b'10 MARCH 24, 2023 The Great Eastern MailviewpointT ECHNOLOGY has becomeAt what cost? area with a mix of farms, and rural a fundamental enabler forresidential uses, including high us to communicate andnumbers of farm workers in the exist as part of the modern world. environment.This is therefore At the same time, we are aware ofnot a very sparsely populated the need to reduce climate changearea. Furthermore, the over impacts for the sustainable future4000ha of the Lindenow Valley of the planet which is acceleratingvegetable fields are as close as the transition towards renewable500m downwind from the mine energy options, the use of electricboundary.vehicles and reduced reliance onTechnological improvements fossil fuels. and waste recycling are already Unfortunately, the situationreducing the need for these critical that is being created with theseminerals which are available technological advances has a darkin other locations that arent as side.Rare Earth Elements (REEs)environmentally unacceptable are metals that are used for a varietyor sensitive as the Fingerboards.of purposes, such as in renewableThe largest electric vehicle technologies, mobile phones,manufacturer in the world, Tesla, medical equipment, militaryrecently announced their next purposes such as weapons and forgeneration electric motor will be rechargeable batteries.made without rare earths due to Most of the worlds supply ofthe environmental and health rare earths or Critical Mineralsrisks of mining the group of critical comes from China.Recently,minerals.there has been mounting pressureOur mining legislation from the Federal Government toconfirms its not appropriate to increase Australias extraction ofmine everywhere, it must be these Critical Minerals to reduceenvironmentally safe to do so.Its the reliance on supply from China. not mining at any cost, nor to the Other countries are similarlydetriment of other sustainable long-responding to this situation, someterm industries, nor to peoples able to do this more quickly thanhealth and wellbeing.others. The Fingerboards continues to It is in this context that followingbe the wrong location for a mine.Kalbar Operations Pty Ltds failureChanging the companys name and to gain environmental approvalchange impacts of their project! states, Rare earth elements coexistthat was formed to consider therebranding the importance of the for their mineral sands/rare earthsThe pressure to extract rarewith radioactive minerals such asenvironmental risks of Kalbarsore body doesnt remove the severe mine over 15 months ago, they haveearths is not without considerableuranium and thorium.Rare earthsFingerboards mine project,environmental impacts that were renamed the company Gippslandrisks.According to a Policy Positionmining should be opposed exceptthe following was given as onethe basis of environmental approval Critical Minerals Pty Ltd to jumpPaper most recently adopted byin very sparsely populated areas ofof the primary reasons for thenot being granted.on this bandwagon.Its ironic thatPublic Health Association Australia,Australia.environment effects of their project in their bid to gain environmentalthere are potential serious healthIn the overall findings of thebeing unacceptable because there Debbie Carruthersapproval, Kalbar were criticised forand environmental risks fromState Government appointedis, A significant social impact inOn behalf of Mine-Free failing to address potential climatemining Critical Minerals.The PaperInquiry and Advisory Committeea relatively densely settled ruralGlenaladale Inc.OUR NEW LAKES ENTRANCE LOCATION IS.Mechanics Street, LAKES ENTRANCE (OPPOSITE THE THIRSTY CAMEL) Open 9.30am to 1.00pm AND EVERY FORTNIGHT FOLLOWING THAT DATEOpen Precision,Quality & Comfort AssuredSAME DAY DENTURE REPAIRSBAIRNSDALE DENTURESGeoffrey C DennisOUR BAIRNSDALE DENTAL PROSTHETIST CLINIC IS STILLdenture clinic OPEN289 Main StreetPh: 5152 6896 or 0421 644 580BAIRNSDALE www.bairnsdaledentures.com.auEXPRESS SERVICE FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION WITH DENTAL PROSTHETIST'