must develop a work plan and rehabilitation plan, which set out a range of operational details and risk management measures. A rehabilitation bond must also be paid.
The rationale behind this decision is outlined in detail in the full Statement of Reasons. This document is published below.
Environmental assessments
On 17 August 2019, the Minister for Planning determined an Environment Effects Statement (EES) was required for the proposed Avonbank Mineral Sands Project under the Environment Effects Act 1978.
An EES is an assessment of the potential impacts on the environment of a proposed project or development. Learn more about the EES process at the Department of Transport and Planning website.
WIM’s EES described the proposed Avonbank Mineral Sands Project, assessed its potential environmental impacts (including key ones the Minister determined must be addressed) and identified measures to minimise these impacts.
The full EES, including detailed technical reports, is available on the WIM Resource website.
Following public exhibition of this EES, public hearings and a report from the independent Avonbank Mineral Sands Inquiry and Advisory Committee, the Minister for Planning announced that the EES had received a favourable assessment in December 2024.
In April 2025, the Federal Government granted approval under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) for the Avonbank Mineral Sands Project to proceed with conditions attached. Read the Notification of Approval Decision on the EPBC Act Public Portal.
Page last updated: 06 Oct 2026